13 mutt heads oppose Nithyanandas appointment

NAGAPATTINAM: Heads of various Saivaite mutts in Tamil Nadu have urged Sri Arunagirinatha Swamigal to reconsider the appointment of controversial godman Nithya­nanda as the 293rd head of the 1,500-year old Madurai Adheenam.Heads of 13 important Saivaite mutts, who met at Dharmapuram in Mayiladuthurai on Tuesday, held discussions in this regard. Dharmapuram Adheenam Guru Maha Sannidhanam Sri Shanmuga Desiga Paramarcharya Swamigal presided over the meeting.During the meeting the members urged the present head of Madurai Adheenam to reconsider the decision of appointing Nithyananda as the Madurai Adheenam pontiff within 10 days. “If the Adheenam sticks to his decision, we will be forced to seek legal recourse, besides requesting the intervention of the Tamil Nadu government as this decision by the Madurai Adheenam head is against the norms, tradition and rituals of Saivaite mutts,” said Ooran Adigal, who explained the resolutions passed at the meeting of the pontiffs.Those who attended the meeting, included Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, Thiruvannamalai-Kundrakudi Adheenam, Suriyanarkoil Adheenam, Thirupanandal Adheenam, Senkol Adheenam, Thuzhavoor Adheenam, Velakurichi Adheenam, Kamakshipuri Adheenam, Ooran Adigal and Chidambaram Mouna Mada Swamigal.