The same day pavitrâropaNa is also performed. Silken threads are folded into three and then 12, 24, or 36 pavitra knots are tied. This is then placed on the icon like a garland. This is known as pavitrâropaNa. It is believed that by offering this garland, demerits or bad effects accrued due to any shortcomings or defects in the ceremonies and rituals performed that year are warded off. This thread is also known as Kalki dâra.
After offering these threads to Sri Krishna, they are sent to other MaTha-s along with prasâda, and are also distributed to householders.
From the twelfth day in the bright fortnight of shrâvaNa to the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of bhâdrapada the people observe dadhivrata. During this time the devotees abstain from eating curds.
Those who follow the lunar calender celebrate this on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of shrâvaNa. Those who follow the solar calender celebrate it on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the solar month of simha. This may fall either in the month of shrâvaNa or bhâdrapada. It may be noted that the star rohiNî appears on the eighth day in the month of simha. Hence the solar calendar appears to be more appropriate to follow in celebrating the festival, and is followed in Udupi.
Sri Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with great pomp and ceremony in Udupi. The devotees fast during the day and scholars chant the Bhagavad Gîtâ, Bhagavata, and other sacred texts. In Sri Krishna MaTha, the icon of Sri Krishna is decorated as a young child.
At midnight, as the moon rises, dishes such as chakkuli and laddige are offered to the icon of Sri Krishna and sacred leaves of bilva are offered. Water and milk are poured with shaN^kha (conch-shell) by the devotees. As per tradition, cowherds from the nearby villages also offer arghya of water and milk in front of the icon of Sri Krishna.
The rituals offered to Sri Krishna which take place in the early morning of the next day are like those offered on a dvâdashî day.
Note: In the homes of the devotees, Sri Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with great piety. They fast throughout the day and in the night, as midnight approaches, they perform abhisheka to the family icon. After the midnight pooja they then break their fast.
Mud pots, known as mosaru kuDike, which contain turmeric and saffron water, are suspended from wooden poles. Devotees, dressed as cowherds, jump and hit at the pots with sticks in an attempt to break them. This is to celebrate the pastime of Krishna when He broke butter pots and ate their contents.
In Udupi, the icon of Sri Krishna holds a churning rod and rope, and so this re-enactment of breaking the butter pots by the people celebrates an important episode from the childhood pastimes of Krishna. For this reason it is celebrated with much pomp, festivity and fun.
Fancy dress parades relating to the childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna take place in the Car Street. Also appearing are dancers dressed as tigers and bears and so on, as a sort of service to Lord Krishna on his birthday. The Swamijis of all MaTha-s give presents and remuneration to these performers.
The icon of Ganapati made of clay by artists of Udupi is brought to baDage mâLige during an auspicious period on that day. The entire area is decorated artistically with different kinds of decorations. A huge rangavalli of Ganesha is constructed in front of the icon. This is a feast to the eyes for the next four days.
After worshipping the special Ganapati icon for four days the icon is taken out in procession and then immersed in the Madhva-Sarovara.
At the entrance of the shrine also there is a small icon of Ganapati. Special worship is arranged there to the Lord Vishnu in the form of Sri Vishvambhara. The priests perform a sacrifice known as gaNahoma. The Swamiji offers prasâda of Lord Vishvambhara to Ganapati and performs ârati.
A special icon of Ganapati made of five metals is present at Ananteshwara and is worshipped every day. Here also, the festival of Ganesha is celebrated with pomp.
There is a very interesting story in connection with this Ganapati, but I have forgotten the full details. I was going to mention it in the chapter containing the initial reference to Ananteshwara but because of incomplete memory of the story I didn't. It goes along the lines -- the icon had been worshipped in a fort (can't remember where) and when the fort was attacked by marauding Muslims the icon was removed and eventually placed in the Ananteshwara temple for safe keeping. Even after the Muslims had been driven back, the icon remained in the Ananteshwara temple.
During Ganesha-chaturthî, special festivals are held here during the night and it is a magnificent sight. The whole of the temple is lit up with oil lamps and the people queue up to view the icon. Because of all the oil lamps this is the best time to view the icon.
After observing a month's diet restrction of avoiding curds, people start taking yogurt on this day. The period beginning from this day onward, up to the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of âshvayuja, is known as kshîra vrata. During this time milk is not to be partaken of.
All the works of Sri Madhva are chanted by the scholars during the days of Navaratri.
At the conclusion of the mahâpûjâ on each of these days, the Swamiji performs Vyâsa pûjâ and at the conclusion of the rituals on the last day, the scholars celebrate their initiation ceremony.
This is the day the front gate, on the eastern side of the Mutt where the icon of Sri Chenna Keshava is installed, is opened to bring in the tender shoots. The entrance which was formerly used for going inside the shrine from the Madhva Sarovara is now used only once a year. The new rice is cooked and offered to the icon of Sri Krishna and a special feast called 'new meal' is served.
On this day a special feast is arranged at chauki. On all the other days of the year the Swamijis sit for lunch facing south, but on this day, they sit facing east.
Sri Madhva was born in Pâjaka Kshetra on the vijaya dashami day and a special pûjâ is performed to the icon of Sri Madhva in the shrine of Sri Krishna and also to the icon of the Acharya at Anantheswara.
This period of one month is also observed by refraining from eating pulses (lentils). During the preceding three months of the châturmâsya, vegetables, curds (yogurt) and milk have not been eaten.
On the evening of the following day, an oil lamp is lit on the southern side of the shrine. During this ritual, known as yamadîpa, the priests pray to Yamarâja, the god of death, to ward off untimely death and also to obtain prosperity for mankind.
The oil and gram flour offered to Lord Krishna is later distributed to the devotees present; they apply them to their body and then take a bath.
In the Car Street in front of Kanaka's window, the image of balîndra is drawn on the ground using coloured powder. A lamp post is also erected to ward off inauspiciousness. In Krishna Mutt, after the night's regular pûjâ, and in the presence of the Swamiji, the priests worship Balîndra. Through him the worship Sri Vâmana and they also perform other rituals to ward off inauspiciousness.
The tuLasî vR^indâvana, which is located near the tîrtha maNTapa, is nicely decorated. All the oil lamps around the huge lamp-post which is located there are lit and musicians sing and dance around the tuLasî vR^indâvana. The Swamiji worships Sri Kartika Damodara for twelve days by twelve different names through this sacred plant.
This is also the last day of the tuLasî pûjâ which has been performed for the past eleven days. The pûjâ which has been held in the night time is performed this morning after the mahâ pûjâ is over.
This section is due to Raymond Crawford. Much of the material comes from a book published for the 1984 paryâya of H.H. Sri Vishwesha Tîrtha Swamiji, by Bannanje Govindacharya, U.P. Upadhyaya, and Muralidhar Upadhyaya.
Created May 23, 1996; last updated August 10, 2001.