Changing of Paraya Festival 15-17th January Every Two Years.

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Year 2000 is the Pejawar mutt coming into office, Kaniyur mutt is the outgoing mutt

The following is an overview of the system of Paraya, and the Paraya ceremony that afford the Madhwa Asta-mutts their manergerial system in Udupi. The following section is from "The Life and Legacy of Ananda Tirtha - Madhwacarya" by Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa. Party's who are interested in sponsoring or helping to sponsor in the publication of this book are welcomed to contact the author:

As outlined before, it used to be that each of the eight 'Swamis', who are descendants of the original eight 'Swamis' that Madhwacarya chose out of his thousands of disciples to continue the worship of Udupi Krsna, would only be in office at Krsna Mutt for two months. Meaning that every sixteen months again they would be back in office. However as stated, this was changed for practical managerial purposes so as not to be a constant change, or disruption for Sri Udupi Krsna, this was brought about after some problems occurred in the ability to follow as Madhwa had instructed. These reformatory changes were brought about by Vadiraja Tirtha in 1522 A.D.
 The system as it stands today is as follows, beginning with all the prior arrangements:-

'Bale Muhurta'; Before the change over from one 'Paraya Swami' to the next takes place, the future 'Swami' starts preparations for his 'Paraya' period by planting Tulasi seeds and banana trees. This actually takes place almost a year before, because the Tulasi seeds have to grow into full grown plants so that the 'Swami' can offer the leaves and soft 'manjaris' in the 'puja' for Krsna. Same thing with the banana trees. Daily bananas are offered to the Lord and the leaves are used for leaf plates for the devotees and guests who come in their thousands daily. So in the gardens of the respective 'mutt' of the 'Swami' concerned, these facilities are arranged for.
 The concept of sustainability is not a new one, and those broad-minded devotees who look towards more than modern 'band-aid' management, recognise the need for developing an on going self-support system (sustainable support system) that is of a 'wholistic' nature, taking into consideration all of the multi-facets of Vaisnava culture and especially 'seva puja'.

Essentially this is made up of five main limbs, 'Panchanga'. Which are as follows:

1. 'Abhigamana'  (approaching the temple, or place of worship):
This includes all these preparatory activities such as cleaning oneself physically by bath, wearing fresh cloth, ornamenting oneself with 'tilaka' and Tulasi beads, cleaning the temple, removing used articles and cleaning them, and decorating the temple.

2. 'Upadana' (gathering articles):
This includes gathering flowers, Tulasi, suitable fruits, preparing cooked foods, and selecting  the proper utensils for the worship.

3. 'Yoga' (attaining spiritual identity):
This includes cleansing the body of material conception and assuming a spiritual body fit for service to the Lord, by means of 'mantra', 'prokshanas', 'bhuta suddhi', 'dhyana' and 'manasa pujas' etc.

4. 'Ijya' (actual worship):
This refers to the external worship, or offering of 'upacaras' such as 'asana', 'padyam', 'snana' ('abhishekam') etc.

5. 'Swadhyaya' (recitation of scripture):
This includes all of the processes of cultural engagements and cultivation, such as reading scripture, elaborate ceremonies to satisfy the Lord, and His devotee. Attracting the minds of others, through festivals, functions etc., where people get the chance for hearing and chanting the names and glories of the Lord etc., and also participation in such festivities as we have here.
 From this analysis one can understand that Vaisnava culture, and the 'archana-viddhi' that it supports does not merely consist of simply offering external articles to the 'murti' (Deity) of the Lord, but involves preparatory and supplementary activities, all of which are also necessary for attainment of successful worship.

As usual in Udupi every ceremony has great pomp that goes along with it, and this one is not and different.  Choosing a favourable 'muhurta' (time placement according to the phase of the moon, and station of stars, 'nakshatras'), the 'purohit' (priest) prays to the agents of the Lord, the presiding deities of the nine planets ('nav-graha') for good influence on the project. Then the workers of the 'Mutt' carry the seeds and seedlings to 'Krsna Mutt' in a procession while the temple elephant carries other paraphernalia of the 'Mutt'.

