Udupi: Just as the Paryaya of Sri Vishwesateertha Swamiji is round the corner, Sugunendra Swami of Puttige Math has announced that he will participate in all programmes including the Darbar. This statement is likely to kick off a controversy during the historic event.

He said that the record fifth Paryaya of Sri Vishwesateertha Swamiji was a matter of great joy to him and that he has also received an invitation from the Pejavar Math. The Puttige seer informed that the Pejavar Sri will be bestowed with ‘Abhinava Sudeendhra’ title in addition to a felicitation by the Puttige Math.

Sugunendra Swami’s statement gains prominence as he allegedly broke the Astha Math principle by travelling overseas. Ever since then, the highly orthodox seers of the eight maths have been against him.

Responding to the Puttige seer’s statement, Sri Vishwesateertha Swamiji has said that he did not want to prohibit anybody from attending the Paryaya as it would send a wrong message to their followers and hence an invitation was sent. However, he added that the module of the Puttige seer’s participation cannot be decided by him alone and a decision has to be taken unanimously by the pontiffs of all the eight maths.