The Hindu : Udupi all set to celebrate Paryaya festival

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Udupi all set to celebrate Paryaya festival

By Our Staff Correspondent

Vishwapriya Tirtha Swamiji, junior seer of the Admar Math in Udupi (above), will ascend the "Paryaya Peetha'' on Sunday.

UDUPI, JAN. 17. The stage is set for the grand biennial Paryaya festival here on Sunday. A festive atmosphere prevails in the city. The main roads on which the Paryaya procession is to pass have been asphalted.

Vishwapriya Tirtha Swamiji, junior seer of the Admar Math, will ascend the "Paryaya Peetha'' at 5.49 a.m. on Sunday. There are banners 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 and the country.

As per tradition, Vishwapriya Tirtha will go to "Danda Tirtha'' near Kaup, about 10 km. from Udupi, where he will have a holy dip at 1 a.m. He will then come to Joddu Katte in Udupi. A grand procession carrying the chief deity of the Admar Math, Sri Chaturbhuja Kaliyamardana Krishna, in a golden palanquin, and Vishwapriya Tirtha and other swamijis of the Ashta maths in palanquins will leave Joddu Katte at 2.30 a.m. As many as 22 tableaux, cultural, and folk dance troupes will participate in the 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, Vidyadheesha Tirtha of Palimar Math, to Vishwapriya Tirtha swamiji, will be the high point of the festival. This will give the latter the right to worship Lord Krishna for the next two years.

The idol of Lord Krishna, with a churning rod in one hand and a churning rope in the other, is the only one of its kind in the country. It was installed by the exponent of Dwaita philosophy, Acharya Madhwa, in Udupi, nearly 800 years ago.

The other important event of the day is the "Darbar'' at Rajangana at 6.15 a.m. The Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and the Judge of Karnataka High Court, R. Gururajan, are among the dignitaries who are expected to participate in the "Darbar''. A special postal cover to mark the beginning of the Paryaya tenure of Vishwapriya Tirtha will be released at the Darbar. Eminent persons who have contributed to various fields will be honoured with the Paryaya awards on the occasion.

The scholars who will be felicitated include Bannanje Govindacharya, Lakshminarayana Sharma, and Venkataramana Aithal. The seers of the Ashta maths will also be present. A special postal cover will be released.

Cultural programmes will be held at the Rajangana in the evenings from January 18 to 22. The programmes will be inaugurated by Vishwesha Tirtha swamiji of the Pejawar Math on Sunday evening. Since "Ekadashi'' falls on Sunday, the "Maha Annasantharpane'' will begin at 7.30 a.m. on Monday.

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