Move to ferry seers' palanquins in vehicles opposed

Pontiff of Shiroor mutt Lakshmivarateertha Swami has opposed the idea of taking in open vehicles the palanquins that carry the seers of Ashta Mutts (eight mutts) during the Paryaya procession.

Speaking to mediapersons, he said he would oppose going against the age-old tradition, in which devotees carry the palanquins with the seers sitting in them. Lakshmivarateertha said he would boycott the Paryaya celebrations and the durbar, if the tradition is not followed. The palanquins are carried by the devotees, especially those belonging to the Mogaveera community, since the inception of the Paryaya tradition. Only if the Mogaveera community refuses to carry the palanquins, the practice can be abandoned, he said. 

Following a controversy over the ‘Addapallakki Utsava’ in Rambhapuri Mutt at Balehonnur, Pejawar Mutt seer Vishveshateertha Swami had proposed that the palanquins be taken out in open vehicles. Vidyavallabhateertha Swami of Kaniyur Mutt, the next Paryaya seer, had also agreed to the proposal.

The Shiroor seer said he would rather walk to the Paryaya venue than sit in a palanquin being ferried in an open vehicle. However, he said, he would not object if other pontiffs follow what the Pejawar seer had said.