Generations of doctors, engineers, teachers, businessmen and working professionals from various fields remember Shivakumara Swami, the seer of Siddaganga mutt who passed away on Monday, as a champion of the downtrodden. At a time when higher education was beyond the reach of the poor and underprivileged, the seer strove to make it accessible to those in need, irrespective of their religion and caste.
People revered him as ‘ Trividha Dasohi’ — the one who provided education, food, and spiritual guidance.
“The seer would teach us English and also cook food for us,” said M.N. Channabasappa, 85, a former student of the seer and now director of the Siddaganga Institute of Technology, which the seer started in 1963.
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Dr. Shivakumara Swami, popularly known as ‘Nadedaduva Devaru’ (Walking God), was initiated into Viraktha Ashrama in 1930. Before becoming a seer, he was called Shivanna. He was born on April 1, 1908, at Veerapura in Magadi taluk of Ramanagaram district.
He completed his primary education at the rural anglo-vernacular school in Nagavalli and graduated from the government high school in Tumakuru in 1927. He then enrolled at Central College, Bangalore University, where he studied physics and mathematics as optional subjects, but was unable to get his degree as he was made the successor of Uddana Shivayogi Swami in 1930.
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In 1941, at the age of 33, he assumed full responsibility of the mutt. At the time, the Gurukula had a student strength of 200 and was struggling for resources.
Undeterred by the odds, the young seer went with his ‘ jolige ’ to villages on foot to collect foodgrains and vegetables from people to feed the hungry at the mutt. Farmers and others were generous in their donation of funds, foodgrains, vegetables and fruits — a tradition that continues to this day.
English classes
For more than 50 years, he instructed students and taught them English. “As many students were from rural areas, they were not familiar with the language. The seer would hold special classes from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. for class 10 students,” said Dr. Channabasappa. Former students remember the seer’s insistence that they learn to spell correctly.
Many former students recall instances of the seer stepping in to help them financially to continue their education. “He looked after me for 12 years and paid my college fees,” said B. Rajashekaraiah, an ex-serviceman. “He gave me ₹300 when I was selected for military training in 1984 and had to go to Lucknow.”
Though students often left the mutt for other cities, their ties to it remained strong. C.T. Kallaiah, Deputy Director of the PU Board, Raichur, resided in the mutt from 1975 to 1983. “I did my B. Com in Tumakuru and then went to Gulbarga (now Kalaburagi) for M. Com. My parents were very poor and the seer would send me ₹500 every month through money order. This way, I was able to get my degree,” he said.
Today, more than 8,000 students are given food, accommodation and education, irrespective of their religion, caste and creed, at the mutt. Pilgrims and visitors are served food for free at the mutt.