First as is the tradition, they go to Candramulesvara temple then to Anantesvara temple, then to (Udupi) Krsna temple. At each place the priest prays "Let there be no shortage of Tulasi and bananas for Your worship."
 Then offering obeisances to the Mukhyaprana and Sripad Madhwacarya Deities at Krsna Mutt, they then return to their own 'Mutt' in Car Street and plant the Tulasi seeds and banana seedlings.

'Akki Muhurta'; Closer to the even of 'Paraya', and within two months of the 'Bale muhurta', is the ceremony of 'Akki Muhurta'.
 Again, as in the 'Bale muhurta', the procession starts at the 'Mutt'. A large quantity of rice is decorated and carried out in a palanquin covered in silken cloth. All the devotees of the 'Mutt' walk behind with bags of rice on their heads, and as usual go to Candramulesvara and Anantesvara temples before asking for blessings at 'Krsna Mutt'. At noon a feast is served, all the other 'Mutt Swamis' are invited, specifically to invoke their blessings for a good crop of rice.
 After this the rice is planted in the paddy fields for the mass 'prasadam' distribution which will follow in the next few months.

'Kattige Muhurta'; This ceremony is about six months before the 'Paraya' ceremony takes place. This involves the gathering together of firewood for the cooking of the rice and vegetables that will feed the many thousands who come to the changing 'Paraya' ceremony.  The same system of visiting 'nava-grahas' (presiding deities of the nine most important planets),  Candramulesvara, Anantesvara and Krsna Mutts takes place invoking their blessings.

At the bank of the Madhwa Sarova (tank) in the north eastern corner, one will see a huge replica of the Udupi Ratha carts, but made out of fire wood - a spectacular sight and work of art. After purificatory rites have been performed the artisans build the cart up to fifty feet in height. A couple of days before the 'Kattige Muhurta' of the next 'Paraya', the out going 'Mutts' wooden cart is dismantled and the firewood is used for cooking. In this way the Lord and His devotees always have enough wood in their 'Paraya' period for cooking on.

'Bhatta Muhurta'; This particular ceremony takes place only seven weeks before the 'Paraya' ceremony. Now the rains of monsoon have watered the rice paddy and the crops are ready to be harvested.

So far we have seen to the taking care of the Tulasi plants for the Lord, bananas for the Lord and banana leaves for the mass 'prasadam' distribution, the planting of rice and the firewood for cooking.
 Now is the time for collecting of the rice paddy so the mass 'prasadam' distribution that Madhwa instigated can go on. Krsna in Udupi is known as 'Anna Brahma', specifically for this reason, for it is 'by His mercy everyone is fed'.

After the usual ceremonies the procession starts from the 'Mutt', a bag of rice paddy on a palanquin covered with a silken cloth is taken to each of the temples. Then comes the last of the preparatory ceremonies - the 'badagu malige', or putting into storage of the rice.

'Badagu Malige'; At the official grain store house for the 'Paraya Mutt', a bag of rice paddy is placed on a platform and the various priests worship it and put it into the store. The manager of the out going mutt offers fruits, cloth and other various nice things to the 'Swamis' and devotees of the "in-coming" 'Paraya Mutt'. From that day the store house is under the new 'Paraya' management who now start to make preparations for the changing over of 'Paraya' mass 'prasadam' distribution which feeds anything from ten to fifteen thousand persons.
 Previously the actual 'Paraya' ceremony up until the time of Vadiraja Tirtha would take place here at the grain store.

The final preliminary ceremony is the handing over of the dome to the "in-coming" 'Paraya Swami'. This is done by having the dome of the previous cart nicely decorated and then in procession it is handed over to the chief architect who had arranged for the building of the present firewood chariot. Then and only then are all the necessary arrangements complete.

