Udupi gears up to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami

Udupi gears up to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 26, 2024: Udupi city is geared up to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami on Monday and Krishna Leelotsava (popularly known as Vittal Pindi) on Tuesday.

The Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple will be the cynosure of all eyes during these festivals. It was at this temple that the exponent of Dwaita philosophy Madhwacharya installed a Krishna idol about 800 years ago.

The mutt and Car Street have been illuminated and decorated with flowers.

Sri Krishna Mutt has organised different cultural programmes, competitions on Monday and Tuesday in connection with the festival.

Muddu Krishna competition for children is scheduled on Monday. It is a major attraction of Janmashtami where children will dress like Balakrishna at Rajangana and Anna Brahma Hall from morning.

Cooks of the mutt were busy on Sunday and Saturday in preparing ‘chakkuli’ and ‘unde’ (laddoos) for the devotees. The ‘huli vesha’ dancers will present ‘huli or pili kunita’ in different parts of the city in addition to Car Street on both days. ‘Huli vesha’ is synonymous with the festival in Udupi. Several teams have geared up for ‘Huli vesha’.

Vittal Pindi

The major attraction at the Vittal Pindi festival will be the carrying of the clay Krishna idol in the golden chariot on Car Street in the afternoon.

The chariot will move below the wooden gopuras erected at different places on Car Street. Earthen pots containing milk and milk products would be hung from these wooden gopuras. Persons dressed in folk costumes would try to break these pots with sticks and hand. This is known as ‘mosaru kudike’. This signature event of gopalakas breaking the pots of curds is the most awaited one.

Competitions on August 27

The mutt has organised different traditional competitions at the Rajangana on August 27 from 4 p.m.

According to the mutt, the winning team of ‘huli vesha’ will be awarded an electric scooter worth ₹1.15 lakh; the runner-up team will get ₹50,000, and the third-placed team will be awarded ₹25,000.

The folk dress competition winning team will get ₹25,000, the runner up ₹15,000, and the third prize winner will be given ₹10,000. The ‘pouranika nritya’ winning team will be given ₹30,000, the runner up ₹20,000, and the third prize winner will get ₹10,000.

An exhibition of handicrafts for Sri Krishna Janmasthami began at Geetha Mandir near the Rajangana from August 22.

Janmashtami in Mangaluru

In Mangaluru, Kalkura Foundation has organised Krishna vesha competition at Kadri Manjunatha temple on Monday. The competitions will be conducted in 42 categories on nine stages from 9 a.m. to midnight. Different cultural events have also been scheduled from noon till midnight of Monday.

ISKCON’s new Radha Govinda Temple at Kodikere, near Kulai has also decked up to celebrate the festival.

Courtesy: The Hindu