Tumkur: The Siddaganga Math (Lingayat) Swamiji Shivakumar celebrated his 105th birthday, in the Company of heir Siddalinga, and several other monks from monasteries in the state, such as Beli Math Swami, were present to greet the elderly seer.

The doyen among the Lingayat monks got up at dawn and offered worship at the tomb of Uddana Shivayogi Swamiji. He sat on the throne at the dais, prepared by his followers. Pocket Calendars of State Bank of Mysore were freely distributed among hundreds of devotees waiting in a queue to meet the oldest monk in state, to wish him well.

Addressing the  gathering, Siddaganga senior Swamiji spoke of humanism and its importance in society. Only man can think among lakhs of living beings in various forms in nature.

There is no meaning for the existence of world, without a human face. Scientists like Einstein sensed that there was a greater power on earth than an enquiring scientist who goes after Truth. A person should pup himself to test and live for larger interests of people and the country, he said.

Ex-CM Yeddiyurappa, J. Shettar, V. Somanna, Rehman Khan, MP Basavaraju, MLA Suresh Gowda, and APMC director Dr. C. Somashekhar were in the gathering to greet the Siddaganga seer.