Karnataka’s respected Hindu saint Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt passed away at the age of 88 on Sunday. The whole state is in a feeling of deep sorrow as it has lost the precious jewel and a powerhouse of service and spirituality. Swamiji was known for his various social services activities. He guided people wholeheartedly and never had any religious discrimination. One such example was recognized when people identified him appointing a Muslim as his driver.
A respected seer
Swamiji breathed his last in the Mutt around 9.00 a.m after he was shifted from the Kasturba Hospital at Manipal earlier in the day as his health condition worsened despite being on a ventilator. The saint was admitted to the private hospital on December 20 after he was diagnosed to have pneumonia, a lung infection.
Pejawar seer was a powerful figure who was known for creating public and political comments on important issues. He advocated for his regular and innovative initiatives to respond to social issues. He never made religious discriminations, he believed all religious served a similar purpose.
A Muslim driver
One example of his approach came to light when people got to know about seer appointing a Muslim as his driver. Despite being criticized, the saint refused to regard the objection.
It may come as a surprise but it is true. Mohammed Arif served the seer for two years. Before that, Arif’s brother, Mohammed Akhir, was the seer’s driver for three years while Mohammed Manoor, another brother, spent seven years as the seer’s driver.
Debates on Arif’s appointment
Even though there were debates when he appointed a Muslim as his driver, but the seer did not stir nor give an ear to the criticisms. He had asked Arif: Is it difficult to work as a driver for me?
Arif said it was hard to work as people had a negative opinion on him. Swamiji said: Don’t worry about others, do your job. Arif says though others referred to him as a communal seer, he never felt so in seer’s actions or words.
He also revealed that the seer had always advised him to do Namaz regularly and he did not have any problem for him performing his prayers. Arif had an easy run inside the Mutt despite being of a different religion. According to Arif, the seer had read Quran as wholly as he did Geeta.
