Seers in Haridwar express grief at Swaroopanand Saraswati's death

HARIDWAR: Dwarka Shardapeeth and Jyotirmath shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati breathed his last at Madhya Pradesh (MP)-based Shridham Jhoteshwar Ashram on Sunday.
Following the death of the 99-year-old seer, the seer community in Haridwar paid their tributes. Swami Kailashanand Giri, Niranjani akhara acharya mahamandaleshwar, said, “He never shied away from expressing his frank opinions over religious matters.His death is an irreparable loss.” He added, “Swami Swaroopanand’s deep faith in Vedic traditions has inspired and will continue to inspire thousands of his followers.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Harichetananand, the chief of Haridwar-based Hari Chetan Ashram, said, “He was among the most loved and admired Hindu saints of the country. His opinions and deeds were always in keeping with the principles of sanatan dharma.”
Meanwhile, Swami Ravindra Puri of Mahanirvani akhara, who is Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president, said, “Swami Swaroopanand was also a freedom fighter. Fighting for the country’s independence, he went to jail twice in 1940 and 1942. He was one of the most erudite seers of the country.”
On Sunday, a condolence meeting was held in Juna Akhara, attended by the akhara's international president, Mahant Prem Giri and conducted by international secretary, Mahesh Puri, in which several seers and Naga sadhus paid tribute to the shankaracharya.