Bengaluru: Bengaluru: Popular seer Tontadarya Siddalinga Swamiji passed away in Gadag in the early hours of Saturday, October 20. He was 69. He was in charge of the Tontadarya Mutt for the past 40 years.
News of the seer’s death was broken during the joint press conference organised by the Congress-JD(S) coalition at Hotel Ashoka in Bengaluru. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Chairman of Government-alliance Coordination Committee Siddaramaiah, Minister for Water Resources D K Shivakumar, DCM G Parameshwar, former prime minister H D Devegowda, and the KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao were present.
It is said that, before passing away, the seer had attended several programmes on the occasion of Vijayadashami on Friday.
According to sources, the seer was fine and cheerful, speaking with the people at the programme as well as at the Mutt, after which he proceeded to his room to retire for the night.
After the seer did not respond to his associates’ knocks at his door on Saturday morning, they managed to enter his room and found him lying in bed. He was rushed to the hospital in Gadag, where he was declared dead at 11 AM.
The cause of death is reported to be a massive heart attack.
Reportedly, the seer had come back to the Mutt only 15 days back, after having undergone treatment for joint pain in his legs.
Reacting to the news, CM HDK said, “This news has come as a shock. We are indeed sad and mourn the sudden demise of the Siddalinga Swamiji. He was a true social contributor and sharp in his views about society. We have truly lost an intellect soul, who strived for the betterment of the society and the downtrodden. He was one of the prominent figures in the Lingayat-Veerashaiva movement and was an inspiration and a guiding force to me and the political fraternity.”
“This is a great loss to the state as well as the country. He was a great soul, who emphasised equality,” said Siddaramaiah.
Speaking fondly of the seer to reporters, BSY said, “Tontadarya seer was against blind belief. He was a revolutionary and a social reformer.”
About Tontadarya Siddalinga Swamiji
Born on February 29, 1949, in the Korwar village in Sindagi, Bijapur, Tontadarya Siddalinga Swamiji was an intellectual and a highly educated person. He was also known for his interest in agriculture and would give suggestions to the farmers regarding their problems.
He took over the responsibilities of the Mutt in 1974 and later established the Tontadarya Institutions, which catered to the students from all over the country.
He was the 19th seer of the Tontadarya Mutt.
