Grand Paraya Festival Procession Enthralls Devotees; Temple City Immersed in Devotion
Udupi: The grand procession of the Shirur Sri Paraya Mahotsava was held with immense splendour and devotion in the early hours of Sunday, drawing the participation of lakhs of devotees.
After completing the sacred midnight bath at Kapu Dandatirtha, the pontiffs offered prayers to the presiding deity and reached Jodukatte sharp at 2.30 a.m. The magnificent procession then commenced, passing through Court Road, Old Diana Circle, Ideal Circle and Tenkapete, before finally reaching the historic Rathabeedi.
Attractive Tableaux and Folk Performances:
The procession was enlivened by vibrant folk art forms, colourful tableaux and the rhythmic beats of chende drums. Chende troupes, Kunitha Bhajana, Gorava Kunita, Kombu Kahale, children performing Marakalu Kunita (stilt dance), Kangilu dance, Nasik band, doll dance and several other cultural teams took part. Following hundreds of tableaux and art troupes, the seer of Shirur Matha, Sri Vedavardhana Tirtha Sripadaru, along with the pontiffs of the Ashta Mathas, proceeded in beautifully decorated palanquins mounted on vehicles.
Idol of Lakshmeevratha Theertha Swamiji:
A special highlight of the procession was the idol of the late Lakshmeevratha Theerthi Swamiji, former senior seer of Shirur Matha, which was taken in an open vehicle, evoking deep emotional reverence among devotees.
The procession, which began from Jodukatte around 2.30 a.m., covered nearly two kilometres before concluding at Rathabeedi. Devotees from Udupi and various parts of the state thronged the streets to witness the grandeur of the Paraya festival. People lined both sides of the roads and gathered on compound walls and balconies of large buildings to catch a glimpse of the majestic procession. Udupi city remained awake throughout the night, immersed in the divine splendour of the Paraya Mahotsava.
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, former MLAs Raghupathi Bhat and Pramod Madhwaraj, Congress leader Muniyalu Uday Kumar Shetty, Paraya Welcome Committee General Secretary Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde, Veena Shetty, Nayana Ganesh and others were present. Tight security arrangements were made under the leadership of Udupi District Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar.
