By Shobha Rao Smilemaker

Mar 6: It was a relative of mine who insisted that we visit the Shiroor Math at a small village called Hiriadka, near Udupi in Karnataka.

We reached around noon on a Friday and surprisingly there wasn't anyone around when we got into a traditional open courtyard. We met a local worker who directed us to the next simple looking entrance which was the actual temple.

We bowed in reverence to the Vamana Vitthala idol along with the consorts Sri and Bhudevi. I knew about the Ashta Matha or eight monasteries that were entrusted to carry out the administration, rituals, customs, and offerings at the famous Udupi Shri Krishna Matha for two years in cyclic order by a formal rotation process called the Paryaya. I suddenly realized that this Shiroor Math was the original Moola Mutta of one of the Ashta Muttas.

These eight Muttas were incepted centuries ago, by Saint Madhvacharya for upholding his Dvaita philosophy. This is a dualistic theory which believes that the Supreme Soul (Lord Vishnu) has an existence separate from the individual souls. Even now these eight Mathas continue to preach and disseminate the lessons of the Vedas, Vedanta and the Tatvavada philosophy.

Saint Madhvacharya had initiated Sanyasa to eight of his ascetic disciples and ordained them as the first Swamis or heads of the respective Muttas which are headquartered around the Udupi temple. The respective lineage of the Ashta Mutta Swamijis has continued over centuries and I remembered how my Udupi Brahmin parents were proud of this revered heritage.

I had read some years ago how Sri Lakshmivara Tirtha, the 30th saint in the guru parampara had died in 2018 under mysterious circumstances and that a very young Shri Vedavardhana Teertha was anointed by the paired Dwanda Sode Math in 2021 as the current head of the Shiroor Math.

We then walked past the cow shed or goshala and went down a long flight of steps to sit on the banks of the serene Swarna river. I dipped my feet in the water to allow many fish to nibble at my feet!

And I ended this visit to Shirur Math basking in the silence and serenity of the moment, just me alone surrounded by the five elements - mother earth, flowy river water, expansive sky, fiery sun, and cool breeze and more! I smiled at the rare experience of time standing still on the banks of the Swarna river at Shirur Math at Hiriyadka!

Shobha Rao Smilemaker has a vision of living in a world where people use their ability to find and make smiles in any situation. She is a lawyer by qualification, a soft skills trainer by passion, a motivational speaker, a freelance journalist, a bestselling author, an avid traveler and founder of 'Smilemakers Trainings'. She can be contacted at www.shobhasmilemaker.com.