Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 10: Hopes of finding an amicable solution to the feud between the eight mutts here on not extending an invitation to Puttige Mutt head, Sri Sugunendrateertha Swamiji, to Paryaya Darbar, were  almost dashed, when Sode Swamiji refused to accept a petition presented to him by a delegation led by Kaup MLA, Lalaji R Mendon.

The petition, signed by scores of citizens from Kaup region, had urged the would-be Paryaya Swamiji to make efforts to diffuse the controversy that has arisen because of the Swamiji’s refusal to extend invitation to Puttige Mutt Swamiji to Paryaya festival, by including Puttige Mutt in the celebrations. The petition was presented when Sri Vishwavallabhateertha Swamiji, head of Sode Mutt, who is touring the religious centres as a prelude to his enthronement as the Paryaya Swamiji on January 18, visited Lord Janardhana Temple in Kaup on Monday.

On Sunday, the people of the region had decided to present a memorandum to the Swamiji during his visit, requesting him to begin initiatives towards ending enmity between different mutts. When the delegation led by Mendon approached the Swamiji with the petition, he said the controversy relates to the Mutts and that he is not inclined to make his response to the petition known. “I request politicians not to interfere in the issue of Paryaya. If they want to submit petitions, they may be handed over at the mutt in Udupi,” he reportedly told the delegation.

Kaup Lord Janardhana Temple managing trustee, M Jayaram Hegde, Vidyaniketan Group of Educational Institutions convener, K P Acharya, managing trustee of Hosa Marigudi Kaup, Nadikere Ratnakar Shetty, temple Tantry, Vedamurty Shreesha Tantry, JDS district president, Deviprasad Shetty, Kaup gram panchayat president, Yogish Rai, and others were present.