Dakshina Kannada and Udupi deck up to celebrate Mosaru Kudike on August 27

Dakshina Kannada and Udupi deck up to celebrate Mosaru Kudike on August 27

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 27, 2024: A festive atmosphere prevailed at many places in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts as ‘Mosaru Kudike’ or Sri Krishna Leelotsava as part of Sri Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated on Tuesday evening (August 27).

‘Mosaru Kudike’ is also called “Vittal Pindi” in Karnataka.

As part of ‘Mosaru Kudike’, earthen pots containing milk and milk products are hung from the wooden gopuras or scaffoldings erected on roads or playgrounds. Youths form pyramids below them and try to break the pots with hand or sticks. This event is the most awaited one during Sri Krishna Janmashtami.

Forming human pyramids to breaking pots hung on long wooden bars or ropes is a recent development. In the olden days, those who wanted to break the pots used to dress as ‘gopalakas’ (friends of Lord Sri Krishna). Now this ‘vesha’ has disappeared.

It is said that ‘Mosaru Kudike’ is nothing but demonstrating and imitating naughty actions of the the young Lord Krishna and his young ‘gopalaka’ friends. They were said to have sneaked into homes in Gokul like thieves to drink milk and curd. Unable to bear them, women hung the pots on the ceiling. As Lord Krishna was said to have been born at midnight, ‘Mosaru Kudike’ is observed the next evening to celebrate his birth by imitating the actions of Lord Krishna and ‘gopalakas’.

According to G.N. Bhat, a Sanskrit scholar, ‘Mosaru Kudike’ has a philosophical meaning too. He said the pot represents a body that is made of Pancha Mahabhutas (five gross elements). Curd or butter inside the pot represents atma or soul. If a seeker wants to achieve self-realisation to attain atmananda, he or she has to learn to break the shackles of these five elements.

‘Mosaru Kudike’ is prominently celebrated in Mangaluru at Urwa Stores, Kottara, Kadri, Attavara, Urwa, Shakthi Nagara and Thokkottu.

It is a major attraction on the Car Street of Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi.

Courtesy: The Hindu