On the seventh day, a
special festival known as suvarNotsava, or chuurNotsava, is held
after the mahaa puujaa. The brahma ratha is taken out in a
procession which is the last in this series of festivals. Annual festivals, concluded
lakshadiipotsava
On the day of utthaana dvaadashii, the festival of
lakshadiipa begins. This festival is held for four days up until
the full moon day and is one of the important festivals of
Krishna Mutt.
In the evening, after the night service, the ritual of offering navagraha daana is held. Nine types of grain are offered to the priests to please the Lord of the nine planets. Swamiji then brings out the processional icon of Sri Krishna from the sanctum sanctorum; it is then placed in a palanquin and taken in procession to the Madhva Sarovara. It is then placed in a decorated boat and after aarati is waved by the Swamiji, the boat is rowed around the maNTapa. This festival is known as teppotsava. The crowd of devotees sits in rows around the tank and respectfully stands up as Sri Krishna passes them by. The boat goes around the sarovara three time. The oil lamps are reflected in the water and the musicians play devotional music. This is one of the nicest festivals held to worship Sri Krishna.
While Krishna is being rowed around the sarovara to the delight of His devotees, the festival icons from Ananteshwara and Chandreshwara are brought out by the priests. Sri Krishna is then brought out from the sarovara and placed in the garuDa ratha along with the icon of Hanuman. The icons of Ananta Padmanabha and Chandramaulishwara are placed in the small chariot.
Swamiji waves aarati to Sri Krishna, Ananta Padmanabha and Chandramaulishwara, and then the devotees begin to pull the ratha-s around Car Street. The royal elephant, the pipers and musicians, and other paraphernalia go in front of the cars. Vedic hymns are chanted as the cars move forward, and lamps are brought out and handed to the paryaaya Swamiji, who offers aarati to Krishna on behalf of all His devotees.
On both sides of the Car Street oil lamps are lit in rows. In between these thousands of lamps the two cars move gracefully. In the southern end of Car Street the cars stop and the Swamijis sit on a cloth spread on the ground. A discussion on philosophical topics is held there among the scholars assembled. At the end of the discussion, fireworks are set off and a large cloth dipped in oil is set alight and held high in the air. This display is of great delight to the assembled devotees, especially the children.
When the cars return to Krishna Mutt, vasanta puujaa and other night rituals are performed as usual.
Chandreshvara rathotsava
The second day of the bright fortnight of the month of
maargashiirsha is observed as the annual festival of the
Chandramaulishvara temple. The icons of Ananteshwara and
Chandreshwara temples are placed in the garuDa ratha and taken
round the Car Street with pomp and festivity.
Subramanya shashhThi
The sixth day of the bright fortnight of maargashiirsha is known
as Subramanya shashhThi or Skanda shashhThi, the birthday of
Subramanya a.k.a Kaartikeya a.k.a Skanda, the son of Shiva. A
special ritual is arranged in the shrine of Subramanya. In the
forenoon the icon of Subramanya is taken round the Car Street in
the garuDa ratha and a special feast is arranged in chauki. Once
in a paryaaya a special ritual known as naaga maNDala is held in
the vasanta maNTapa on this day.
dhanurmaasa puujaa
During the period of the solar month of dhanu a special puujaa is
performed at dawn by offering Krishna a dish of green gram. The
devotees are fed the main meal of the day in the early morning
hours, during this month. dhanurvyatiipaata
On the day of the vyatiipaata yoga in the solar month of dhanu a special puujaa is performed in the morning by offering a dish made of green gram. dhanurvaidhR^iti
Just like dhanurvyatiipaata the day of vyatiipaata yoga in the month of dhanu is celebrated with special ritual.
mukkoTi dvaadashii
The twelfth day in the shukla paksha (bright fortnight) of
maargashiirsha is celebrated as mukkoTi dvaadashii. A special
puujaa is performed that day and an offering of a dish of green
gram made to Krishna.
Datta jayanti
The full moon day in the month of maagashiirsha is known
as datta jayanti. It was on this day that Vishnu was
"born" as Datta through Anasuya, the wife of sage Atri.
A special puuja is arranged for Datta on this day.
saptotsava
Five days before makara sankramaNa, a seven day festival
begins which ends on the day after sankramaNa. During the first
five days the garuDa ratha and the small ratha are taken out on
procession.
The sixth day, sankramaNa, is believed to be the anniversary day of the installation of Krishna in Udupi. To celebrate this anniversary, the biggest festival in Udupi is held. The three cars are taken out on procession. Sri Krishna rides in the brahma ratha, Mukhya PraaNa rides in the smallest, and the processional icons of Ananteshwara and Chandreshwara ride in the garuDa ratha. Devotees from all over India and even from abroad come to witness this festival.
