77-year-old pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam no more

MADURAI: The 77-year-old pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, breathed his last at a private hospital here at 9.15 pm on Friday. He was undergoing treatment for respiratory illness.

The Madurai Adheenam, considered one of the oldest Saivite adheenams (Hindu monastery) in the State, is said to have been established more than a millennium ago and rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar, one of the Nayanmars (disciples of Lord Shiva).

The pontiff was a native of Sirkazhi and joined the Dharmapuram Aadheenam as a disciple soon after his schooling. Since 1980, Arunagirinatha Swamigal, who was formerly a journalist with the DMK’s mouthpiece ‘Murasoli’, has been serving as the 292nd pontiff of the Madurai Aadheenam, which is the hereditary trustee of three temples in Thanjavur district. Closely associated with late DMK patriarch M Karunandhi, he had also voiced his support for late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, especially during her election campaigns. Well-known for respecting all faiths, he took special interest in the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils.

On August 8, the pontiff was admitted to a private hospital in the city with breathlessness. He was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder and shifted to an Intensive Care Unit on Thursday, after his condition worsened. On Friday afternoon, he was put on ventilator support. He passed away a few hours later, hospital sources said.