THANJAVUR: After hours of high drama the 28th Pontiff of Suriyanarkoil Mutt Sri Mahalinga Pandara Sannidhi on Tuesday night handed over the charges of the mutt to the HR and CE officials.
This followed after a group of local people gathered in front of the mutt premises in Suriyanarkoil village near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur District on Tuesday evening demanding the Pontiff to relinquish his title as he had gotten married recently. The Pontiff invited three of those gathered to his mutt and held talks. However, the locals did not relent from their demand sources said. Following this, the Pontiff came out of his place and sat in the Suriyanarkoil Panchayat office located in the campus of the mutt.
Later the police arrived at the spot and asked the local people to disburse. Later an altercation broke out between supporters of the pontiff who wanted the pontiff back to mutt and the detractors. The officials of Tiruvavaduthurai Mutt, which has been nominating the Pontiff of Suriyanarkoil Mutt of late, visited the spot and held talks with the Suriyanarkoil pontiff.
Later the Pontiff decided to hand over the administrative charges of the mutt to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE). Based on his decision, he handed over the keys of the mutt to Inspector of the Department T Aruna in the presence of the police and the local people. Before taking charge the officials videographed the mutt premises and the belongings there. The Pontiff also gave a letter to the HR and CE stating he is handing over the charges of the mutt but refrained from stating he was relinquishing the post.
Meanwhile, HR and CE sources said the Executive Officer of Patteeswaram Dhenubureeswarar Temple will act as interim-administrator of the Suriyanarkoil Pontiff.
It might be noted the controversy over Sri Mahalinga Pandara Sannidhi continuing as the Pontiff of the mutt erupted after he married a woman from Karnataka on October 10, which he had also announced officially. Though there was a tradition of a married person becoming the Pontiff of the mutt after relinquishing married life, no one married after becoming Pontiff of the Mutt, his detractors were arguing. Sources said nine temples earlier under the control of the Suriyanarkoil mutt are now being managed by the larger Tiruvavaduthurai mutt.