Vitla Pindi Celebrated with Enthusiasm at Udupi’s Sri Krishna Math
Udupi: Sri Krishna Leelotsava, popularly known as Vitla Pindi, was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Sri Krishna Math in Udupi on Saturday, September 5. The festivities, held along Car Street, drew a large crowd of devotees who gathered to take part in the annual celebration following Sri Krishna Janmashtami. The event began at 3:00 p.m. and continued until 5:30 p.m.
The highlight of Vitla Pindi was the traditional breaking of pots. Suspended high above the street, the pots were filled with milk, saffron and curds, symbolising the childhood pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna. Participants, many of them dressed as shepherds, used bamboo sticks to break around 12 to 15 pots mounted on poles.
The celebration also featured ‘Mosaru Kudike’, an event organised by the Math, in which participants broke earthen pots filled with a mixture of milk, curd, saffron and yellow-coloured water. The pots were suspended from wooden poles above the gathering.
Another major attraction was the procession of a clay idol of Lord Sri Krishna in a golden chariot. Following the procession, the idol was ceremonially immersed in Madhwa Sarovara. The presiding deity of the Math was specially adorned for the occasion, including diamond armour. Prasadam was distributed among the devotees.
Security arrangements were put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations. The police department deployed more than 300 personnel along Car Street and in the areas surrounding the Math to maintain law and order.
Sri Vedavardhana Theertha Swamiji of Paryaya Shiroor Math participated in the Sri Krishna Janmashtami rituals. The Swamijis performed ‘Arghya Pradana’ at midnight on Friday and offered special puja.
The temple was beautifully decorated with flowers, attracting large numbers of devotees who gathered to have darshan of Lord Sri Krishna. The celebrations also featured cultural performances, including the traditional Tiger Dance, or ‘Hulivesha’, along with other programmes.
