Adichunchanagiri Mutt Swami laid to rest

A five-member team of priests chanted vedic hymns and the last rites were performed by Nirmalananda Swami, who was named successor to Balgangadharanatha swami.

The body of the 69-year-old swami, who passed away at the BGS hospital yesterday after a brief illness, was taken to Adichunchanagari this evening from Bangalore.

En route to Adichunchanagiri, thousands of devotees lined up to pay their last respects.

State police presented a 21-gun salute as a mark of respect to the spiritual leader for whom the state government declared a state funeral.

A host of political personalities including Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, BJP leader Ananth Kumar, Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, former Union Minister S M Krishna, State JDS President H D Kumaraswamy and Opposition Leader in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah were present when the body was laid to rest.

Balagangadhara Swami made his mark initially with religious pursuits but later founded institutions of excellence in education and medical facilities besides undertaking development work and philanthropy.