This may seem to some to be ritualistic, but actually this is not dry formality. A careful check of everything required for the next term of office is systematically done. Not only that, but in all these ceremonies much care and attention is paid to obtaining the mercy of the Lord and His pure representative - Sripad Madhwacarya - for without this important is it just so much dry ritual. But here you will find no such dry rituals, here everything is saturated with the 'rasam' of love.
 The 'Pancaratriki' system of 'Vaisnava Tantra' prescribes functions like this, 'swadhyaya' technically it is called, for such wonderfully devotional, colourful and pleasing events help to constantly re-direct the tiny individual Jiva souls back to the lotus feet of the Lord. Again it is another mechanism to assist in our gradual holistic devotional development. But even looking from a mundane, or purely managerial point of view, this process in which all the devotees come together enhances the unity of the 'Sampradaya', aids the removing any room for envious behaviour or non-cooperation, it forms a unity of purpose, and from a purely managerial point of view, this system makes sure that every single detail is covered, so as everything can go on nicely without any deteriation setting in too, over the years.

One can see by analysing these particular ceremonies that the procedure is centred on Krsna, the object of meditation, the goal, and the result is Krsna consciousness. Where is the defect, I humbly suggest that there is none. Everyone is remembering the significance of Acarya Madhwa's mission and how the Lord of his life came to Udupi, the preaching Madhwa did to establish Vaisnavism not only in the south but all over, and now how it is being preserved with great care and devotion by his followers and their followers, followers, 'dasa dasa anudasa'.

Just prior to the 'Paraya' official ceremony the next 'Paraya Swami' goes on an extensive holy pilgrimage to all the sacred tirthas, from Kanyakumari in the south, to Badrikashrama in the north, from Dwaraka in the west to Mayapur in the east. The 'Swami' is on a begging mission, asking for the blessings of all the Deities and Vaisnavas in all these holy places to bestow their blessings on him so he can fulfil the mission of Sripad Madhwacarya and continue to maintain Madhwa's mission in a mood of purity.

First he tours the south, going to such places like Adi Keshava at Trivandram, Guruvayura, Kanyakumari, Ramesvaram, Sri Rangam, Kumbakonam, Vrdhacallam, Kanci, Tirupati, Ahobalam, Mangalgiri, etc. Then to the north - Kurmakshetra, Simhacalam, Jagannatha Puri, Remuna, Mayapura, Gaya, Ayodhya, Prayag, Mathura, Vrndavana, Kurukshetra, Haridwar/Hrsikesha, Badri, Dwaraka etc., and back to Udupi.

He is due to return at an auspicious moment (the auspicious moment being between ten and fifteen days before the 'Paraya' ceremony is due to take place), the whole town is decorated at this time to receive the 'Swami' back from his tour, and from this time on he does not leave Udupi district.
 His arrival back is marked at Jodukatte on the Udupi-Mangalore Road, where a huge crowd comes to welcome him. All the local devotees come and give donations to pay for various expenses to be encored during the 'Paraya' ceremony.

Deity forms of the great 'Acaryas' from history are placed on palanquin and are taken on procession to the accompaniment of musicians and chanters in 'sankirtan' (congregationally chanting of the names and glories of the Lord, and His pure representitives, the 'Acaryas'.)  In this way the procession comes to Udupi Car Street,  The 'Swami' is seated in a chariot and the deities on their palanquins.

First as usual, the 'Swami' goes to the temple of Candramulesvara, then to Anantesvara, then to Udupi Krsna and offers prayers. Then the "in-coming" 'Swami' performs his 'sankalpa', announcing his plans and projects for maintaining and expanding Madhwa's mission in Krsna Mutt for the Lord's pleasure over the coming two years of his 'Paraya', to the pleasure of the devotees.

'Hore Kanike'; Now we are just a couple of days from the 'Paraya' ceremony. The local devotees bring bags and bags or rice, jaggery (date palm sugar), grains like mung beans, and other varieties of grams, vegetables, coconuts, etc, all kinds of wonderful foodstuffs, enough to feed the thousands that will come. Just to see everything coming in trucks and on local villagers heads is an all-inspiring sight.

