PALAKKAD: Swami Nirmalananda Giri Maharaj, 86, who spent his life preaching Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and treating patients with Ayurveda by travelling the length and breadth of the State passed away at a private hospital here.
The samadhi will be held at the Paliyil madom in Palappuram, Ottappalam on Friday.
He had suffered cerebral haemorrhage and was admitted in a private hospital in Palakkad. His platelet count had gone down and he was being treated since Wednesday evening.
On Thursday morning, he was moved to the intensive care unit and put on ventilator. He breathed his last at 5.30 p.m.
He had been living in the outhouse of Paliyil madom in Kayarampara in Palappuram, Ottappalam on the banks of the Bharathapuzha.
He had come to Kerala from the Thilapandeshwar ashram in Varanasi in the early eighties. His sanyasa guru was Achuthananda Giri.
He was providing consultations in ayurveda for all types of diseases by travelling throughout Kerala. Apart from Ayurveda, Swami Nirmalananda Maharaj had knowledge of all traditional forms of medicine as well as modern medicine.
His ashram used to witness patients, irrespective of caste and creed from other states and from all parts of Kerala who sought his treatment. His vast knowledge of medicines and excellent diagnosis had earned him a good reputation