After news emerged that a Lingayat Mutt in Gadag is all set to appoint a Muslim man as their pontiff, we were curious about what the future held for him. What he told us was refreshingly different. Sharief Rahimansab Mulla believes that mutts should not merely be meant to teach religion to people. He says, "I call this place as a Shanti Dhama rather than a mutt. Because the moment we call it a mutt, people start propagating religion and imposing ideas of religion on each other. This mutt is open to people across all the religions. If we get enough support and time from people then we have plans to educate youngsters about various issues in our society and why it is essential to address them."
Murugharajendra Koranheshwara Shanti Dhama Mutt in Gadag's Asuti Village has always been associated with the 350-year-old Koraneshwara Sansthana Mutt in Kajuri in Kalaburgi. On February 26, the mutt and it's people will officially accept Diwan Sharief Rahimansab Mulla as the new head of Murugharajendra Koranheshwara Shantidhama Mutt. Diwan who is a strong believer of Basavanna, the 12th century social reformer, says, "All human beings are equal in this society. This is what I have learnt and will follow the same in the future."
If you think that Rahimansab is doing this because he will be appointed as the pontiff, then you are wrong. The 33-year-old has been an ardent follower of Basavanna from his childhood days and used to conduct classes to teach vachanas to youngsters in his village. "These days, not many people know vachanas and even if they know, they don't understand the meaning. Whenever I used to get free time from my work at the flour mill, I would preach these vachanas and tell people that humanity is beyond any religion. Unfortunately, the news that we hear and see these days where people are hurting each other in the name of religion is not good for us."
Before he became a pontiff, his late father Rahimansab Mulla liked the talks conducted by Murugharajendra Koranheshwara Shivayogi, a pontiff of the Khajuri Mutt in Kalaburgi. He says, "My father had donated more than two acres land to build this mutt in Asuti and the construction is still on. The construction of the mutt in Asuti is still on and it will be completed soon. I am just walking in the footsteps of my father."
When we asked if people did not oppose their decision, he says, "Till now, none of our family members of friends has opposed the decision of my becoming a pontiff. I have accepted the Linga Deeksha and know my duties as a pontiff. I am ready to face people even if they oppose my decision because I am not doing any crime except doing good for the human race."
