Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji of Shiroor Math on Wednesday objected to a proposal by Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math that seers of the Ashta Maths should sit in palanquins placed atop vehicles during the Paryaya Festival procession on January 18, instead of the palanquins being carried by devotees. The Pejawar seer had floated the idea to ward off possible criticism by writers and seers of maths other than the Ashta Maths against the tradition of carrying seers in palanquins by people.
The Pejawar seer, had, at a recent press conference here, said that he had objected to writers being carried in palanquins at the literary meet conducted by the Alva’s Education Foundation in Moodbidri. It was possible that some writers and seers of maths other than the Ashta Maths might object to the seers of the Ashta Maths being carried in palanquins. Speaking to mediapersons here, Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji said that he would not climb onto a palanquin kept atop a vehicle during the Paryaya procession on January 18. “I do not like to climb onto a palanquin carried by human beings. But a palanquin has its own sanctity. Palanquins are meant to be carried,” he said.
The Shiroor seer said that suddenly stopping an 800-year-old tradition was bound to make some devotees unhappy. Instead, he (Shiroor seer) would take his palanquin to “Jodu Katte”. “I will walk with the palanquin during the procession instead of sitting in it,” he said.
Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji said that it would be better if all Ashta Math seers sat together in a decorated vehicle during the procession.
