Saturday, January 15 2005 10:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Kanchi Mutt has sent an SOS to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his immediate intervention to prevent the "disruption" of the special worship offered there for the past 2500 years, following the arrest of the Junior Seer Vijayendra Saraswati.

Recalling the Mutt's fervent appeal to him on January 1, the Mutt in its letter to the PM said, "Our worst fears have now materialised and with the unseemly arrest of Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamiji, there has unfortunately been a disruption to the powerful worship offered to Lord Chandra Mouliswar uninterruptedly for the last 2500 years."

The Mutt said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's letter to Manmohan Singh dismissing apprehension that the pooja traditions would be broken "is not based on facts".

"The poojas held by the appointed priest in the Mutt for Lord Vinayaka, Adi Shankara etc are entirely different from the Pooja that can be offered only by anointed Shankaracharya to Lord Chandramouliswarar and Maha Tripurasundari.

"When the Acharyas travel, the Vigraham (sphatika lingam and Maha meru) of Lord Chandramouliswara is taken by the Acharyas with them and poojas performed thrice every day," it said.

The letter signed by an unnamed Manager, with copy marked to VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) Supremo Ashok Singhal, said, "We shall be deeply beholden to you for your immediate intervention in this matter".