About:

Sree Sree Uddana Shivayogigalu adorned the seat of Sri Siddaganga Math after Sree Sree Atavee Swamigalu. At the age of ten, he was given a book to read by his guru Sree Sree Phalar Swamigalu, which influenced him deeply and drew him toward a life of seclusion, prayer, and meditation. He immersed himself in the worship of Shiva, spending long hours in meditation at the Siddanabetta Caves.

Early Life:

He was born around 1860 to Gatteppa and Marulasiddamma of Lakkur Village, Nelamangala Taluk, as the youngest of ten children — five brothers and four sisters — and was given the name Rudrappa. His father, head of the village, was a farmer by profession. Rudrappa’s childhood was spent tending the family’s herd and wandering with friends around Siddanabetta and the nearby Shivaganga hills. Though he was sent to Kooli Math for schooling, he was often drawn instead to Siddanabetta, watching its surroundings with a curiosity that left a lasting impression on him. He did not continue formal schooling, but became sufficiently literate to read and write — carrying within him, even then, the makings of the greatness he was destined for as a future head of Sri Siddaganga Math.

Arrival at Siddaganga:

One night, Rudrappa left home, setting aside all family ties, drawn by an inner pull toward Siddaganga. In the early morning, he met Sree Sree Atavee Swamiji at the threshold of the Siddalingeshwara temple. He bowed at the Swamiji’s feet, and when asked about his past, said simply that he had come to live at the Math. He was warned that life at the Math demanded hard, strenuous work — gathering firewood from the hills, laboring in the fields, and more. He accepted without hesitation and began his service, including cooking for Sree Sree Atavee Swamiji and taking on other duties around the Math.

Becoming Uddana Shivayogi:

Rudrappa gradually took on the full responsibility of running the Math and its Dasoha (community food service). Recognizing him as the right person to carry forward his unfinished work, Sree Sree Atavee Swamiji named him after a sage of the 1300s — Uddana Shivayogi. Thus Rudrappa became Sree Sree Uddana Shivayogi, beginning a remarkable journey that would establish him as one of the brightest figures in the history of Sri Siddaganga Math.

Legacy:

The story of Sree Sree Uddana Shivayogiji’s work and wisdom — transforming Siddaganga Kshetra into a refuge where the poor could pursue education without fear of hunger, and weaving secularism into the Math’s mission and purpose — is one that could fill volumes on its own.