Pics: Yajna Acharya
Udupi: Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math ascended the Paryaya Peetha for the historic fifth time in a grand event, which was witnessed by an oceanic crowd, including VIPs from various parts of the country, on Monday, January 18.
Among the dignitaries present were Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade, veteran BJP leader L K Advani, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, union minister Uma Bharti, Venkaiah Naidu, Anant Kumar, Sadananda Gowda, ministers R V Deshpande, A Manju, H K Patil, Vinay Kumar Sorake, former union minister Veerappa Moily, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes, C M Ibrahim and others.
With rituals that began during intervening night of January 17-18, included a procession that reached Car Street around 6 am, after which Pejawar Swamiji took over charge of the Paryaya Peeth after having a darshan of Lord Sri Krishna at the Kanakana Kindi and giving away Nava Dhanyas to Brahmins. He also took the blessings of deities Sri Chandramouleshwara and Sri Anantheshwar. He then ascended the Sarvajnya Peeta.
Thereafter, a grand Paryaya Darbar was held at Shree Krishna Math, where the new Paryaya Swamiji was welcomed by Sri Kaniyoor Math Swamiji. The new Paryaya head was offered Prasadam.
Earlier, at the Darbar, senior BJP leader L K Advani said that a new era of Paryaya has started among the 8 Maths of Udupi.
Pejawar Seer’s fourth Paryaya in 2000
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu lauded Pejawar Seer to be a pioneer of equality and harmonious living.
Dr D Veerandra Heggade welcomed the gathering and said that on the occasion of Pejawar seer’s Paryaya ceremony, Muslims and Hindus have joined hands together and upheld unity, which is the need of the hour.
Minister A Manju in his address said that the government has sponsored 506 goshales and sanctiond Rs 34 lac for this purpose.
The Matadipathis of all the Ashta Maths were present at the programme.
Procession at Car Street
Kanakana Kindi
Earlier Report:
The dawn of January 18, 2016 is going script history. Sri Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Math will ascend to the Paryaya Peeth for the record fifth time at the 800-year-old Udupi Shri Krishna Math.
The 84-year-old seer is the only seer to have realised this rare opportunity that no other seer from the Ashta Math could experience.
It is said none of the seers have ascended the Paryaya more than four times since the biennial Paryaya system began in 1522.
Sri Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji ascended the peetha in 1952, 1968, 1984 and 2000.
The ascension process will begin with the senior seer taking a holy dip in Dandatirtha, Kaup at 1.30 am on Monday January 18. He will then arrive at the Jodukatte Mantap at 1.50 am where he will hold a pooja of lord Ram and lord Vittal. A procession will begin at begin at 2.30 am with troupes and professional tableau from across the country including local, adding pomp to the ceremony.
The Swamiji and the Ashta mathadipathis will be carried in a Mene (similar to palanquin) on a vehicle with the idol of lord Vittal installed. The procession will reach Car Street at 4.30 am. After all the other mathadipathis get off the Mene, the chief pontiff will follow and walk to the Kanakana Kindi over a cloth similar to red carpet and get Shri Krishna darshana through Kanakana Kindi and Chandramouleeshwara, Anantheshwara darshana. The outgoing peethadheesha Sri Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swamiji will welcome him. This will be followed by Malika Mangalarathi.
At 5.10 am, the Pejawar seer will adorn the Sarvajna Peetha. The Kaniyoor seer will hand over the Akshaya Patra to him along with the keys to the garbha gudi. This marks the transition of power i.e. Paryaya.
At 6 am, the traditional darbar of ‘badugu malige’, ‘aralu guddige’ will take place. At 6.20 am, the seer will address around 20,000 people with only the ashta mathadipathis occupying the stage.
This will be followed by the newly ascended seer’s first Krishna pooja.
In the afternoon, ‘Anna prasada’, food will be served to about 1.50 – 2 lakh people in all eight Maths and other prominent places.
Specialty
To make this Paryaya stand out, the organizers have arranged traditional performances which are being taking place non-stop in three stages – Ananda Tirtha Mantap, Horekanike Mantap and Car Street Mantap since January 8 and will culminate on January 28.
Another specialty is that a 3.5 acre land has been dedicated exclusively for the Horekanike.
It is said that there is no provision to serve food after the lunch till the next day. However, keeping in mind, the interests of devotees, the gathering of over one lakh people, will be served food in the night.
Main rituals
Four rituals were mainly initiated in connection with the paryaya starting last year by the Pejawar seer. Swamiji. They are Bale (Banana) Muhurtha – wherein banana or plantain saplings were planted along with tulasi (Basil) to meet the needs to Krishna puja and for feeding of devotees. After this, Akki Muhurtha was performed, where rice was stored in Mudi (made from hay). Around 48 Mudis were stored. This was followed by Kattige Muhurtha wherein firewood was stored in the form of ratha (Chariot/Temple car) for future use during Paryaya. The firewood stored will be used for cooking prasada and feeding devotees who come to Krishna Matha during the two years of Paryaya. Batha Muhurtha is performed after Kattige Muhurtha wherein dried paddy has been stored for meeting future requirements within premises of Sri Krishna Matha.
Special arrivals
As many as 18 VVIPs including union ministers, representatives from Tirupathi, Badri and Haridwar will be participating in this historic Paryaya. Also a battery of highly renowned scholars will take part.
Seers to clear differences
In the wake of Sugunendra Swami of Putthige Math announcing his participation in all ceremonies including the Darbar, reports are rife that the ashta matadhipathis are not too pleased with this. A decision about his module of participation will be taken unanimously by all the mathadipathis. Clearing the air surrounding this, a source attached to the Paryaya ceremony informed that none of the mathadipathis are against the Puttige seer and a decision regarding his participation will be taken soon.
