MADURAI: The 77-year-old pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, breathed his last at a private hospital here at 9.15 pm on Friday. He was undergoing treatment for respiratory illness.
The Madurai Adheenam, considered one of the oldest Saivite adheenams (Hindu monastery) in the State, is said to have been established more than a millennium ago and rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar, one of the Nayanmars (disciples of Lord Shiva).
The pontiff was a native of Sirkazhi and joined the Dharmapuram Aadheenam as a disciple soon after his schooling. Since 1980, Arunagirinatha Swamigal, who was formerly a journalist with the DMK's mouthpiece 'Murasoli', has been serving as the 292nd pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam, which is the hereditary trustee of three temples in Thanjavur district. Closely associated with late DMK patriarch M Karunandhi, he had also voiced his support for late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, especially during her election campaigns. Well-known for respecting all faiths, he took special interest in the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils.
On August 8, the pontiff was admitted to a private hospital in the city with breathlessness. He was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder and shifted to an Intensive Care Unit on Thursday, after his condition worsened. On Friday afternoon, he was put on ventilator support. He passed away a few hours later, hospital sources said.
While the pontiff was ailing, the fugitive 'godman' Nithyananda, who has been accused of sexual assault, issued a statement wishing his speedy recovery. In his statement, he staked his claim to be named the 293rd pontiff of the Aadheenam, recalling that he was formally named the junior pontiff by Arunagirinathar on April 27, 2012.
However, Nithyananda was removed as the junior pontiff on December 19 in 2012 by Arunagirinadhar. The pontiff went on to appoint and later remove two other junior pontiffs with the issue ending up before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court.
With Nithyananda staking his claim as the successor of Arunagirinathar, the chambers of the Madurai Aadheenam, located near the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, were sealed late on Thursday night by the pontiff of the Dharmapuram Aadheenam, Masilamani Swamigal from Mayiladuthurai, sparking a row over succession.
Clearing the air, Masilamani Swamigal briefed reporters on Friday and said that he had sealed the chambers after meeting Arunagirinathar at the hospital. "It was done in the presence of the junior pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam as per the wishes of the ailing pontiff and it is customary to seal the chambers when the pontiff is away," he stated.
Later on Friday, Masilamani Swamigal, who held an inspection in and around the Aadheenam chambers, decided on a spot at Munichalai as the site of entombment of Arunagirinathar.