The new pontiff Siddalinga Mahaswami to take over the reins of Lingayat mutt

BENGALURU: In the next few days Siddalinga Mahaswami, 55, who has been appointed as the new pontiff, will officially be taking over the reins of the prominent Lingayat mutt. .

Over the past six to seven years, due to the ill health of Shivakumara swamiji, Siddalinga swamiji has been discharging his duties as the president of the mutt and its educational institutions.

At the time of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat controversy, Siddalinga Mahaswami had stayed equidistant from both the sides and made sure that the mutt was not embroiled in any controversy.

The mutt, which runs 125 educational institutions under the Sri Siddaganga Education Society, is considered to be one of the richest in the state of Karnataka with its assets worth thousands of crores of rupees. It wields considerable influence in the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. However, one swami who was associated with the Siddaganga mutt had said that there is no actual monetary calculation of the assets as it functions on the concept of dasoha which means serving the people by providing food, education and shelter.