Pejawar Mutt performs Bhatta Muhurta as part of Paryaya festival at Udupi

Vishvesha Tirtha Swami will ascend the Paryaya Peetha for the fifth time in January

A procession being taken out as part of the fourth and final ritual of the Paryaya festivities,in Udupi on Thursday.

The Pejawar Mutt performed Bhatta Muhurta, the last of the four major preliminaries for the Paryaya festival, here on Thursday.

Vishvesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt will ascend the Paryaya Peetha, also called the Sarvajna Peetha, at the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple here on January 18, 2016 for a record fifth time. No seer of the Ashta mutts or the eight mutts of Udupi has ascended the Paryaya Peetha for these many times ever since the biennial Paryaya system began in 1522.

Elaborate rituals marked the Bhatta Muhurta. After prayers were offered to the presiding deity, Lord Rama Vittala, at Pejawar Mutt, a procession of archaks, scholars, officials of the mutt and devotees, was taken out around 7 a.m.

The procession was accompanied by the insignia holders of the math and drum beaters.

The procession then reached the Chandramouleshwara and Ananteshwara temples where prayers were offered. Then, those taking part in the procession entered the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple, where they offered prayers to Lord Krishna and Lord Mukhyaprana (Hanuman).

They offered prayers at Lord Subrahmanya’s shrine, the “Vrindavana” and the “Go-Shala” on the temple premises and returned to the entrance of the Pejawar Mutt. A procession once again was taken out from the Pejawar Mutt.

Then four persons holding a basket or “murra” of paddy on their heads walked in the procession followed by a golden palanquin containing a small “murra” of paddy, along with devotees and traditional drum beaters. One “murra” roughly equals to 40 kg, while the small “murra” weighs about 20 kg.

The procession went around the Car Street. Then, all the five “murras” of paddy were taken to the Badagu Malige, the storehouse for the Paryaya festival at the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple, at 7.45 a.m.

Elaborate rituals marked the Bhatta Muhurta at the Badagu Malige at 8 a.m. The Navagraha Danas were then given to the representatives of other mutts. A decorated dome or “shikara” was placed on the firewood chariot near the Madhwa Sarovara pond on the occasion.

According to H.K. Sureshacharya, principal of SMSP Sanskrit College, the aim of the four major preliminaries such as Bale Muhurta, Kattige Muhurta, Akki Muhurta and Bhatta Muhurta was to ensure abundant supply of foodgrains to feed the thousands of devotees who visited the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple.