Udupi, (The Hindu): Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami of Shiroor Mutt was laid to rest at the Vrindavana at the moola mutt at Shiroor village, about 24 km from here on Thursday. Elaborate rituals marked the occasion.

The seer passed away at the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal earlier in the morning. After the post-mortem was conducted at the hospital, the body was brought in a basket carried by devotees in a decorated vehicle from Manipal to the Shiroor Mutt in Udupi.

After the performance of religious rituals, it was kept for public viewing at the entrance of the Shiroor Mutt. The representatives of the other seven of the Ashta Mutts were present on the occasion. A large number of people paid their last respects to the departed seer here. All the shops and business establishments were closed on Car Street and its surrounding areas here as a mark of respect for the departed seer. The body was then taken to the Kanakana Kindi of Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple. Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt was present on the occasion and rituals, including the aarti, were performed.

The basket containing the body of the departed seer was then kept in the decorated vehicle. The vehicle went around Car Street once and then left for the moola mutt at Shiroor, where the last rites were performed. The officers and representatives of the Sode Mutt were present. A large number of people from Shiroor and surrounding places were also present.

Sri Madhwacharya, exponent of Dwaita philosophy, had grouped the eight mutts or Ashta Mutts of Udupi into four pairs called the Dwandwa Mutt system. The pair mutt of Shiroor Mutt is Sode Mutt. Hence, all the arrangements for the last rites were done under the supervision of the Sode Mutt. Gopalacharya, scholar, said that the seers of other mutts of Ashta Mutts were normally present, when the body of a departed seer was brought to the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple if they were in the town. But in this case, except for Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt, no other seer was there.

No other seers were present during the performance of the last rites at the moola mutt at Shiroor. But a representative of Pejawar Mutt said that it was not compulsory for other seers to be present during the last rites.

Succession

On the successor for the Shiroor Mutt since Lakshmivara Tirtha had not appointed a junior seer, sources here said that a seer would be appointed to the Shiroor Mutt after Vishwavallabha Tirtha Swami of Sode Mutt held discussions with the seers of the other mutts. The power of appointing a seer to the Shiroor Mutt now lay with Sode Mutt as it was the Dwandwa Mutt, the sources added.