The Gowd Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community heaved a sigh of relief as they finally got back the relics that belonged to their original Math of Kashimath Samsthan of Varanasi following the arrest of former junior swamiji Raghavendra Thirtha on Sunday.
He was evicted from the duties of samsthan by the Matadhipathi Sudheendra Thirta on the charges of improprieties in its affairs like insubordination.
Raghavendra Thirtha, disowned by the math and on the run with the 600-year-old ‘parikaras’ (relics), was arrested by Indiranagar police in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. He was staying in a rented a house with a ‘disciple’.
The police also recovered the gold statue of Lakshmi Devi, panchaloha statues of various other deities and a unique statue of Vedavyas and Raghpathi of samsthan along with `8.71 lakh cash.
“The person who claimed to be the Matadhipathi of Kashi Math Samsthan Raghavendra Thirta was arrested along with an accomplice identified as Lakshmikanth.
A gold Lakshmi idol and several other items that appear to be religious relics were found in their possession,” said Sundar Kumar Das, superintendent of police, Kadapa district.
GG Prabhu, holder of the general power of attorney of Matadhipathi Sudheendra Thirtha, expressed happiness over the developments and hoped that the parikaras that belonged to the samsthan would be returned soon.
