Choornotsava celebrated with pomp in Udupi

As part of 'Saptotsava', the annual seven days car festival, the daylight 'Bramharathotsava' of Lord Sri Krishna, popularly known as 'Choornotsava', was held on Monday as part of the final day celebrations at Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi, with great religious zeal and splendour.

The daylight car festival was held under the guidance of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt senior and junior seers Sri Vishvesha Theertha Swami and Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swami. All the six-day Rathotsavas were held during the night.

Seers Vidyasagara Theertha Swami of Krishnapur Mutt, Kshatriya Theertha Swami of Adamar Mutt, Vidhyadeesha Theertha Swami of Palimaru Mutt, Vidhyavallabha Theertha Swami of Kaniyur mutt, Vishwavallabha Theertha Swami of Sode Vadiraj Mutt and Shubudhendra Theertha Swamiji of Mantralaya were present and participated in the car festival in which a large number of devotees also took part.

A specially made clay idol of Lord Krishna was mounted on 'Bramharatha', a huge chariot for daylight car festival. A large number of devotees pulled the chariot around the Car Street.

After performing 'Mahamangalarathi' to the 'Utsavamurthy' of the presiding deity Lord Sri Krishna, sweets, coconuts, fruits and coins were thrown at the devotees, by the participating Swamis, from Bramharatha.

Choornotsava is being held annually to commemorate the installation of Saligramashila idol of Lord Sri Krishna in the child form with a churning rod on one hand and rope on the other hand.

The idol was installed by great saint and philosopher Sri Madhwacharya more than 800 years ago. It is said that the Saligramashila idols of Lord Sri Krishna and Lord Balaram covered with "Gopichandana mud" were presented to Sri Madhwacharya by a sailor whose ship was rescued from a wreck on the Arabian Sea, by the saint.

The idol of Lord Balaram was installed at Vadabhandeshwara, near Malpe beach, about five- km from here by the saint while idol of Lord Krishna was installed in Udupi on the Makara Sankranti day.

After the Rathotsava, the clay idol was immersed in the temple pond 'Madhwa Sarovara' followed by a holy dip by the assembled seers and devotees.

The presiding deity inside the sanctum sanctorum was specially decorated for the occasion. Mass feeding was also held later in the temple.

During the car festival, the idol of Lord Krishna was taken in the Bramharatha, while Lord Hanuman (Mukhyaprana) was taken in a medium Ratha and idols of Lord Anantheshwar and Sri Chandramouleeshwar, the presiding deities of the oldest temples of Udupi, were taken in a small chariot.