Senior Lingayat pontiff and Karnataka seer Sri Siddeshwara Swamiji passed away at the age of 81 on Monday. Why was he so special to the people of Karnataka? Let’s find out.
Karnataka seer passes away
The seer of the Sri Jnana Yogashrama of Vijayapura was suffering from age-related problems for several weeks and had been confined to a wheelchair. He passed away at his Gyanayogashrama on Monday night.
His mortal remains will be kept at Sainik school grounds on Tuesday, and over 10 lakh people are expected to pay their respect. According to the ashram, the final rites of the seer will be performed as per his wishes which he had recorded on ‘Guru Purnima’ day of 2014.
Who was Sri Siddheshwar Swamiji?
Jnanayogi Shri Siddheshwar Swamiji, known as the ‘Walking God of North Karnataka’, comes from Bijjaragi village in Vijayapura district. The Seer held an MA in Philosophy from Karnataka University Dharwad. He was designated as a math seer by his guru, Vedanta Kesari Sri Mallikarjuna Mahashivayogi.
A saint who served for over 65 years in the ashram, Sri Siddheshwar Swamiji was known for his simple lifestyle and calming preaching. He had a deep interest in a wide range of philosophical streams and uses anecdotes, stories, and examples from various sources in Kannada, Marathi, English, Hindi, and Sanskrit.
One of the prominent Lingayat seers in the state, he has written several books on Upanishads, Gita, Sharana philosophy, and general spirituality. Some of his principal works are Siddhanta Shikhamani, Allamaprabhu’s Vachana Nirvachana, and Bhagavad Chintana (Reflections of the Divine). He has also written books in English.
Also, he was one of the most popular speakers in Karnataka and Maharashtra. His lectures on the ideology preached by Sri Basaveshwara and other Sharanas, the three Acharyas of Indian philosophy, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sufism, drew huge crowds. Quite recently, he performed month-long speeches in the small towns of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Notably, the seer had declined the Padma Shri award in 2018, citing his indifference to such tangible titles since he embraced spirituality. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi then, he wrote, “I am very grateful to the Government of India for awarding me the prestigious `Padma Shri`. But will all respect to you and the government, I want to convey my unwillingness to accept the great award”.
Swamiji’s preaching was often described as hard teachings provided in a pleasing and enjoyable manner.