'Olipe'; This olipe ceremony is symbolic of the harmony and unity in motive of the different 'Mutts'. This involves both the "in-coming" 'Swami' and the "out-going" 'Swami', both of them donate rice and vegetables to the 'Swamis' of the other 'Mutts', and again in procession the donations are formally given in love to the other 'Mutts'. This co-operative spirit is very nice and as one body, though under different institutions, the 'Udupi Swamis' share the responsibility for the coming 'Paraya'.

So many thousands of pilgrims come and are lodged and fed at all the different 'Mutts', 'choultris', and 'dharmasalas', and so many donations come in help to cover the love burden, cost of this time. A very nice buzzing festive, and co-operative mood prevails the whole of Udupi township as the invitations for the 'Paraya' ceremony come to a head.
 If you wish to visit Udupi during the 'Paraya' ceremony, then you will need t make prior (guaranteed) reservations. There are many hotels; Government tourist bungallows; 'Birla-dharmsallas', 'Krsna-Mutt-choultris', and other 'Mutt choultris'. They are all available at different prices and ranges of service available, from a single room, to single room with fan, double rooms, to communial rooms; to very nice air-conditioned rooms with "on-suite" bathrooms. But be advised from one who once arrived on the off chance of finding somewhere to stay, but could not find a room. Book in advance with a confirmed reservation. Udupi is a small town, and with such a volume of pilgrims you may be hard pressed to find accomadation even up to Mangalore.

'Makara Sankranti' is on the 14th January, so on the next day (15th) is Curnotsava, the 16th is a rest day - no festivals are performed on that day, then on the 17th a festival and feast is arranged by the "outgoing" 'Swami'. The next day that 'Swami' wakes the Deity but for him, his term is over, to prepare for the "in-coming" 'Swami', the "out going" 'Swami' removing the previous day's garlands, Tulasi, etc., from the body of the Deity prepares for the changing of the 'Parayas' duties.

The 'Paraya' Festival.
The "in-coming" 'Swami' who will take charge of the 'puja', looking after Krsna for the next two years, on this day, goes to Danda Tirtha 10 kilometres out of town and stays there overnight. This is the place where as a student in the 'gurukula', Sripad Madhwacarya irrigated the gardens of his teacher making a canal for the water to flow by taking the stick that was given to Madhwa at his 'upanayana' (sacred thread investiture) ceremony. He stuck the stick in the ground and after, water came up. Hence forth, due to the transcendental actions of young Madhwas' stick or 'danda', that place is called Dandatirtha.

At about 3.00 am., on the morning they've all been preparing for, the "in-coming" 'Swami' gets up from sleep and takes bath in the holy pond there. He puts on fresh cloth, 'tilak' ('namams'), etc., and walking, heads for Udupi. At about 4.00 am., he reaches the outskirts of Udupi and is met by a big crowd of devotees to waiting there to welcome in the new 'Paraya Swami' - this place is known as 'Jodu Katte'. The 'Swamis' from the six other 'Mutts' wait to greet him, whilst the "out-going" 'Paraya Swami' stays at Krsna Mutt ready to receive the "in-coming" 'Swami'.

The whole route is fabulously decorated with festoons, 'rangoolis' (drawing done on the floor - 'rangavali') and lights, every building is illuminated. According to the traditions of the previous 'acaryas', different styles or 'gaunas', family traditions of decorations are seen. All kinds of pomp, musical instruments, drums, trumpets, horns etc are played and the sound is quite tumultuous.

All the other 'Swamis' are then seated in their palanquins. They are all dressed in saffron silk with silk shawls and silken head dresses. Then all together, standing, reciting 'Vedic mantras', they come to greet the new 'Paraya Swami'.

Ahead of the procession goes the particular 'Ista-deva', the deity of the 'Mutt' taking over.  Its a fabulous sight elephants, dressed up, with devotees on their backs carrying fans and festoons, lead the procession slowly towards Krsna Mutt. Thousands of devotees come to join the throng, some looking out of windows, doorways, or right there in the narrow streets.

