Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 1: Reports say that the customary Aradhane, a religious rituals related to the demise of Sri Laxmivarateertha Swamiji of Shiroor Math, was performed at Lord Adijanardana temple at Shimantoor near Punaroor, Mulky. Some relatives of the late Swamiji were involved with the religious procedures, it is said.

Both the Math premises at Shiroor and Udupi are under the vigil of the police. The police had refused permission to hold the post-funeral rituals of the deceased Swamiji on Tuesday. Therefore, Sode Math Swamiji had declared that the Aradhane would be held after the Math premises are entrusted back by the police.

Lord Adi Janardana is stated to be the family deity of Shiroor Swamiji before he embraced atheism and joined religious service. Therefore, his relatives preferred toperform prayer and other procedures at this temple secretly, it is said. About a hundred devotees of the Math came to the temple and performed 'Aradhane' in honour of the late Swamiji. The visitors were offered a picture of Lord Krishna and books authored by the brother of the Swamiji, Latavya Acharya.

After coming to know that the said programme was being organized in the temple without informing the police, Mulky police visited the spot, made enquires and returned. The religious programmes were guided by a scholar from Udupi named Muchchintaya,i t is said.

The fact that the 'Aradhane' of the Swamiji was being held inside the temple was not even known to people living near the said temple.