Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HM)

Udupi, Dec 6: 'Bale Muhurta', the first of the four rituals forming part of the preparations for Paryaya of Udupi Ashta Maths was held at Sri Pejawar Math here on Saturday December 6.

Sri Vishwateertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math will ascend the Paryaya Peetha for the fifth time on January 18, 2016, thus becoming the first swamiji to do so since the biennial Paryaya system began in 1522. The 84-year-old Swamiji ascended the peetha in 1952, 1968, 1984 and 2000.

After offering prayers to the presiding deity, Lord Krishna at Pejawar Math, a procession of priests, scholars, officials of the Math and devotees was held. They visited the Chandramouleshwara and Ananteshwara temples and offered prayers there, and then entered the Sri Krishna Math, where they offered prayers to Goddess Bhagirati at Madhwa Sarovar pond, Lord Krishna, Lord Mukhyaprana, Sri Madhwacharya and Sri Vadiraja in the temple. They also offered prayers at Lord Subrahmanya’s shrine, the ‘Vrindavana’ and the ‘go-shala’ and returned to the entrance of the Pejawar Math.

The four rituals, 'Bale Muhurta', 'Kattige Muhurta', 'Akki Muhurta' and 'Bhatta Muhurta', performed in the run-up to the main Paryaya event, ensure that there is plentiful supply of food grains for devotees of Sri Krishna Math/Temple.

Four persons with baskets of bananas walked in the procession, followed by Swamiji and hundreds of devotees. The procession went around Car Street. The Bale Muhurta ritual was held in the premises of Prahlada Gurukula by symbolically planting the banana saplings in the presence of both Pejawar Swamiji and his disciple Vishwaprasannatirtha.

Pejawar Swamiji said that he's ascending the Paryaya Peetha for the fifth time as per the request of his disciple Vishwaprasannatirtha Swamiji.

He said after ascending the Paryaya Peetha, he would undertake several works, including adopting a village, building houses for the poor, and cleaning Car Street and surrounding areas in Udupi.

He also informed that religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas will be translated into various languages so that they would be understood by all.

Stressing on the need for more facilities for pilgrims to Udupi, he said, "Pilgrims to Udupi have increased over the years, and there is a need for more guest houses. A land belonging to the Math will be used to build guest houses for pilgrims."

He further said that and educational institute will be built at Pajaka, the birthplace of Sri Madhwacharya, and there are also plans to provide free education for the poor.

Dr Veerendra Hegde, Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, representatives of other Maths, Harikrishna Punaroor and others were present, along with hundreds of devotees.