Tahsildar ends sanyas on public demand

MYSORE: Tahasildar Dr H L Nagaraj, an upright officer, who had hit the headlines by taking sanyas during the Guru Poornima at Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt against the wishes of his family, sprung a surprise by rejoining service.The bureaucrat-turned swamiji out of action for 15 days from the K R Pet tahsildar office, gave in to parents’, friends’ and public pressure and assumed charge, dressed in white, assuring he would continue to serve the poor.The Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt was stunned as hundreds of people from progressive organisations, K R Pet and Nagamangala taluk, his parents Gangamma and Lingaiah staged silent protest in front of Kalabyraveshwara temple for more than two hours urging Nagaraj to return to government service.But when Nagaraj refused to relent, Nagamangala MLA Suresh Gowda approached Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt Seer Balagangadaranatha Swami and apprised him of the public demand for Nischalananda Swami’s (Nagaraj) return to service. The seer then directed Nagaraj to return to government service.Nagaraj who bowed to public pressure and the seer’s direction, offered puja at Kalabyraveshwara temple and apologised for giving up sanyas.