An atmosphere of celebration prevailed in the temple town as the Paryaya festivities began in Udupi late on Friday evening.
Ishapriya Tirtha Swami, junior seer of Admar Mutt, will ascend the Paryaya Peetha, also known as the Sarvajna Peetha, at the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple on Saturday. It will be his first Paryaya.
He will take charge of Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple from Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Palimar Mutt, who will descend from the Paryaya Peetha after completing his second Paryaya.
Paryaya denotes the transfer of power of the exclusive right of worshipping Lord Krishna and managing Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple from one seer to another seer of the Astha Mutts once in two years. The present Paryaya (2020-22) is the 250th Paryaya. The biennial Paryaya system began in 1522.
The city was teeming with devotees who had come different parts of the State and the country on Friday. Car Street saw a large number of devotees going around visiting not just Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple, which was the cynosure of all eyes, but also the Ashta Mutts. In fact, the queue to offer prayers to Lord Krishna at Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple was so long that it stretched nearly to the Anna Brahma building. There was a rush for afternoon meals as well at the dinning halls of Sri Krishna Mutt.
Programmes
Various cultural programmes were held at Kinnimulki and other intersections of the city. At night, both Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple and Palimar Mutt were beautifully illuminated. Almost all buildings on the main streets of the city were illuminated.
The main roads from where the Parayaya procession is to pass through have been decorated with arches, buntings and banners.
Lift to dome
Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt and Ishapriya Tirtha Swami, junior seer of Admar Mutt, inaugurated a lift facility near Madhwa Sarovar pond at the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple complex on Friday. It will allow women, children and senior citizens to go up and see the Suvarna Gopura built at a cost of ₹40 crore.
Seers invited
Ishapriya Tirtha Swami, junior seer of Admar Mutt, who will ascend the Paryaya Peetha on Saturday, visited the seers of the Ashta Mutts on Friday and invited them for the Paryaya festival.
He invited Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt, Vidyasagar Tirtha Swami of Krishnapur Mutt, Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt, Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swami of Kaniyur Mutt, and Vishwavallabha Tirtha Swami of Sode Mutt.
These seers also offered prayers at Sri Krishna Temple and gave their nod for the cooking process for the ‘Anna Santharpane’ on Saturday.
