December 26, 2025 12:38 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Tarique Rahman returns to Bangladesh after 17 years | Shocking killing inside AMU campus: teacher shot dead during evening walk | Horror on Karnataka highway: sleeper bus bursts into flames after truck crash, 9 killed | PM Modi attends Christmas service at Delhi church, sends message of love and compassion | Delhi erupts over lynching of Hindu man in Bangladesh; protest outside High Commission | Targeted killing sparks global outrage: American lawmakers condemn mob lynching of Hindu man in Bangladesh | Assam on a ‘powder keg’: Himanta Biswa Sarma flags demographic shift, Chicken’s Neck fears | Bangladesh on edge: Student leader shot as pre-poll violence deepens after Hadi killing | Historic deal sealed: India, New Zealand sign landmark Free Trade Agreement in record time | Supreme court snubs urgent plea to stop PMO’s chadar offering at Ajmer Sharif
Image: CM of Karnataka Twitter page

Last rites of 'Walking God' Shivakumara Swamy to be performed today

| @indiablooms | Jan 22, 2019, at 09:47 am

Bangalore, Jan 22 (IBNS): The last rites of Shivakumara Swamy, the head of Karnataka's Sree Siddaganga Mutt, will be held on Tuesday in Tumakuru.

According to reports, the last rites of the religious leader will be performed with full state honour at around 4.30 pm.

Considered as one of the oldest people who was living in India, the religious leader was 111 when he died on Monday.

Swamy was affectionately called by his followers as the 'Walking God'.

Karnataka government has announced three-day morning to pay respect to Swamy.

From Modi to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, several political leaders expressed their grief on the demise of the religious leader on the social media.

Swamy was considered to be a well known religious practitioner of Lingayatism faith.

He was in ventilator for last 15 days.

Politicians condole:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "I have had the privilege to visit the Sree Siddaganga Mutt and receive the blessings of His Holiness Dr. Sree Sree Sree Sivakumara Swamigalu. The wide range of community service initiatives being done there are outstanding and are at an unimaginably large scale."

The official Twitter page of the Karnataka Chief Minister posted: "India has lost a divine soul.#ShivakumaraSwamiji."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi posted: "I am sorry to hear about the passing of Shivakumar Swami Ji, Pontiff of the Siddaganga Mutt. Swami Ji was respected & revered by millions of Indians, from all religions & communities. His passing leaves behind a deep spiritual void. My condolences to all his followers."

Born on Apr 1, 1907, Swamy as an Indian spiritual leader, humanitarian and educationist. He was a Hindu religious figure of the Lingayatism sect and head of the Siddaganga Matha in Karnataka. 

He also founded the Sri Siddaganga Education Society.

He was described as the most esteemed adherent of Lingayatism. 

He studied English in college and is proficient in Kannada and Sanskrit.

He had established educational institutions which offer courses in traditional learning of Sanskrit as well as modern science and technology. He is widely respected for his philanthropic work by all communities.

In recognition of his humanitarian work, the Swami was conferred with an honorary degree of Doctor of Literature by Karnataka University in 1965. 

 

Image: CM of Karnataka Twitter page

 

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.