Festivals In Krishna Temple Udupi
Annual Festivals and Celebrations:
Seven Utsavas:
Saptotsava or the seven Utsavas can be considered to be the annual festival in Sri Krishna Temple. It commences 5 days prior to Makara Sankramana and carries on daily. The sixth utsava takes place on the night of Makara Sankramana and on the next day, utsava takes place during daytime. (These Utsavas take place about the middle of January every year).
Sri Madhwa Navami:
Sri Madhwa Navami is celebrated on a grand scale in Udupi. It is on this auspicious day on the ninth day of the bright half of the month of Makara (February) that Sri Madhwacharya disappeared from mortal sight.
Holi Kamadahana:
On this day in March, in the evening a procession starts from Sri Krishna Mutt, proceeds upto Kadiyali and returns. At night there is another procession and program consists of the burning of an effigy of 'Kama'. Next morning there is another procession where the members smear themselves with colored water.
Sri Rama Navami:
This festival falls on the ninth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (April).
Mesha Sankramana:
This is the New Year day. The celebration consist of a chariot utsava, cradle pooja, etc. at daytime.
Vasanthotsava:
This is the spring festival. Every year in Chaitra, Vasantha Pooja continues for 2 months every night. Light refreshment, in the form of prasadam, is distributed to the public after it is offered to God during the Pooja.
Narasimha Jayanthi:
The deity of Sri Krishnapur and Sri Kaniyoor Mutts is Sri Narasimha. If these deities happen to be in the Sri Krishna Mutt, special Abhishekha, feeding of Brahmins and chariot utsava take place on this day in the month of May.
Bhagirathi Janmadina:
On this day in June, there is special pooja in the 'Bhagirathi gudi' in the Madhwasarovar. A car festival for Lord Sri Krishna takes place at night and Mantapa pooja is specially held before Bhagirathi gudi in Madhwa Sarovara. Chaturmasa:
The word Chaturmasa means four months. It refers to a period from the bright half Ekadashi of Ashada to the same day in Kartika Masa. There is a special Abhishekha to the idol of Shri Krishna. Jagaranaseva:
On the Ekadashi nights, during Chaturmasa, there is a special pooja at night and a program till the early hours of the morning are arranged with a view to keep the pious people awake during the night. The program consists of instrumental music, dancing and Sankeertana, reading of Puranas etc.
Sri Krishna Jayanthi:
This festival comes off on the Shravana Krishna Ashtami, in the month of August or September every year. Complete fast is observed on that day and when the moon rises at about midnight, the swamijis take their bath and offer special pooja and 'Argya' to Sri Krishna. A golden chariot taken around the car street on this occasion.
Ganesha Chathurthi:
This festival, which is celebrated to mark the birthday of Lord Ganapathi, comes off on the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapada in the month of September.
Anantha Chathurdhashi:
This festival comes off on the 14th day of bright half of Bhadrapada in the month of September. On this day there is Kalashapratishte, special pooja and sumptuous feast for Brahmins in the mutt.
Navarathri (Dasara):
This comes off usually in the month of October. Commencing with the first day of the bright half Ashwija, this festival lasts for 10 days. During the first nine days, the idol of Sri Krishna is decorated in the feminine form of Lakshmi.
Panchami Jagarana Pooja:
This special pooja takes place every morning for one month from Ashwija Shuddha Ekadashi till Kartika Shuddha Dwadhashi.
Deepavali (Balindra Pooja):
This festival comes off in the month of October or November. On the thirteenth day of the dark half of Ashwija, Pooja is offered to water. Next morning at moon rise, a pooja offering oil to Krishna is performed. On the New Moon day, Pooja is offered to the image of Bali, which is artistically drawn on the ground in front of the gopuram. A large number of wick lamps are lighted on this occasion.
Laksha Deepotsava:
From the first day in the month of Kartika, till Dwadhashi, a special pooja is offered to the Tulasi plant after the night pooja.
Subramanya Shashti:
On this day celebration consists of special pooja in the Sri Subramanya Shrine, Chariot Utsava during morning and mass feast to Brahmins at noon. A car festival for Lord Krishna takes place at night and Mantapa pooja is held in Subramanya Shrine.
Dhanu Pooja:
Everyday throughout the month of Dhanu, a special pooja takes place at dawn. Pongal and many other sweets are prepared as an offering for this pooja which is later on served to the few invited people.
Guru Samaradhana:
The Paryaya Swamis celebrate the Aradhana or Death Anniversary of their immediate Gurus on a grand scale.
Paryaya Mahotsava:
The Paryaya festival is the biggest of all the festivals in Udupi. This festival, which occurs on the 17th or 18th of January of alternative years, attracts huge crowd from all corners of India. Prior to Sri Vadiraja Teertha Swami it was customary for each swamis to be in charge of the Sri Krishna Mutt and its poojas for a period of two months only. But Sri Vadiraja changed this into a period of two years each. This handing over and taking over ceremony of the charge of Sri Krishna Mutt is known as Paryaya. The entire responsibility of carrying on the customary poojas and festivals of Sri Krishna Mutt during these two years rests with the Paryaya Swami.
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