Shiroor Mutt sets stage for 2026 Paryaya with ‘Bale Muhurtha’ ritual

Udupi: Shiroor Mutt (one of the Ashtamutts of Udupi Madhwa Lineage) will mark the beginning of its pre-paryaya preparations with the ‘Bale Muhurtha’ ritual on December 6, signaling the start of a series of events leading up to its Paryaya in January 2026. The ‘Bale Muhurtha’, to take place at 7 a.m., is an important ritual in the Mutt’s tradition, which precedes the two-year term of Sri Vedavardhana Theertha Swamiji, who will assume the Paryaya Peeta in 2026.

This significant ritual will be followed by other key ceremonies, such as Akki Muhurtha, Kattige Muhurtha, and Bhattha Muhurtha, in the months ahead. Uday Kumar Saralatthaya, Diwan of Sri Shiroor Mutt, informed the media on Monday that Sri Vedavardhana Theertha Swamiji, currently on a pilgrimage in North India and Nepal, will return to Udupi on December 3. He will participate in the ‘Bale Muhurtha’ and later continue his pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu. The ‘Bale Muhurtha’ ceremony is crucial for planning the Annadana (mass feeding) program at Sri Krishna Mutt during the Paryaya. The ritual will begin with a prayer to Vittala, the Mutt’s deity, at 5:30 a.m., followed by a procession from Shiroor Mutt to Abjaranya, located within Poornaprajna College’s campus. During the procession, 1,000 banana saplings will be planted to establish a banana plantation. The leaves from this plantation will be used to serve prasadam to devotees throughout the Paryaya period.

Participants in the procession will also visit important temples in the region, including Chandramaulishwara Temple, Anantheshwara Temple, and Krishna Mutt, before proceeding to Abjaranya. The entire ritual is expected to conclude by 8 a.m. Saralatthaya also shared that the seer has been focusing on his studies ahead of the Paryaya.