Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji, youngest Seer to inaugurate Nada Habba

Bengaluru: This year’s Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara will be inaugurated by Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji, the 18th Pontiff of Gavimutt in Koppal.

This was announced by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar during the last day of 4-day Special Legislature Session yesterday.

“An invitation letter has been sent to Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji requesting him to inaugurate this year’s Dasara. I also spoke to the Swamiji over the phone this morning and he has agreed to our request,” Shivakumar informed the Assembly.

The Chief Minister also invited members of both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council to participate in this year’s Dasara festivities from Oct. 11.

On his arrival in Mysuru, the Gavimutt Swamiji will be taken to Chamundi Hill, where he, along with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other dignitaries, will shower flower petals on the ‘Utsava Murthi’ of Goddess Chamundeshwari to formally inaugurate the 11-day Dasara festival on Oct.11.

Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji was born as Parvathaiah, his name in his ‘poorvashrama’, on June 1, 1977, at Hagadgundi village in Kalaburagi district, formerly known as Gulbarga. He later joined Gavimutt to pursue his education.

Before ascending the peeta as the 18th Pontiff of Gavimutt, his Guru and the then 17th Pontiff Sri Shivashantaveera Mahaswamiji chose him as his successor and named him ‘Paruthadevaru’.

He later assumed the name Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji after becoming the Pontiff of Sri Gavisiddeshwara Samsthana on Dec. 13, 2002.

There had also been demands from various sections of society to invite Supreme Court Judge Justice B.V. Nagarathna, a native of Pandavapura in Mandya, as well as former Indian cricketers Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid for Dasara inauguration.

However, Chief Minister Shivakumar, who is known to be god-fearing and spiritually inclined, decided to invite Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji as the Dasara inaugurator. Aged 49, he will be the youngest Seer among 5 others to do the honours.

Seers, who inaugurated Dasara

• 2007: Sri Balagangadharanatha Swamiji, the then Pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Mutt, Mandya
• 2008: Dr. Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, the then Pontiff of Siddaganga Mutt, Tumakuru
• 2009: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji, Founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Bengaluru
• 2011: Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji, the then Pontiff of Pejawar Mutt, Udupi
• 2012: Sri Siddeshwara Swamiji, the then Pontiff of Jnanayogashrama, Vijayapura