Sri Guru Basava Pattaddevaru was sworn in as the new seer of Bhalki Hiremath in Bhalki on Friday.
At a grand religious ceremony in front of the math premises, outgoing seer Sri Basavalinga Pattaddevaru, who voluntarily vacated the seat, announced that the young seer would take charge of the math affairs.
Born Rajkumar Moolage in Chatnal village in Aurad taluk, Sri Guru Basava joined the Bhalki Hiremath for his primary school. He showed inclination towards the philosophy of Basaveshwara and other sharanas at a young age. He was renamed Sri Guru Basava Pattaddevaru on Friday.
Several seers including Sri Murugha Sharana of Chitradurga and Sri Shivanand Swamy of Hulsoor were present at the ceremony. Hiremath, that has a recorded history of at least 300 years, runs an orphanage, a shelter for widows and the destitute, and a chain of schools and colleges that has around 15,000 students.
