Pejawar Mutt wears an 'empty look' without the seer

The absence of seer Vishwesha Theertha Swami, who passed away on Sunday, was visibly as Pejawar Mutt wore an “empty look’’.

The devotees, who used to visit the Mutt to seek his blessings and receive ‘Phala Mantrakshate’, were seen shedding tears in front of the portrait of the Swami on Monday.

The children, who were provided shelter in the Mutt, were also silent. The staff and disciples at the Mutt were reminiscing the seer and shedding tears all by themselves.

A boy, who was at the Mutt, said, “Guru (seer) would give me sugar candy whenever I visited him. He would often inquire whether we had food and would offer cashew nuts and raisins to us.”

“The seer would always motivate us to excel in studies. The ‘Guru’ had never scolded us. He was very nice and the mutt wears an empty look without him,’’ the children in the Mutt said.

“The seer was fond of ‘Dodna’ (dose). Whenever I prepared dose, he would appreciate it and would remember his mother,’’ said Santhosh, who is in-charge of the kitchen in the mutt for the last 20 years.

‘’Swamiji would never ask to prepare a particular dish. He would only ask us to prepare something special during festivals and on special occasions. No devotee would return on an empty stomach from the Mutt. There are several instances of food being prepared even during midnight to offer to the devotees,” he recalled.

‘’Swamiji had a great love for the children. He would serve food to the children during his free time and would ask us to serve more ghee to them,’’ said Santhosh with tears in his eyes.

The poor children from outside the district are imparted free education through the Mutt. Arrangements have been made for their stay in the first floor of the Mutt. Looking at mosquito menace, the seer had directed to install mesh for the windows.

‘‘The seer would often ask whether the children had their food,’’ said Krishna Samaga, a staff at the Mutt.

Recalling an incident, Pejawar seer’s Personal Assistant Subrahmanya Perampalli said, “When the seer received an invitation to attend Sauharda Sammelana, organised by Muslim organisations at Parkala, many leaders had pressured him not to attend the programme. Firm on his decision to attend the programme, he had told the opponents that he was attending it to spread the message on harmony.’’