MADURAI: After fugitive godman Nithyananda staked claim as the successor of Madurai Aadheenam Arunagirinathar in a statement released recently, the rooms of Madurai Aadheenam were sealed late on Thursday night. Arunagirinathar who was admitted to a private hospital in the city for respiratory ailments, is in critical condition.
Madurai Adheenam which is considered to be one of the oldest Saivite Adheenams (Hindu monastery) is said to have been established more than a millenia ago and said to have been rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar, one of the trio Nayanmar (disciples of Lord Shiva).
Since 1980, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya, who was formerly a journalist with the Tamil daily and DMK's mouthpiece 'Murasoli', has been serving as the 292nd pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam, who is the hereditary trustee of four temples in Thanjavur district. On several occasions, he had voiced his support for former AIADMK Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, especially during her election campaigns.
On August 9, the pontiff Arunagirinathar was admitted to a private hospital in the city, due to respiratory ailments. However, he was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit on Thursday, after his condition worsened.
At this juncture, the fugitive godman Nithyananda accused of sexual assault recently issued a statement wishing speedy recovery of the pontiff. In his statement, he staked claim as the 293rd pontiff of the Aadheenam, recalling that he was formally made the junior pontiff by Arunagirinathar on April 27, 2012.
However, it may be recalled that Nithyananda was removed as the junior pontiff on December 19 in 2012, by Arunagirinadhar himself who went on to appoint and later remove two other junior pontiffs with the issue ending up as legal suits at the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, that are still pending.
With Nithyananda staking a claim as the successor of Arunagirinathar, the rooms of Madurai Aadheenam that are located near Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple here were sealed late on Thursday night, in the presence of Dharmapuram Aadheenam from Mayiladuthurai. The rooms were reportedly sealed to prevent anyone from accessing the property documents relating to the Aadheenam-controlled temples.