All Roads of Temple town lead to Sri Krishna Math for Vishwa Geeta Paryaya of Puttige Math
Udupi: The stage is all set for the grand biennial Paryaya festival to be held here on Thursday, January 18. A festive atmosphere prevails in the city. The main roads on which the Paryaya procession is to pass have been asphalted. The biennial Paryaya tradition was proposed by Madhwa exponent Sri Madhwacharya and restructured with elegance by Sri Vadiraja Swamiji.
The initial Paryaya system on rotation among the Swamiji of Ashta Maths (Eight Maths) of Udupi was introduced after installing the black stone (Saligrama Shila) idol of Lord Sri Krishna by great saint and Madhwa philosopher Sri Madhwacharya over 800 years ago. Every Swamiji of Astha Math had the right to conduct Sri Krishna Puja and run the administration of the temple for two months in rotation. This system was modified by Shri Vadiraja Theertha of Shri Sode Vadiraja Math in which every Math will take over the responsibility of Krishna Puja and administration of the Krishna Math for two years.
Watch Video of the Preparation
Paryaya, a popular festival in this region, has a history dating back to the 13th century. “Paryaya” in Sanskrit means change or transition. In this context, it means a biennial festival to celebrate the transfer of authority of exclusive rights of worship and management of Shri Krishna Temple from one Swamiji of the eight Maths (“Ashta Maths”) to another.
The right to occupy the “Paryaya Peetha” (also called the “Sarvajna Peetha”) of Taulava Madhwas, which is situated at “Simhasana Shala” in Shri Krishna Temple, consecrated by Shri Madhwacharya, exponent of Dwaita philosophy, also gets transferred on the occasion.
The Swamiji of the Math, who gets these rights of worship, is known as “Paryaya Swamiji”, and his Math is referred to as “Paryaya Math”. With the help of other Swamijis of Ashta Maths, the Swamiji involves himself in various spiritual, religious and social activities during this two-year tenure. The eight Maths are Sri Palimar Math, Sri Admar Math, Sri Krishnapur Math, Sri Puttige Math, Sri Shiroor Math, Sri Sode Math, Sri Kaniyoor Math and Sri Pejawar Math.
Tradition has it that Shri Madhwacharya appointed eight heads in 1298 to propagate Dwaita philosophy and Paryayas then lasted only two months. This system changed in 1532 when Sri Vadiraja Tirtha Swamiji of Sri Sode Math introduced the biennial system. The biennial Paryaya festival in Udupi falls on the fourth day after “Makara Sankranti” in the even years of the Christian era.
Many rituals precede the Paryaya festival and preparations begin a year before the event. These rituals are “Bale Muhurta,” “Akki Muhurta”, “Kattige Muhurta” and “Bhatta Muhurta.”
About four months before ascending the Paryaya Peetha, the new “Paryaya Swamiji” undertakes a pilgrimage to the holy places across the country to invite devotees of Lord Krishna to the upcoming Paryaya. He takes “Samsthana deities” of his Math with him and is accompanied by an entourage. During this pilgrimage, Swamiji visits many holy places like Dwaraka, Mathura, Badari, Hardwar, Prayag, Gaya, Kashi, Puri, Tirupati and the like. He has to take a dip in the holy rivers like Narmada, Yamuna, Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Netravati and Kumaradhara. The Swamiji also visits holy places in Tulunadu such as Pajaka Kshetra, Dandathirtha and Kukke-Subrahmanya. The Swamiji cannot move out of the Car Street here during his Paryaya tenure.
Nearly 15 days before the Paryaya festival, the Swamiji returns to Udupi where he is given a warm welcome. This is called “Pura Pravesha”. The Swamiji enters the temple town in a large procession that culminates at Car Street. He then visits Sri Chandreshwara and Sri Ananteshwara temples and reaches Sri Krishna Temple where he offers prayers after which he enters his Math. A civic reception is accorded to the Swamiji on Car Street.
A few days before the Paryaya festival, the “Hore Kanike” processions will be held. Devotees from various places bring vegetables, pulses, coconuts, rice and other items for mass feeding offered at Sri Krishna Math during the Paryaya. These items are brought in a procession to the temple where the new “Paryaya Swamiji” accepts them.
Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji and Sri Sushrindra Theertha Swamiji of Puttige Math will ascend the “Paryaya Peetha” at 5:50 am on Thursday, January 18. Banners have been put on the main roads of the city welcoming the Swamiji. A large number of devotees have already arrived in Udupi from different parts of the State, Country and also Abroad Countries.
