Kanchi seer rejects Nityananda’s claim

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Kanchi seer Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamy has stated that he did not support the “appointment” of Nityananda as the 293rd pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam, even as the present pontiff Arunagirinatha Desigan justified the controversial godman Nityananda’s coronation.

The first official reaction of the Kanchi Sri Sankaracharya Swamy rebuffs the assertion of Nityananda who claimed to have the support of the Kanchi mutt.

“Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamy has neither expressed support nor opposed the ‘appointment’ of Swamy Nityananda as 293rd head of Madurai mutt,” an official release from the Kanchi mutt quoting the Seer said, dispelling doubts on the claims of Nityananda who was allegedly involved in a sex scandal with his devotee and Tamil film actress.

On May 1, a congregation of several mutt heads in Nagapattinam disapproved the allegedly tainted Nityananda as head of the Madurai Saivite mutt.

Reacting to this Nityananda had claimed to have the support of Kanchi mutt head, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal and a few political party leaders.

The Kanchi seer also clarified that “the Sankara mutt had no role in the appointment of Nityananda as head of Madurai Aadheenam.”

The Madurai Aadheenam is the oldest and richest Saivite mutt in south India established by Tamil saint Sambandar, located close to the renowned Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple.

Arunagirinatha’s successor Nityananda is perhaps the only pontiff to break away from the tradition of tonsuring his head.

He sports long locks instead. In fact, Arunagirinatha had even justified it saying the hair enhanced his successor’s beauty.