Kalki Bhagavan laid to rest with State honours at Ekam temple in Andhra Pradesh
The mortal remains of spiritual guru Kalki Bhagavan were laid to rest on Friday on the premises of ‘Ekam – The Oneness Temple’ at Bathalavallam village in Varadaiahpalem mandal of Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh. The last rites were performed with State honours.
Kalki Bhagavan, formerly known as Vijay Kumar Naidu, died in Chennai on September 29. He was the founding figure of the Oneness movement, and the Ekam temple complex at Bathalavallam has been the focal point of the movement's activities in the region.
Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana Reddy attended the funeral as the State government's representative. He placed a wreath on the mortal remains and paid his tributes. The Minister also conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family.
District Collector S. Venkateswar, Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu, Sullurpeta MLA Nelavala Vijayasri and MLC B. Kalyan Chakravarthy were among those present at the ceremony.
The State government had earlier decided to accord a funeral with State honours. Such honours are extended at the discretion of the government to individuals it considers to have held a significant public position or to have commanded wide public regard. The decision to extend State honours to a religious figure rests with the government, and such decisions have at times been accompanied by public discussion about the appropriate relationship between the state and religious institutions.
Bathalavallam is located in Varadaiahpalem mandal, close to Sullurpeta in Tirupati district, near the border with Tamil Nadu. The final rites were conducted within the temple complex, in keeping with the practices of the organisation he led.
Kalki Bhagavan's death was reported in Chennai on September 29, and his funeral was held on Friday. Details of the ceremonies were shared by the district administration through the presence of its senior officials at the venue.
The Oneness movement, which he founded, runs the Ekam – The Oneness Temple and draws visitors from various parts of India and abroad. The temple complex has, over the years, functioned as a centre for meditation and spiritual programmes associated with the movement.
The funeral was attended by followers and residents of the surrounding villages, along with the official delegation. The district administration and local police made arrangements in connection with the event.
Political leaders across parties expressed their condolences to the family and followers of the spiritual guru. Tributes described him as a teacher who influenced a large number of people through the movement he built over several decades.
With the last rites completed, attention now turns to the future of the organisation he led. The Oneness movement's activities at Bathalavallam are expected to continue under its existing institutional structure, though no formal announcement has been made on the question of succession.
