The head of the 600-year- old Vanumamalai Mutt near here Sri Kaliyan Ramanuja Jeer has passed away.
Mutt officials said in a statement said the 84-year-old "attained Mukthi" at 4 PM yesterday.
He died at a private hospital where he was admitted for old age-related ailments.
The body would be laid to rest at the 'Tiruvarasu' (special burial place for Sanyasis) at Nanguneri, near here.
Thandu Narayanan (71), a Tamil scholar, has been appointed by the Mutt committee as the new pontiff of the Vaishnavite mutt which has disciples all over India and Nepal.