Puthige Mutt pontiff case adjourned

Udupi, Karnataka, Jan 11 (UNI) A local court today adjourned a case seeking to disqualify Udupi Puthige mutt seer from ascending the Paryaya Peetha and conducting Sri Krishna Pooja, to January 14 for further orders.

After hearing arguments from both sides on the case against Sri Sugunendra Thirtha Swami, the Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) here adjourned the case.

Earlier, when the court commenced its hearing in the case, Advocate Dorairaju, appearing for the plaintiffs, contended that the pontiff had violated tradition by breaking his 'yathidharma' of conducting rituals thrice a day during his air travel to foreign countries.

The Swami had also not taken 'Attada Devaru' (the deities in the mutt to which poojas were conducted thrice a day) during his visits.

The pontiff had violated the code of conduct laid down by Sri Madhwacharya and should be disqualified from ascending 'Sarvajna Peetha,' the sacred peetha on which Sri Madhwacharya sat and administered the temple built by him over 800 years ago, he contended.

Mr Dorairaju said there should not be a separate yardstick for the Puthige mutt pontiff, who had allegedly taken a lead role in the campaign for relinquishment of the junior seat of Pejavar mutt by the erstwhile junior pontiff for his visit to the US.

He also appealed for a stay order, restraining the Swami from ascending the peetha.

The case against the Puthige mutt pontiff was filed in the court on January 4 by Mr C H Nagaraja Rao and Mr Harish Bhat from Udupi.

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