Dispute ends, Jeeyar buried on River Bank

TIRUCHY: The dispute over the burial of Lakshmana Ramanuja Jeeyar ended on Thursday with his devotees performing the last rites on the bank of the river Kollidam here.The Police, Revenue and HR&CE departments heaved a sigh of relief following the change of heart by the devotees who were earlier adamant about burying Jeeyar’s body inside the Sri Balahari Ramanuja mutt, which the government said was only a temple  belonging to the HR&CE.The devotees gave officials a tough time by parking the ambulance containing Jeeyar’s mortal remains on the road and pressing their demand.The devotees paid their homage at the entrance of the mutt where the  ambulance was placed, before the body was taken to the bank of the Kollidam. Jeeyar’s body was placed in a bamboo basket in the siting position and buried in a six-foot deep pit. The disciples chanted mantras and performed the traditional rites.Lakshmana Ramanuja Jeeyar, who died at the age of 85, was a native of Kolkata and was residing at Sri Balahari RamanujaJeer Mutt at  Amma Mandapam road near Srirangam in Tiruchy. He went to Kolkata, where he died on May 6 of a cardiac arrest. His body was brought to Tiruchy by his disciples in the early hours of Wednesday.