The Karnataka government has announced a public holiday on Tuesday following the death of Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swamy.
All education institutions including schools and colleges, government offices, banks and insurance companies across the State will not function on Tuesday. The holiday has been declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
A three-day State mourning has also been declared, where the national and the State flags will be at half mast.
The 111-year-old seer breathed his last at 11:44 a.m. on Monday at the Mutt in Tumakaru. The seer, popularly known as ‘Nadedaaduva Devaru’ (Walking God), was also the head of Siddaganga Education Society, which runs about 125 educational institutions in the state — from engineering colleges to business schools. Many of the institutions offer free education and boarding facilities to poor students.