Udupi: Kaniyoor Mutt Shri Vidhyavallbaha Theertha Swami ascends SARVAJNA PEETHA

Udupi: The Ceremony of ascending the Sacred "Paryaya Sarvajna Peetha" by Kaniyoor Math Swamiji Shri Vidhyavallbaha Theertha began here on Saturday January 18.

Shri Vidhyavallabha Theertha Swamiji went to Danda Tirtha near Kaup, about 10 km from Udupi, and had a dip at 2.15 a.m.

Thereafter, he arrived at Jodu Katte, where the Swamiji was welcomed by a large number of devotees. A grand procession, in which 17 tableaux and 27 cultural troupes took part, began from Jodu Katte at 3.30 a.m.

The tableaux that participated in the Paryaya procession were Babruvahana, Rama Laxmana Being Carried by Hanumantha, Ashtasura Vadhe by Sri Krishna, Rajasimha Tablo, Kaniyoor Math's Tablo, Madhwacharya with Krishna, Pajaka Durga with Parashurama, Madhwacharya with Kakrashetty Vigraha, Vasudevara Avatharagalu, Pandit Pacha Vrindavanandalli Sri Vadirajaru, Sanjeevini Parvata, Vali Dudumbhi, Tablo, Bhaktha prahalada Tablo, Tiger Dance Tablo and Somana Kunitha.

The cultural troupes that participated in the procession were: Chande', Mahila Chande', Nasik Band, Kombu' Nadaswara', Talimu', Keelu Kudre, Gombe Kunita, Navilu', Karaga Nritya, Pu Kavadi, Marakalu Huli, Puthani Nritya, Kangilu Nritya, Panchavadya', saxophone team, coloured umbrellas, big band set and eight teams of Nadaswara'.

The Swamijis of the Ashta Maths followed the chief deity, with Vidhyavallabha Tirtha Swamiji leading them. They included Visvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math, Vidyasagar Tirtha Swamiji of Krishnapur Math, Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swamiji of Palimar Math, Laxmivaratheertha Swamiji of Shiroor Math and Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji, junior seer of Pejawar Math.

The procession passed through the Taluk Office Road - Court Road - Diana Circle - Ideal Circle - Tenkapete before culminating at the Car Street. Vidyavallabha Tirtha then proceeded to the Kanakana Kindi and had a darshan' of Lord Krishna from there. He then went to the Sri Chandramouleshwara and Sri Ananteshwara temples and had a darshan' of the deities and offered prayers.

Kaniyoor Swamiji was received by the outgoing Sode seer who was waiting at the temple entrance after performing Visarjana Pooja, the last prayer he offered to the presiding deity as the paryaya seer. Soon, the incoming seer had a glimpse of the presiding deity Lord Krishna through Navagraha Kindi inside the sanctorum and prayed for the success of his two-year term.

Later, the outgoing Swamiji handed over the temple keys and the age-old Akshaya Patra, the perennial bowl and spoon, to the Kaniyoor Swamiji in front of the idol of Madhwacharya, the founder of Dwaita philosophy, to mark the transfer of administrative charges. The Shiroor Swamiji offered the sacred seat of Paryaya Peetha, from where he solemnised the transition to the Kaniyoor Swamiji.

After the Peetharohana ritual inside the temple, all Swamijis proceeded to Rajangana for the formal Durbar ceremony.

Pejawar Shri Vishvesha Theertha Swamiji in his message said, "The new Paryaya Swamiji said offering pooja to Lord Krishna would be his prime concern, besides supporting programmes like mass feeding and spreading knowledge."

Udupi district minister In-charge Vinay Kumar Sorake praised the good works of Maths like mid-day meal for school children in the region and also wished well for the new Paryaya Swamiji.

Replying to the felicitation Paryaya Swamiji Sri Vidhyavallbha Theertha said he would continue the good work of his predecessor and would derive inspiration from them. Above all, he would perform the Krishna Pooja ritual selflessly for the good of the people and spread the message of Lord Krishna as done by Acharya Madhwa, he assured.

On this occasion, 'Paryaya Prashasti' was conferred on achievers namely Vidwan Dr Vyasankere Prabhanjanacharya Bangalore(Philosophy), Ravi Shyam Coimbatore (Social Service), Dr P Dayananda Pai Bangalore (Social Service) Radhakrishan Upadhyaya, Moodubelle (Art), Dr Hebri Subhas Krishna Ballala Manipal (Medicine), Dr Krishnaprasad K Udupi (Medicine), Vishveshwara Bhat, Bangalore (Literature), Prof. Kinnikambala Padmanabha Rao Udupi (Information and Technology), Kadri Gopalnath Mangalore (Music), Jaya C Suvarna Mumbai (Social Service), Dr Sridhar Holla, Udupi (Medicine) and Neramballi Raghavendra Rao (Social Service).

Rajasrhi Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala, Utharadom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja of Travancore, Udupi MLA Pramod Madhwaraj, Udupi Chikmagalur MP Jayaprakash Hegde, CMC President Yuvaraj, Vice president Amritha Krishna Moorthy and others were present.