Following the footsteps of 12th century social reformer Basavanna, who advocated and practised the principle of equality in all spheres of life, a Lingayat mutt in Gadag district of Karnataka is all set to appoint a Muslim as its 'peetadhipati' (seer).
Diwan Sharief (33) is all set to become the seer of Murugharajendra Koraneshwara Shantidhama in Asuti village of Gadag district.
Sri Murugharajendra Koraneshwar Shivayogi, the seer of Koraneshwara Sansthan mutt in Khajuri village in Kalaburagi, is the man behind the revolutionary move. He said he drew inspiration from Jagadguru Murugharajendra Brihan Mutt of Chitradurga, which practises Basava philosophy to which his mutt is affiliated.
Diwan Sharief was reportedly drawn to the teachings of Basavanna since childhood and has been following the same since then, despite a few from his community objecting to it.
The Lingayat mutts have always stood for equality and are open to people of all faiths. Both Sharief and his late father Rahimansab Mulla had taken 'Linga Deeksha' (a ritual to initiate one into Lingayatism).
Influenced by discourses of Sri Murugharajendra Koraneshwar Shivayogi, Rahimansab Mulla had taken 'Linga Deeksha' long back and after his demise his family has donated two acres of land to the Falahara Shivayogi mutt in Asuti in which Shantidhama has come up now. After being initiated into the religion, Sharief was given further training.
A father of three daughters and a son, Sharief used to run flour mill in a neighbouring village and used to speak on Basavanna and Vachanas of Sharanas. “Basavanna was never against a married person becoming a seer. So now after making arrangements for livelihood of his family we have taken him into our fold and he will head the Shantidhama. The village residents have welcomed the decision,” Sri Murugharajendra Koraneshwar Shivayogi told The Hindu.
The naming of Diwan Sharief as head of Shantidhama would coincide with jatra mahotsava and mass marriage at the village on February 26.