Choornotsava Celebrated with Pomp at Udupi Sri Krishna Temple
Udupi: As part of ‘Saptotsava’, the annual seven days car festival, the daylight ‘Bramharathotsava’ of Lord Sri Krishna, popularly known as ‘Choornotsava’, was held on January 15 as part of the final day celebrations at Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi, with great religious zeal and splendour.
The daylight car festival was held under the guidance of Paryaya Palimar Sri Vidyadeesha Theertha Swamiji. All the six-day Rathotsavas were held during the night.
A specially made clay idol of Lord Krishna was mounted on the ‘Bramharatha’, a huge chariot for the daylight car festival. A large number of devotees pulled the chariot around the Car Street.
After performing ‘Mahamangalarathi’ to the ‘Utsavamurthy’ of the presiding deity Lord Sri Krishna, sweets, coconuts, fruits and coins were thrown at the devotees, by the participating Swamijis, from the Bramharatha.
Choornotsava is being held annually to commemorate the installation of Saligramashila idol of Lord Sri Krishna in the child form with a churning rod on one hand and rope on the other hand.
The idol was installed by the great saint and philosopher Sri Madhwacharya more than 800 years ago. It is said that the Saligramashila idols of Lord Sri Krishna and Lord Balaram covered with “Gopichandana mud” were presented to Sri Madhwacharya by a sailor whose ship was rescued from a wreck in the Arabian Sea, by the saint.
The idol of Lord Balaram was installed at Vadabhandeshwara, near Malpe beach, about five kilometres from here by the saint while the idol of Lord Krishna was installed in Udupi on the Makara Sankranti day.
After the Rathotsava, the clay idol was immersed in the temple pond ‘Madhwa Sarovara’ followed by a holy dip by the assembled Swamijis and devotees.
The presiding deity inside the sanctum sanctorum was specially decorated for the occasion. Mass feeding was also held later in the temple.
