Karnataka: 16-yr-old to head Shiroor Mutt in Udupi

UDUPI: Sixteen-year-old Aniruddha Saralatthaya of Nidle village in Dharmasthala has been named the 31st head of Shiroor Mutt, one of the eight (Ashta) Madhwa mutts of Udupi.
Between May 11 and May 14, he will be given Sanyasa Deekshe and Pattabhisheka ceremony will be held at Sonda Kshetra in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada.
Aniruddha, a Class 10 student, is the son of Dr M Uday Kumar Saralatthaya and Shrividya and is learned to have studied the Vedas from his father.
“We have been watching him closely for the past two years. The teenager must have the qualities to be a seer as well as the Peetadhipathi. He has been examined on all aspects and has been found suitable to head the mutt,” Sri Vishwavallabha Tirtha of Sode Vadiraja Mutt said on Wednesday.
Sri Lakshmivara Tirtha, the last head of Shiroor Mutt, had passed away on July 19, 2018, without appointing a successor.
Sri Vishwavallabha Tirtha of the Sode Mutt (dwandwa mutt) had then taken the responsibility of announcing a suitable ‘vatu’ (bachelor) to head Shiroor Mutt.
The pattabhisheka will be held in Abhijin Lagnam from 12.35pm to 12.50pm on May 14 and the Sanyasa Sweekara ceremony between 7.30am and 8am the previous day.
Aniruddha has obtained his Vedanta education and all arrangements will be made for higher studies, including study of scriptures, at the Sonda mutt. Scholars have been appointed for this purpose.
“From childhood, Aniruddha has shown interest in religious activities. We have prepared ourselves to dedicate our son to serve lord Krishna,” his father said.
“The appointment of a ‘bala sanyasi’ is not new. Mutts and temples have their own tradition,” the Sode seer said.
“The Ashta Mutts of Udupi have been following the tradition of appointing a ‘bala sanyasi’ from Madhwacharya’s period. The appointment to Shiroor mutt is taking place after due deliberations and after considering everyone’s opinion.”