Udupi turns a sea of luminaries for Paryaya festival

Mangaluru: Thousands of people including BJP patriarch L.K. Advani and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu participated in the Pejawar Math seer Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji's record fifth paryaya on Monday.

Forgetting party and caste differences, people and leaders of various political parties and castes participated in the unique event held at Udupi during the early hours of Monday.

Union minister Uma Bharti and AHINDA leaders like C.M. Ibrahim and H. Anjaneya who have many a time criticised traditional and orthodox Hindu thinking too were part of the celebration.

Paryaya marks the commencement of a two-year term when Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji, among the eight pontiffs of Udupi Krishna Math, will be in charge of offering daily pooja to Lord Krishna.

The 85 year old seer created history when he ascended the ‘Paryaya,’ seat for the fifth time! None in the Madhwa tradition in Udupi has ever held Paryaya for five terms ever since the two-year term of Paryaya was started by Sri Vadiraja Swamiji in 1522.

Mr Advani who has a close association with the seer since the Emergency period, expressed happiness over Swamiji ascending the paryaya for a fifth term. "I have been closely associated with the Swamiji and feel blessed to participate in the event. I am happy due to various reasons when I come to Udupi. This  is the first Municipality which gave power to BJP in the South" he recollected.

Mr Ibrahim appreciated the social work initiated by the seer. "Pejawar seer believes in the principle of harmony. Probably I am the first Muslim to attend Paryaya celebration," he said adding that Siddaganga seer and Pejawar seer are the two 'Walking Gods (Nadedaduva Devaru) in the state.

Revealing his plans, Sri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji said he wanted to start a free old age home in Udupi or Pajaka (the birth place of Madhwacharya).