The Hindu : Front Page : Indian `grounds' Chinna Jeeyar Swami

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 12, 2007
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Indian `grounds' Chinna Jeeyar Swami

Staff Reporter

National airline carrier does not allow swamiji to carry `tridandam' on board

Chinna Jeeyar Swami

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Indian did not allow Tridandi Chinna Srimanarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami to board the IC-7562 flight from here to Hyderabad on Saturday due to his insistence on carrying the `tridandam' along with him.

After the security check, the captain of the flight asked the seer to deposit his tridandam in the luggage area.

According to followers of the swamiji, the captain refused entry despite efforts by ground staff and manager of the airlines to persuade him. "The tridandam and idols of Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman are part of the swamiji's paraphernalia and any Tridandi cannot travel without them. They carry them whenever they travel by road, air or ship," district coordinator of Vikasa Tarangini Y. Suryanarayana said on Sunday.

Incidentally, Air Sahara authorities had allowed him to go to Hyderabad in their flight along with the tridandam and the idols. Meanwhile, devotees alleged that the captain did not bother to either contact the higher authorities or heed to the advice of the ground staff.

Devotees' protest

The devotees have decided to go to the airport on Monday and submit a representation to the Indian authorities for action against the captain and seek an apology from the management for insulting the sentiments of the followers of the swamiji.

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