Udupi: A controversy has broken out over the keeping of the idols of the presiding deities of Shiroor Mutt in the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple here.

Normally, when a seer of the Ashta Mutts or eight mutts of Udupi propagating the Dwaita philosophy is unwell, he leaves them in the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple and the pujas are offered to them there daily. (The seers can also leave them at the Sri Krishna Mutt in certain other circumstances too).

According to sources in the Ashta Mutts, Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami of Shiroor Mutt had left the presiding deities of his mutt at the Sri Krishna Mutt after his third two-year Paryaya (2010-12) reportedly on account of ill-health. However, he took the presiding deities from the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple during the Ram Navami festival for a day in March this year to his “moola mutt” at Shiroor village, about 22 km from here, for prayers and then returned them back to the Sri Krishna Mutt, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the Shiroor seer announced on March 10 that he would contest the 2018 State Assembly elections from Udupi Assembly Constituency and even filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate, but the other seers of the Ashta Mutts chose not to comment on this stating that it was his personal decision. The seer later withdrew his candidature.

Meanwhile, a video recording was telecast on a Kannada television channel on March 13, where the Shiroor seer was allegedly shown making derogatory remarks about other seers of the Ashta Mutts. But the Shiroor seer clarified that the video recording was morphed.

But the alleged remarks had riled the other seers of the Astha Mutts, who, then, held a series of meetings here on the issue and even sent a letter to him.

Sources said that the other seers of the Ashta Mutts have now decided not to let the Shiroor seer take the idols of the presiding deities of the Shiroor Mutt from Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple till Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami appointed a junior seer for his mutt. There was a precedent in the history of Ashta Mutts for this, the sources added.

A meeting with regard to this was held here on Sunday (June 1) under the leadership of Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt, but it remained inconclusive. A couple of seers, including the Puttige seer, who was out of town, did not attend the meeting. When questioned about this on Tuesday, Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt refused to say anything on record. Efforts to contact the Shiroor seer were futile as his phone was switched off.