Shiroor Mutt performs ‘Kattige Muhurtha' ahead of next year's ‘paryaya'
Vedavardhana Tirtha, the seer of Shiroor Mutt, will ascend the 'Paryaya Peetha', also called the 'Sarvajna Peetha', for the first time on January 18, 2026. He was anointed the 31st seer of the Shiroor Mutt on May 14, 2021.
The biennial paryaya marked the transfer of responsibilities of the management of the mutt-cum-temple, and exclusive right to worship Lord Krishna, from one mutt to another, among the ashta (eight) mutts in Udupi.
Storing firewood in the form of a chariot commenced with the 'Kattige Muhurtha' to undertake mass feeding activities during the two-year 'paryaya' of the Shiroor mutt. The firewood chariot would be erected on the northeastern side of the Madhwa Sarovara.
As part of the ritual, 25 truckloads of firewood would be collected and stacked, according to Diwan of Shiroor Mutt Uday Kumar Saralatthaya. Stacking of firewood in the form of a chariot will be over by December, he said.
Mr. Saralatthaya said the ritual of stacking firewood for paryaya has, for ages, commenced during the 'Ashada' month. Collecting wood during this month helps trees to regenerate, he said.
It is also said that people had no jobs during the rainy season in the olden times. Hence, the process of storing firewood for 'paryaya' used to start during the rainy season to provide employment to people, and one seru (a unit) of rice was given as remuneration for one bunch of firewood.
Special poojas performed
On Sunday, special pujas were performed to the presiding deities of Shiroor Mutt ahead of Kattige Muhurtha. Thereafter, people carried firewood on their heads, by hand, and on the bullock cart from Laxmi Thota, Kalsanka, to the Krishna Mutt premises. They had darshan of Sri Chandramouleeshwara and Sri Anantheshwara before arriving at the Kashta Muhurta site. Pujas were performed on the piled firewood there.
The first preliminary, the 'Baale Muhurtha', was performed on December 26, 2024. It marked the planting of plantain saplings in the backyard of Shiroor mutt to ensure a plentiful supply of plantain leaves, which are used for anna dana (mass feeding) at the Sri Krishna mutt.
The second preliminary Akki Muhurtha, which marks the collection of rice from devotees for mass feeding at the 800-year-old Sri Krishna mutt-cum-temple established by Sri Madhwacharya, propounder of the Dwaita philosophy, was held on March 6 this year.
The Bhatta Muhurtha, the last ritual, is pending.
Yashpal Suvarna, MLA for Udupi, Gururaj Ghantihole, MLA for Byndoor, K. Raghupathi Bhat, former MLA for Udupi and Udupi City Municipal Council president Prabhakara Poojary were among those who were present during 'Kattige Muhurtha'.
Sri Vedavardhana Tirtha inaugurated the office of the reception committee of the next year's paryaya on the occasion. He said that 'pattadhikari' of Dharmasthala and Rajya Sabha Member, D. Veerendra Heggade, will be the honorary president of the committee.
Udupi MLA will be its president, and senior priest of Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple, Gopalakrishna Asranna, Tejaswi Soorya, MP, and Ranjan Pai, Chairman of Manipal Education and Medical Group, will be the executive presidents.
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