Udupi Paryaya Mahothsava

Paryaya is a religious ritual which takes place every alternate (biennial) year in Sri Krishna Matha in Udupi. The Pooja and administration of Sri Krishna Matha is distributed among the Eight Swamijis (seer or monk or pontiff) of Ashta Matha’s established by Dvaita philosopher Shri Madhwacharya. The Swamiji of every Matha gets a chance of performing pooja of Udupi Sri Krishna by rotation for a period of two years.

During paryaya, the Pooja and administration of Krishna Matha is handed over from existing Paryaya Swamiji of Ashtha Matha to the ascending Swamiji of another Ashtha Matha. This takes place every two years.

The paryaya ceremony will takes place in the early hours of 18 January of even numbered year of Gregorian calendar at Udupi. The Paryaya preparations will start from the previous year itself. The Swamiji ascending Sarvajna peetha goes to a place called Dandatheerta near Kaup south of Udupi town and takes dip at the holy pond and perform pooja as per Madhwa traditions. Thereafter the Paryaya Swamiji who takes over the pooja rights of Lord krishna enters Jodukatte (Udupi city) around 3 am. A procession is taken from Jodukatte (Near old Taluk office) of Udupi town, where the Paryaya Swamiji along with other Swamijis are carried in palanquins along with cultural shows up to car street, Udupi.

Then Shri Paryaya Swamiji enters Shri Krishna Matha duly welcome by the outgoing Swamiji, afterwards the handover of Akshaya Pathra and the shrine keys along with pooja rights of Shrikrishna for further period of two years infront of the diety of Shri Madhvacharya.Thereafter he will be seated at Sarvajna Peetha inside Shri Krishna Matha. A formal darbar of all Swamijis of Astha-Mathas takes place in the Badgu Malige, and a public ceremony will takes place in Rajangana Darbar Hall, Udupi. There are many rituals to be followed in the same manner as it was done 700 years ago.