Math head leaves Gundlupet village after locals discover his previous Muslim identity

CHAMARAJANAGAR: The head of a Lingayat math at a village in Gundlupet taluk was forced to leave after it came to light that he was Muslim prior to taking Jangama deeksha. The incident occurred at Gurumalleshwara Virakta Math at Chowdahalli.

The math head Nijalinga Swami was earlier Mohammed Nisar Ahmed from Shahpur in Yadgir district. Deeply influenced by Basava philosophy, he had taken Jangama deeksha from a religious leader in Basavakalyan, who gave him the name Nijalinga Swami. Ever since, he was involved in spreading Basava philosophy.

Mahadev Prasad, who hails from Chowdahalli and is currently living abroad, had constructed the Gurumalleshwara Virakta Math and had brought Nijalinga Swami to run the math about one-and-a-half months ago. However, some youths of the village came across his SSLC marks card which revealed that he was earlier Mohammed Nisar Ahmed.

After the villagers raised objection, Nijalinga Swami left the village and headed back to Yadgir saying that if the villagers do not want him, he was ready to abdicate as the math head.