A 22-year-old seer was compelled to go away his place at a mutt in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar on Monday after villagers objected to his appointment upon studying of his Muslim background previous to taking the basava deeksha (non secular initiation).
Nijalinga Swamy, who had served because the seer of the year-old mutt in Gundlupet taluka for simply six weeks, took his non secular vows 5 years in the past, at age 17. Initially from Yadgir district, he had devoted himself to spreading the teachings of Lingayat social reformer Basavanna via vachanas or devotional poems throughout Karnataka.
The controversy erupted final week when an area resident found the seer’s former identification on seeing his Aadhaar card, which revealed his beginning identify and former faith. This discovery led to opposition from a bit of devotees who claimed that they had been unaware of his background earlier than the appointment.
‘Interested in Basavanna at a younger age’
Talking to The Indian Categorical, Nijalinga Swamy mentioned he was born in a Muslim household as Mohammed Nisar. “At a really younger age, I used to be attracted in direction of Basavanna and his concepts. I used to carry out puja similar to any Lingayat. My dad and mom had been frightened and so they despatched me to a madrassa to review. It gave me one other dimension, and on the age of 17, I took deeksha (initiation) to develop into a Lingayat.”
Mahadev Prasad, a philanthropist who resides in Australia, had donated land to construct a mutt in Chamarajanagar district’s Chowdahalli. After establishing Gurumalleshwara Shakha mutt, Nijalinga Swamy was appointed its head as he was already following Lingayat rituals at a mutt in Basavakalyan, Bidar.
“They approached my Guru to recommend a seer for the mutt, and he advised my identify. Some well-wishers advised me to not reveal my earlier identification (as a Muslim) and to work for the betterment of the mutt,” he mentioned.
The seer had two mobiles telephone, one in all which he used earlier than taking deeksha. One in every of his staff sought Nijalinga Swamy’s cell phone final week as his machine was not working and the seer gave him the previous cell phone. On going via the telephone, the worker noticed the Aadhaar card, pictures of Nisar in a cranium cap and one other one holding a bottle of beer. He instantly knowledgeable the mutt’s devotees.
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On being confronted, the seer admitted that he was a Muslim earlier than accepting the Lingayat religion. He additionally clarified that he had not engaged in any “unholy” exercise, like consuming beer, after his non secular conversion. Nevertheless, by then, the devotees had compelled him to step down.
Discovering shelter in one other mutt
“I left my dad and mom and Islam solely as a result of I consider in Basavanna’s ideology. I’ll proceed to take action and no one can cease me from doing that. A variety of seers and folks from the Lingayat neighborhood have come to my help. In reality, one other Lingayat mutt in Rane Bennur (Haveri district) has given me shelter now. I’ll proceed to observe Basavanna and his concepts,” Nijalinga Swamy mentioned.
Nevertheless, as soon as the matter triggered an issue, he mentioned some folks began spreading rumours in opposition to his character and even falsely claimed that he had carried out monetary misappropriation. “I can’t surrender, however will reside the remainder of my life to propagate Basavanna’s concepts,” he added.
Some Muslims, particularly in North Karnataka, are ardent followers of the Twelfth-century social reformer Basavanna, who advocated for equality no matter caste or non secular background. A few of them have additionally taken deeksha.
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In 2020, Diwan Sharief Rahimsab Mulla, a 33-year-old former autorickshaw driver, took Deeksha, changing into the fourth Muslim to go a Lingayat mutt in 300 years.