Muslim Man Appointed Seer of Lingayat Mutt in Karnataka

Dewan Shareif Mullah (seated) will take charge as the seer on 26 February.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

A 33-year-old Muslim man is all set to become the seer of a Lingayat Mutt in north Karnataka’s Gadag. Dewan Shareif Mullah, who has been designated the next seer of Murugharajendra Mutt will be incepted on 26 February.

Talking to media, the current seer of the Mutt, Murugarajendra Koraneswara Swami said:

“It does not matter what caste you belong to. If God appears to you for a path of goodwill and sacrifice, you will do it regardless of the manmade restrictions of birth and caste.”

According to The Times of India, the Sharief was introduced the Mutt by his parents, who were devotees of the Mutt. His late father Rahimansab Mulla donated two acres to set up a math in the Asuti village.

Following his father’s footsteps, Sharief took ‘deeksha’ and enrolled himself in the Mutt. During this stay at the Ashram he was trained in various facets of Lingayat religion and Basavanna’s teachings.

In an interview to TOI Sharief said: “I used to run a flour mill in neighbouring Menasagi village and, in my free time, conducted discourses on the Vachanas authored by Basavanna and other Sharanas of the 12th century. Murugharajendra Swamiji recognised my small service and took me under his wings.”

While Lingayat seers are usually unmarried, Diwan Shareif is married and father to three daughters and a son.

Congress leader from the region and former minister told NDTV that this practice was common in north Karnataka.

"In Gadag, the Mutt has a practice of making a person of any community head of the jatra committee. For several years, one or the other Muslim gentleman who is religious, who has faith in Basava philosophies, they are chosen as chairman of jatra committee... This is nothing surprising and is a very healthy development," he said.

(With inputs from The Times of India and NDTV)