“She left her body on Saturday night. The funeral will be carried out at 3 p.m. on Monday as per Shaiva rituals,” Shivayya Swamy, secretary of Matha Manikeshwari Trust, said, The Hindu has reported.

Thousands of followers and devotees from various parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra paid homage to Sri Mahayogini Matha Manikeshwari Mathaji, 87, who entered ‘Mahasamadhi’ at a hillock in Yanagundi village in Sedam taluk of Kalaburgi district on Sunday, 8 March.

“She will be taken inside the cave and buried under the Shivalinga which she herself established. The funeral will be carried out at 3 p.m. on Monday as per Shaiva rituals,” Shivayya Swamy, secretary of Matha Manikeshwari Trust, said.

Sri Matha Manikeshwari Mathaji was born to Buggappa and Ashamma at Mallabad village in Sedam taluk of Kalaburagi district on July 27, 1934. She left home soon after her marriage with Manikappa of Silarakotriki village in Sedam taluk as she was deeply involved in spiritual life and did not show any interest in married life.

According to sources, after she left home she started practicing yoga and dhyana saying her prayers to Sri Mallikarjun Mathaji of Srisailam. Then, she began to live in a cave on top of the hillock at Yanagundi some six decades ago.

She practiced yoga, dhyana, and mounavratam every day, praying to god for peace for humanity. She did not appear in public and used to come out from the cave only during the Mahashivaratri day.
“She intended to visit Srisailam to seek the blessings of Sri Mallikajun Swamy and also wanted to establish one crore Shiva Lingas,” Shivayya Swamy said.

Mathaji has established a total of 108 ashramas across the State and neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. All ashramas are holding spiritual activities creating awareness among people about peace, ahimsa, and humanity. They also are running educational institutions providing education to children from poor families.

“Mathaji became popular as a number of visitors came to see her after she opposed animal sacrifices and asked her devotees who came to seek her blessings to follow ahimsa principles as Basaveshwara preached,” Shivayya Swamy added.

Her recent public appearance was during the Mahashivaratri celebrations in February.

Image Sources: The Hindu