The mystery surrounding the death of Saswathikananda which occurred on July 1, 2002, has got a new twist with close friend Surendran alleging that not only Vellappally Natesan but some members within the Mutt might have had a role because of animosity towards him.
The case has been in the news lately with several allegations and counter-allegations flying thick and fast.
Swami’s close aide and a childhood friend Surendran K says that though he loved everyone, there were many who considered him as an enemy.
“He was a good administrator, a real follower of Sree Narayana Guru, above all he never deviated from his ethics and because of this he had many enemies. He even had enemies inside the Mutt,” Surendran said.
“Swami was very strict in checking corruption at Sree Narayana institutions, whether it is Mutt or other related organisations. So whoever was affected by his strict actions considered him an enemy,” he said.
On Vellappally Natesan, Surendran said, “Swami knew Natesan was a fraud. But he did not know how to hate others, so Natesan got all freedom. Swami was the one who supported Natesan to get to positions.”
Some background on who Saswathikananda was?
The real name of Saswathikananda was Sasidharan, who was the eldest child of Chellappan and Kausalya and belonged to a poor family.
Swami’s younger brother V Rajendran says, “At home we were in extreme poverty, no food to eat and no clothes to wear, that was the reason why Swami decided to go to the Mutt when he was 14 years old. At the Mutt, they gave free food, stay and education.”
According to Rajendran, his brother was a real saint, who loved his enemies and who helped others unconditionally. “From childhood, he was a different person, calm, quiet and treated everyone equally,” he says.
When he was 18 or 19 years old, he left the Mutt and wandered a lot like a sanyasi and returned after a few years. His decision to become a seer had shocked the family according to Rajendran.
“When one day I asked him to apply for a job he said he had become a sanyasi and was not interested in other life. We were shocked and our mother tried to stop him from that, but he was firm in his decision.”
“He visited home only four times after he joined the Mutt and he never shared anything personal with family,” Rajendran recalls.
Swami’s rise was meteoric and he became the youngest to head the Sivagiri Mutt.
Allegations against Swami
There are also accusations by the Swami’s natives to suggest that he was not all that pious.
One of the sources who was closely associated with the Swami and sought anonymity said, he was a goonda leader. “Swami had another face, he was a goonda leader. Everyone who is associated with him knows it. He had cases registered against him. He also had a murder case registered against him, after he passed away."
Death shrouded in mystery
According to sources, on June 30, Swami visited his friend Raveendran in Thiruvnanthapuram and had lunch at his house. He then left for Aluva by car and was not seen alive after that.
“Swami had shown his train ticket to Raveendran and told him that he had booked it earlier, but later Swami travelled in a Maruti 800 car to Aluva where some other Swami from the Mutt joined him in between. We don’t know why Swami cancelled the train journey, there is some mystery,” Surendran said.
It is believed that the Swami drowned in the Periyar river while taking a bath near Advaitashramam at Aluva near Kochi.
“Swami was a very good swimmer; he used to swim well even in sea. In childhood we used to do swimming competitions in the lake nearby. My mother used to say that he will never drown as he was an expert in swimming,” Rajendran said while adding, “it was a murder we all know that very well.”