The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : A life of hermit in prison too

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 14, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

A life of hermit in prison too

By A. Subramani

CHENNAI, JAN. 13 . The Junior Acharya of the Sanakara Mutt, Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi, lodged in the Chennai Central Prison since January 10 night, lives a frugal life. He sleeps on the floor and has not been provided with a fan. He eats curd rice thrice a day and spurns the regular prison meal, which comprises uppuma or pongal for breakfast , 650 grams of rice and sambar for lunch and 550 grams of rice with sambar and buttermilk for dinner. The junior Acharya's food comes from the common prison kitchen.

According to prison sources, after the first night in prison, the junior Acharya regained his composure. The only request he made to the authorities was for well water ("kinatthu jalam") which, however, could not be provided.

The junior Acharya is accommodated in a 6x7 sqft cell. Well-known former occupants of the cell include the present Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa (in 1996,) and the former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi (in 2001).

Isolated from others

The Junior Acharya, who is a `B' class inmate, is not entitled to a mosquito net or fan or cot. He is housed in the special quarantine block for security reasons.

As a matter of caution, the authorities have accommodated a couple of well-behaved inmates in neighbouring cells, but are not allowed to interact with Sri Vijayendra.

He too is not keen on striking any conversation with anyone, except senior prison officials who visit the area occasionally. Prison officials say he gets up around 6 in the morning and does elaborate poojas to a wooden idol of Chandramouleeswarar.

Although many of the co-accused, including Sundaresa Iyer, are in the same prison, there is no occasion for them even to have a glimpse of the junior Acharya, as they are housed in the security block some distance away.

Since the prison manual does not permit any inmate to take in valuables, Sri Vijayendra was not allowed to bring his silver pooja articles. Inmates are required to deposit their belongings such as a gold or silver ring and chain with the authorities as soon as they enter the premises. The Junior Acharya, however, has been permitted to keep his `dhandam' with him.

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