New junior pontiff appointed for ancient Saivite mutt

Madurai Adheenam head Sri Arunagirinatha Swamy today appointed Kumara Sundara Swamy as the junior seer of the over 1,500-year-old Saivite mutt here which receives followers from various parts of the world.
At a ceremony here, Arunagirinatha, the 292nd head of the adheenam, initiated him into the mutt and named him his successor.
Apart from receiving devotees from all over the country, the mutt also receive followers from other parts of the world including Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Prior to taking over as the junior pontiff, his name was Tirunavukarasu.
He is a post-graduate and had done a detailed course in Veda Agama at the Karpaga Vinayagar Temple Padasala Sanskrit College. He was also a Yoga teacher.

The mutt, which has crores of rupees worth properties, had courted controversy after Arunagirinatha appointed self-styled godman Nithyananda as his junior in 2012 but withdrew it later facing protests from various Savite mutts.