MADURAI: The Madurai Aadheenam will write to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration to permit Nithyananda up to Arthamandapam in Meenakshi Amman temple, recognising his position as junior pontiff of the Mutt, said Arunagirinatha Desigar, the 292nd pontiff of Madurai mutt.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday after inaugurating a medical camp, he said the pontiff and the junior pontiff have traditional right to worship in the Arthamandapam. “On an earlier occasion, the temple authorities denied permission to Nithyananda to enter Arthamandapam. Hope it will not happen again,” he said.
Nithyananda said since the Joint Commissioner of HR and CE department did not respond to the invitation of the mutt, the administration will write to the department about his entry to the Arthamandapam. “If they denied permission in writing, we will pursue the issue legally,” he added. Responding to a query about the new case filed in the Madras High Court against his anointment as the 293rd pontiff of the Mutt, Nithyananda said, “We will face it legally.”
He said two doctors from the USA have donated 47 dialysis machines, each costing `6 lakh, to the Mutt. “We will establish a free dialysis centre at near Melagopura Vasal at Madurai as and when the occupant of a property of the mutt vacated the place. “The mutt do not have any long lease agreement with the occupant,” he added. There were 140 illegal occupants in the Mutt’s properties.
The houses built at Kanjanur, Tiruppurambiyam, Kachanam and Pannatheru as guest houses for the heads of the Aadheenam were being converted to health centres. “A hospital with 300 beds is on the cards for the welfare of Madurai people,” he added. The Medical camps would be a regular feature in Madurai mutt till a dispensary is opened on the premises, Nithyananda added.
Meanwhile, in Thanjavur, residents of Kanjanoor observed a day’s fast on Saturday demanding the removal of 292nd pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam Nithyanada.
Around 200 villagers, part of the Kanjanoor temple rescue group, from Kanjanoor, Kottur, Thugili and Mana loor went on a fast a week after Nithyanada’s high profile visit to the Kanjanoor Ageeswarar Swamy temple.
The villagers, while con demning the senior pontiff Arunagirinathar of Madurai Aadheenam for anointing Nithyanada, demanded the immediate removal of the newly-appointed Aadheenam head. Earlier this month, Nithyananda along with senior pontiff Arunagirinathar visited Kanjanoor and announced a slew of development projects.