As the 'Swami' reaches Car Street he gets down from his palanquin to walk on the white sheets which cover the road. After circumambulating the temples of Candramulesvara and Anantasana, the 'Swami' reaches Krsna mutt. First he offers obeisances through Kanaka dasa's window (crack in the wall), the 'Swami' gives donations to the 'brahmins' and walks to Candramulesvara temple and Anantasana temple and pays respects. After the visiting to these two temples, he returns to the main gate of Krsna Mutt and is greeted by the outgoing 'Swami', who welcomes the new 'Paraya Swami' and leads him into the temple holding his hands.

The first place they go, as do all visitors, is to Madhwa Sarovara, and they wash their hands and feet, then the 'Swamis' go into the 'Candra-sala' to see Udupi Krsna.

At this time all the other Udupi 'Swamis' from the other 'Mutts' go to the 'Badagu Malige' (store house) and take up their nicely decorated seats and wait for the new 'Paraya Swami'.

The 'Paraya' Ceremony.
The new 'Swami' enters the mutt and places his Deities in the Tirtha Mantapa and then performs 'arati' to them. Then both the old (outgoing) and new (incoming) enter the main Deity room and pray to Lord Krsna. The 'Swamis' also go to the guardian deities of Mukhyaprana (Hanuman) and Garuda at either side of the temple room ('Candra-sala') and then offer respects again to Krsna. They then go to the special room off to the side where Sripad Madhwacarya used to sit. Only a few can go in, usually only the 'Swamis' of the 'Mutts', and their assistants as the ritual of changing over the 'Paraya' formally takes place.

After being honoured by various articles of worship, the new 'Swami', who until this time is sitting side by side on the seat of office with the 'old' outgoing 'Swami', is left to sit alone after the outgoing 'Swami' gets up. From that time on the new 'Paraya Swami' directs everything as the representative of  Sripad Madhwacarya.
 The previous 'Swami' and the new 'Paraya Swami' then go and offer respects to the deity of Sripad Madhwacarya, and the previous 'Swami' hands over the 'aksaya patra' pot that was originally given by Surya's son (Iksvaku) down to Yudhisthira whilst he was in the forest. This is the same pot that Draupadi used to cook in as mentioned earlier in this book.  This pot is then handed over to the new 'Paraya Swami'. Now Krsna Mutt is officially under the control of the new 'Paraya Swami'. Both 'Swamis' go to join the others in the grain store, and all respects are given to each other.

The last part of the changing of the 'Paraya' is the 'Darbar Sabha'. All the Udupi 'Swamis' come in a procession around 7.00 am., to the 'Rajangana' (auditorium) which by now is full with around 20,000 devotees. Many hymns from the Vedas are chanted and the Udupi 'Swamis' give their 'ashirvadam' formal blessings all the assembled devotees.

Now the outgoing 'Swami' makes his farewell speech and announces his successor, the new 'Paraya Swami'. The new 'Paraya Swami' then tells everyone of his plans and projects for the maintenance and improvements of Krsna Mutt's facilities for the next two years.   Homage's from dignitaries, followed by the posts of office within Krsna Mutt, are given by the 'Paraya Swami'. After all this there is a huge feast to celebrate in true Vaisnava style, where anything from 15,000 - 20,000 devotees are nicely fed with amazingly wonderful 'prasadam'.

In the evening, after the new 'Swami' has performed all the 'pujas', and after the 'camara seva' ceremony, the 'Brahma rathotsava' takes place, where the carts go out in great pomp into Car Street.

This concludes the Paraya Ceremony.

To relive the ancient tradition coming down in this unbroken line of 'Swamis', one must go to Udupi at this time. Actually anytime is nice. I personally always remember a great deal of warmth and Vaisnava hospitality shown by the descendants of Sripad Madhwacarya who have always treated my friends, family and myself very nicely on my numerous visits to Udupi. This is a very important part of experiencing the legacy of Sripad Madhwacarya.

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