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Religious fervour grips Udupi today

Krishna idol to be adorned with diamond armour

The stage is set for grand celebrations of Sri Krishna Janmashtami at the temple town on September 13 and 14.

The Car Street wore a colourful look as street vendors lined up to sell flowers, tulsi petals, billva patra, arisina, kumkuma and other religious items offered to Lord Krishna.

As part of the celebrations, Paryaya Pejawar mutt seer Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swami performs ‘Arghya Pradhana’ ritual in the midst of religious hymns, bhajans and discourses. The seer is scheduled to perform Arghya Pradhana at 12.30 am on September 14 to the Lord inside the sanctum sanctorum, sources from the mutt said.

Prior to that, the seer will perform ‘Tulsi Archana’ to Lord Krishna who will be depicted as a newborn child in the form of a knelt-down Krishna. Earlier in the day, the Lord will be decorated with a diamond armour. The ‘Mahapooja’ will be followed by Arghya Pradhana. The seer will later perform Tulsi Archana to Tulsi Vrindavana. He will offer Mahapooja and Arghya Pradhana to Tulsi Vrindavana. Following this, devotees will be allowed to perform Arghya Pradhana ritual to the Lord outside the sanctum sanctorum.

The day will be marked by cultural programmes as a host of competitions have been planned on the occasion at Rajangana. Muddu Krishna and Rangoli competitions will also be held. On Wednesday (September 14) the Paryaya seer will offer morning pooja at 5.30 am and parsadam will be offered to the devotees at 8.30 am. As many as 1.60 lakh ladoos and 1.30 lakh chakkulis have been prepared to offer to the devotees on the occasion. The evening celebrations would culminate with the unravelling of the grand fiesta ‘Mosaru Kudike Habba’ also called ‘Vittla Pindi’. Lord Krishna, the presiding deity, will be decorated with ‘Vajrakavacha Alankar’ (diamond armour). A clay idol of Lord Krishna will be taken out in a golden chariot in a magnificent procession around the Car Street.

Paryaya Swami will offer ‘Mahamangalarathi’ to the clay idol of the Lord in the chariot. The seers of Asta mutts will also offer ‘Mahamangalarathi’ to the Lord. The ritual will be followed by throwing of coconuts and fruits towards the devotees. Several folk and fancy troupes including tiger dance troupes will be part of the procession.

The ‘Dahi Handi’ from Alare, a team from Mumbai comprising 200 men and 150 women, will perform in and around the Car Street by setting up a human pyramid to break the milk and coloured water pots. Sri Krishna Leelotsava or Vittla Pindi, is the occasion marking breaking of milk and saffron water pots. This signifies the games Lord Sri Krishna played. Around 12 to 15 pots filled with curd, milk, saffron and colour water have been tied one after the other to the poles erected for the purpose. A total of 13 poles have been erected in Car Street. These pots are broken by men dressed as shepherds. The group of men will break the pots with the help of huge bamboo sticks. After the procession, the clay idol will be immersed in the main temple tank ‘Madhwa Sarovar’ situated adjacent to the temple. The seers and devotees can then take a holy dip in the pond.