Mangaluru: Pejawar seer Vishweshatheertha Swamiji passed away at the age of 89 in a hospital, on December 29. He was battling respiratory problems over the last few days.
Pejavar Vishwesha Tirtha seer, who was discharged from the KMC Hospital, Manipal on Sunday morning was all set to be airlifted to Bengaluru then. However, this could not be done as he breathed his last on Sunday morning.
As per his last wish, he was taken to Krishna mutt for a holy dip at the Madhwa Sarovara and was then supposed to proceed to Bengaluru for advanced treatment.
Early life
Shri Vishvesha Tirthar was born as Venkatrama in 1931 at Ramakunja in a Shivalli Madhwa Brahmin family and was ordained into Sanyasa at a tender age of eight. His Gurus were Vidyamanya Tirtha of Shri Bhandarkeri Math, and Shri Palimaru Math also.
The Swamiji assumed first paryaya- turn to worship Lord Shri Krishna in Udupi at a very young age in 1954. Since then he ascended to the Paryaya Peeth five times in his life and became only seer after Sri Vadiraja Swamiji of Sodhe Mutt to get this opportunity. He started his fifth Paryaya on January 18,2016 and completed it on January 18, 2018.
Outspoken
The Seer was considered as someone who never minced words. He was considered as an influential public figure who had very close association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishat. He was also on the forefront of Ram Janmabhoomi movement. However, his opinions and views always evoked mixed response from public. On one hand, if the seer was looked at as a revolutionary, he also stood by ‘Pankhthi Bedha’, an ancient system where the Brahmins are served food first in the temples.
When the issue of ‘Made Snana’ (tradition where rest of the communities roll over the partaken food of the Brahmins) broke in Kukke Subramanya Temple, it was Pejawar seer who suggested that ‘Yede Snana’ (a system where the devotees can roll over the prasadam offered to God) can be started instead of Made Snana.
War on untouchability
Swamiji remained to be one of the very few seers who spoke against untouchability and toiled for uplift of the Dalits. He used to personally visit the houses of Dalits and interact with the Dalits in their colonies. He used to bless the Dalits and also accept poojas from them. He also started ‘Vaishnava Deeksha’ or initiation of the Dalits into Vaishnavism, following which the Dalits joined the Bhakti Marga. He believed that spirituality was something that should be accessible to all Hindus, irrespective of the class or caste that they were born in.
Pejawar Seer and Ifthar meets
In 2017, the Pejawar seer was in the news for organising an Iftar at the Udupi Krishna temple for the first time ever. He invited Muslims to break their fast during Ramzan in the temple premises. This decision of the seer earned him the wrath of many Hindu outfits, but the seer was far from relenting.
Tulu signature
Not many know that Pejawar seer used to sign in Tulu. Surprising but true, Swamiji had a signature that was in Tulu script, a practice that he followed for 89 years.