As per tradition, Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji will go to “Danda Tirtha” near Kaup, about 10 km from Udupi, where he will have a holy dip at 1:30 a.m. He will then come to Joddu Katte in Udupi. A grand procession carrying the chief deity of the Puttige Math in a golden palanquin, and Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji and other Swamijis of the Ashta Maths will leave Joddu Katte at 2:15 am. Many tableaux and cultural troupes will participate in the Paryaya procession.
After offering prayers to Lord Chandramouleshwara and Lord Ananteshwara, the Swamiji will enter Sri Krishna Math. The handing over of the “Akshaya Patre”, “Sattuga”, and keys of the sanctum sanctorum by the outgoing Swamiji, Sri Vidyasagara Teertha Swamiji of Krishnapura Math, to Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, will be the high point of the festival. This will give the latter the right to worship Lord Sri Krishna for the next two years.
The other important event of the day is the “Darbar” at Ananda Theertha Mantapa near the parking place or the temple at 6:30 am.
Shri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji is INDIAN AMBASSADOR OF PEACE
A very significant contribution and a unique contribution of Sri Swamiji is spreading the Tatva Vaada, the Madhwa Philosophy to the world outside India. He has visited western, eastern and even Middle Eastern countries and blessed the devotees with the message of Acharya Madhwa. He has established more than 14 spiritual centres outside India. Through these centres, he has fulfilled the spiritual needs of the migrant Indian community and inspired them to pursue their religious practices and to initiate the next generation to the Hindu fold.
The multifarious abilities of His Holiness Sri Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji enabled him to be the International President of Religions for Peace an Organisation on par with the UNO, New York. This honour was conferred upon our Swamiji consecutively for three terms during which Swamiji visited Kazhakistan, Kenya, Turkey, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Amman, Vatican City, Salt Lake City, Madrid, Seville, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Moscow, Dar es Salaam, Kyoto and Hiroshima to hold parleys on religious amity.
Delivering his most significant address at the UNO General Assembly, Sri Puthigesri emphasized the need for restraint on several countries’ Defence Ammunitions and to root out the ever-growing acts of terrorism the world over.
5 magnum-opus projects
Puttige Swamiji will take up the “Sarvajna Peetha” for the fourth time starting Jan 2024 for two years. This 2-year Paryaya is dedicated to Gitacharya, Lord Sri Krishna and is called “Vishwa Gita Paryaya”. For this historical Paryaya period, he has rolled out a mega plan of 5 magnum-opus projects. They Are:
1. Koti Gita Lekhna Yajna: A crore people to write Bhagavad Gita and submit to Lord Krishna
2. Gita Chanting: Dawn-to-Dusk chanting of Gita by various teams
3. Swarna Gita Ratha: Golden Gita Chariot to be offered to Sri Krishna to commemorate 50 years of Sanyaasa life of Parama Poojya Swamiji
4. Udupi Kshetra vasa: Building accommodation facilities for devotees coming to Udupi
5. Madhwsga Vrutta: To remember Jagadguru Sriman Madhwacharya who brought Lord Sri Krishna from the Malpe Sea shore, an Idol of Madhwacharya carrying Udupi Sri Krishna will be installed at the junction leading to the temple and naming it as Madhwesha Vritta along with the welcome Arch.
Felicitation to the outgoing Paryaya Swamiji – Sri Vidyasagara Theertha Swamiji of Krishnapura Math will be held at Car Street at 9:00 pm on January 17. This will be followed by a display of fireworks in the open space near the Rajangana parking lot.
The district police have made tight security arrangements for the Paryaya festival in Udupi on 17 Friday and 18 Saturday.
The entire Car Street is seen glittering with illumination and the Puttige Math situated on Car Street has been given a new look. The entire Math has been illuminated, giving it a look of grandeur. Buntings, banners and welcome arches have been erected on the main Paryaya procession route from the traditional entrance point of Jodukatte to Car Street covering a distance of about two kilometres.
The entire ambience surrounding the temple town gives a festive look. The two main ‘Gopurams’ of Sri Krishna Math have been re-painted and illuminated and the entire Car Street has a bridal appearance.
On the occasion of Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji’s fourth Paryaya Mahothsava celebration, the team members of Mangalorean.com are also all set to give live updates to the readers and devotees of the Sri Krishna Temple who are spread in all corners of the world.