Preparations Underway for Palimar Paryaya festival in Udupi

Preparations Underway for Palimar Paryaya festival in Udupi

Udupi : Preparations are underway for the biennial Paryaya festival in Udupi. Sri Vidyadeesha Theertha Swamiji of Palimar Math will be ascending the Paryaya Peetha at the Sri Krishna Temple for the Second time on January 18.

Briefing the reporters Balaji Raghavendra Acharya president of Paryaya reception committee on Sunday January 14 said that, the Paryaya festival, which marks the transfer of power of management and worship of Lord Krishna at the Sri Krishna Temple from one Swamiji to another Swamiji of the Ashta Maths, is an eagerly awaited event.

The Paryaya rituals begin early in the morning. The incoming Swamiji will leave Udupi on the previous night to Dandatheertha near Kaup, where he will take a holy dip in the wee hours and offer Puja. He will enter Udupi at Jodukatte, the old entrance point of the city at around 3:00 am where he will be received by the Swamijis of the Ashta Maths.

The Swamiji will be taken in a procession from Jodukatte in a decorated palanquin. As many as 15 tableaux and 60 cultural and folk troupes are taking part in the procession.

Sri Vidyadeesha Theertha Swamiji of Palimar Math will ascend the Paryaya Peetha, also known as the Sarvajna Peetha, on January 18. He will be ascending the Paryaya Peetha for the second time. He will take charge from Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math who will be completing his fifth Paryaya.

The Paryaya Peetha rohana function, where the outgoing Paryaya Swamiji will hand over the Akshaya Patre and the “Sattuga” (vessel and ladle dating back to the times of Sri Madhwacharya) and the keys to the sanctum sanctorum to the incoming Paryaya Swamiji marking the formal transfer of authority, which will take place at the Sri Krishna Temple at 6:30 a.m.

The durbar function will begin at the Rajangana at 6:50 a.m. various political and religious leaders, will participate both in the procession and the durbar function.

Sri Madhwacharya, founder of Dwaita philosophy set up the Asta (eight) Maths with eight pontiffs to perform Sri Krishna Puja.

It was the Swamiji of Sri Sode Vadiraja Math who introduced the biennial Paryaya system by changing the two months’ term to a two year term in 1522.

The reception committee members Hari Narayanadasa Asranna, Mattu Laxminarayana Rao, K Padmanabha Bhat, Prahlad P R, Ramesh Rao Beedu, Suprasad Shetty, Vishnuprasad Padigar, Vishnu Acharya and others were present.