Choornotsava comes to end in Udupi

As a part of Saptotsava-the annual seven-day gala car festival, the daylight ‘‘Brahmarathotsava’ of Lord Sri Krishna, popularly known as ‘Choornotsav’, was held with spiritual and religious fervor at Sri Krishna temple here, on Tuesday.

The daylight car festival was held under the guidance of Paryaya Palimaru Seer Vidhyadheesha Teertha Swami in the morning. While in the past six days, Rathotsavas were held in the night.

The clay idol of Lord Krishna was mounted on the ‘Brahmaratha’, the huge chariot for daylight car festival, and pulled around the Car Street by devotees.

After performing ‘Mahamangalarathi’ to the ‘Utsavamurthy’ of the presiding deity Lord Sri Krishna, sweets, coconuts, fruits and coins were thrown at the crowd by the participating seers from the ‘Brahmaratha.’

Choornotsava is held annually to commemorate the installation of Saligrama stone idol of Lord Sri Krishna in the form of a child with churning rod in one hand and rope in other by saint and philosopher Sri Madhwacharya, more than 800 years ago.

It is said that the Saligrama stone idols of Lord Sri Krishna and Lord Balaram covered in ‘Gopichandan mud’ were presented to Madhwacharya by a sailor whose ship was rescued from wreck on the Arabian Sea by the saint.

The idol of Lord Balaram was installed at Vadabhandeshwara, near Malpe beach, while the idol of Lord Krishna was installed at Udupi on Makarasankranthi day.

After the rathotsava, the clay idol was immersed in Madhwa Sarovar which was followed by holy dip by the assembled seers and devotees. The presiding deity inside the sanctum sanctorum was decorated with diamond armour on the occasion.

Mass feeding was also held later in the temple.

As a part of the seven-day car festival, three chariots-small, medium and huge ‘Brahmaratha’ were held on the last night to mark ‘Makara Sankranti’.

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

Pejawar Mutt pontiff Vishwesha Teertha Swami, his junior, Admaru Mutt seers, seers of Krishnapura mutt, Kaniyoor Mutt and Sode Vadiraj Mutt participated in the car festival.