The Hindu

Udupi, Jan 7: Chanting of “Vayu sthuti” began at the Sri Krishna Math/Temple here on Sunday for the “smooth conduct of the forthcoming Paryaya festival”. The “Aikyamata Yaga” was also performed there with the same objective.

Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swamiji of Palimar Math; Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swamiji of Kaniyur Math; Vishwavallabha Tirtha Swamiji of Sode Vadiraja Math; Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji, junior seer of Pejawar Math; and Vishwapriya Tirtha Swamiji, junior seer of Admar Math, were present.

The right to worship Lord Krishna at the Sri Krishna Temple/Math by Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji of Puttige Math during his third Paryaya (which begins on January 18) has snowballed into a major controversy, dividing the Ashta Maths into two groups.

One group supports the Puttige seer’s right to worship Lord Krishna during his Paryaya. The other group comprising seven seers of the Ashta Maths, though agreeing to his ascension, wants him to desist from worshipping Lord Krishna on the ground that he visited foreign countries, which, they say, is banned by religious texts. The religious rituals which began on Sunday have been organised by the latter group.