Tale of two heads

Two Lingayat mutts set the stage for a social revolution by naming a Muslim man and an OBC woman as pontiffs

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

EVEN AS DELHI witnessed one of the worst communal riots in its history last month, two Lingayat mutts in Karnataka underlined the promise of religious amity and social equality, which is integral to India’s diverse culture as well as its Constitution.

Disregarding opposition from the conservative society, two Lingayat mutts in the state named nonLingayats—a Muslim man and a Kuruba woman—as pontiffs. The Murugharajendra Koraneshwara Shanthidhama mutt in Asuti village of Gadag district named Diwan Sharief Rahimsab Mulla, a 32-year old Muslim auto rickshaw driver as its new pontiff, while the Basava Kendra Mahanta mutt in MareguddiBudhni PM village in Bagalkot district chose 47-year-old Neelamma Thayi as its head.

“The Basava tatva stresses on gender and caste equality. Everyone speaks about it, but only a few practise it. I was keen to choose a successor from a different community,” says Mahanta Swami, the senior pontiff of the Mareguddi mutt. In most virakta (renunciation) mutts, the pontiff names his successor, who is initiated by a celibate upper-caste Lingayat priest. But Mahanta Swami had taken deekshe (initiation) from Siddarama Sharana, a dalit pontiff from the Beldal mutt, who was a grihastha (family man). “The Sharana tradition says the teacher is the one who is enlightened, has the right conduct and has mystic powers. I have given deekshe to dalit families. Any one who wears the linga on his body is a Lingayat,” says Mahanta Swami. Anointing a woman pontiff was the unfulfilled wish of his late guru Mahanta Shivayogi Swami, Chittaragi, Ilkal mutt. “When I was on the lookout for my successor, I decided to fulfil my guru’s wish and I found an able spiritual leader in Neelamma Thayi,” he says. “She is a hard worker and is known for her selfless service and patience. She is also proficient in Vedanta and Vachana Sahitya.”