Family members said Gopan had been unwell for three months and had expressed a desire to undergo the samadhi ritual – a spiritual practice in which an individual meditates in a prepared grave, abstains from food and water, and slows bodily functions until death, at an auspicious time.
Published Jan 11, 2025 | 7:14 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 11, 2025 | 7:14 PM
The site of burial. (Supplied)
The death and hasty burial of a self-proclaimed spiritual figure on 9 January at Aralumoodu, Neyyattinkara, in Kerala’s capital city Thiruvananthapuram, has sparked controversy.
Gopan, 81, better known as Gopan Swami, had built a Shiva temple near his home and performed rituals for years. His sudden death has raised suspicions among distant relatives and locals, who are demanding a postmortem examination to determine the cause.
Family members said Gopan had been unwell for three months and had expressed a desire to undergo the samadhi ritual – a spiritual practice in which an individual meditates in a prepared grave, abstains from food and water, and slows bodily functions until death, at an auspicious time.
According to Gopan’s family, he meticulously planned the ritual, even marking the burial site with a stone.
On 9 January, his sons, Rajasenan and Sananthan, their mother Sulochana, and a daughter-in-law performed the burial, reportedly after Gopan told them the time for samadhi had arrived.
Poster announcing Gopan’s death. (Supplied)
The family claimed Gopan instructed them not to involve outsiders in the ritual, and hence they carried it out without informing the community or authorities.
However, when posters announcing his death appeared the next morning, locals grew suspicious.
Inconsistencies in the sons’ accounts led residents to alert Neyyattinkara police, who sealed the burial site and launched an investigation. Police confirmed plans to exhume the body for a postmortem to determine the cause of death.
“We have recorded statements and are proceeding with necessary legal steps,” a police official said.
Tensions have since escalated in the area, with locals alleging tantric rituals were being conducted at the Shiva temple Gopan built. The family has denied the allegations, accusing detractors of jealousy and attempting to tarnish Gopan’s legacy.
The investigation is ongoing as the community awaits answers.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
