MADURAI: As news spread about Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda’s unexpected coronation as the 293rd pontiff of the well known Madurai Aadheenam on Friday, not many batted as much as an eyelid within the Saiviite Mutt. However, for those outside the system it came as a shock and surprise. Nithyananda has been visiting Madurai on and off notwithstanding the controversy surrounding an infamous sleaze videotape, which allegedly showed him in the close company of a Kollywood actor. A fortnight ago the young godman, who belongs to the Saiva Vellar community, which has been managing the Madurai Aadheenam, had visited the Mutt along with actor Ranjitha. At that time the current pontiff Arunagirinatha Gnanasamandhadesikar had presented a gold plated silver sceptre to Nithyananda signaling that he would pass on the mantle to him. On Friday, he presented a crown to the godman in Bangalore completing the coronation. A visit to the Madurai Aadheenam in the city in the evening showed that all the followers of the pontiff have accepted his choice of successor as they were sporting a chain with a dollar embossed with Nith-yananda’s image. When Express asked some of them to comment on the coronation, they simply smiled and walked past quickly. Nonetheless, Saivite scholars were taken aback by the development. “The announcement goes against the tradition of Saivite Mutts. “Our custom is to appoint Thambiran to head a Saiva Mutt after giving them proper Sivadiksha. All the Thambirans posted in the temples are trained in Saivite philosophy, Tamil literature and related customs,” said a renowned Saivite scholar. Though an incumbent pontiff has a right to choose his successor, usually they do not name them during their lifetime. “The religious heads of the Aadheenam would usually choose their successors from one of the Thambirans and write it in a will-like document and keep it in a safe. Only after his demise, the safe would be opened... and the successor’s name would be read out,” he said.In 2004, Arunagirinatha had anointed a class XI student Swaminathan as the 293rd pontiff of the Mutt. However, in 2007, he was sent out as Arunagirinatha was not satisfied with Swaminathan’s conduct, Mutt sources said. Arunagirinatha Gnanasamandhadesikar had started was a Reporter with a Tamil evening daily in Madurai before he was initiated into the Dharmapuram Aadheenam as a Thambiran. Apart from religious activities, he also took part in Tamil nationalist politics and recently organised a march towards Cumbum when the Mullaiperiyar dam issue was at its peak.
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