On the seventh day, a
special festival known as suvarNotsava, or chuurNotsava, is held
after the mahaa puujaa. The brahma ratha is taken out in a
procession which is the last in this series of festivals.
After the icon of Sri Krishna is seated in the chariot, the Swamiji waves aarati and then throws down coconuts, oranges, bananas, coins and other objects towards the devotees. The devotees vie with one another in catching those fruits coming down as prasaada.
Another noteworthy feature of this day is that all Swamijis and scholars join with the common folk in holding the rope and towing the Lord's chariot. They forget their differences of opinion, status, etc., and stand as equals in this sacred task of service to Krishna.
This photo is of the brahma ratha in procession. The red umbrellas are being held over the paryaya Swamiji.
After the procession goes around the Car Street, the Swamiji takes sacred bath in Madhva Sarovara holding the processional icon of Sri Krishna in his hands. All the devotees join together and take bath known as avabhR^ita snaana or purificatory bath.
Thousands of devotees are fed on this day, It is said that during the past the paryaaya Swamiji used to take food in RaajaangaNa along with the common devotees, but since the crowd nowadays is so large and uncontrollable, the Swamiji now takes his food in chauki. Crowds in excess of ten thousand people are fed in this grand feast.
ratha saptamii &
BhiishmaashTamii
The seventh day in the bright fortnight of maagha is known
as ratha saptamii. The next day is observed as BhiishmaashTamii.
On both of these days the icon of Sri Krishna is taken out in
procession after the night service. Special feasts are arranged
for the devotees on both days.
Madhva navamii
The ninth day of the bright fortnight of maagha is the day
on which Sri Madhva went out to Badarikashrama and disappeared.
(1317 A. D. pingaLa samvatsara maagha shuddha navamii). This day
is celebrated with great pomp and festivity. The paryaaya
Swamiji, as well as any other Swamijis residing at Udupi on this
day, go to Ananteswara and offer special puujaa to the original
icon of Sri Madhva. They also chant hymns. In Sri Krishna Mutt
special puujas are offered to the icon of Sri Madhva. The
scholars chant Madhva Vijaya in the suurya shaalaa. A feast for
the thousands of devotees who have come to participate in this
festival is held during the day. In the evening a painting of Sri
Madhva and the volumes of his works are taken out in procession
and kept in the vasanta maNTapa. A special congregation of
scholars is convened. Scholars are specially invited from far off
places to participate in scholarly discussions. At the end of the
discussions the Swamiji honors those scholars by giving presents
and honorariums.
In the festival at night Sri Krishna is taken out in the brahma ratha.
Shiva raatri
The fourteenth day in the dark fortnight of maagha is
celebrated as Shiva raatri. There are special puujaa-s at
Ananteshwara and Chandreshwara, and a flag hoisting ceremony
takes place in Ananteshwara. There is a special car festival in
which the icons of both Chandramaulishwara and Ananteshwara are
taken out in procession in the brahma ratha.
hoLi habba & kaama
dahana
The full moon day in phaalguna is celebrated by bringing
an effigy of kaama, the god of love, to the Car Street and
burning it. The visual burning of the replica of kaama symbolises
the curbing of lust in our heart. Next day the people throw color
powder at each other and celebrate the Holi festival.
Vaadiraaja puNya tithi
The third day of the dark fortnight of phaalguna is
celebrated as Sri Vaadiraaja's memorial day. Especially during
the paryaaya of Sri Sode Mutt, this festival is celebrated with
great pomp. During the paryaaya of the other Swamiji-s, special
services are arranged in honor of Sri Vaadiraaja Tiirtha. A great
feast is arranged for the devotees.
Vyaasaraaja puNya tithi
The fourth day of the dark fortnight of phaalguna is
celebrated as the anniversary of Sri Vyaasa Tiirtha. Sri Vyaasa
Tiirtha, though not a saint from one of the Udupi ashhTa-maTha-s,
is nonetheless intimately connected with Udupi because of Sri
Kanaka Daasa and Sri Vaadiraaja Tiirtha, his students. A special
feast is arranged for the devotees, and spiritual seminars are
arranged on this day.
This section is due to Ramadas. Much of the material comes from a book published for the 1984 paryaaya of H.H. Sri Vishwesha Tiirtha Swamiji, by Bannanje Govindacharya, U.P. Upadhyaya, and Muralidhar Upadhyaya.