TIRUKOILOOR

Its old names are Komalanagari, Gopavaram, Gopalapuri.

Tirukoiloor on the bank of the river Dakshina Pinakini is held sacred by Vaishnavites. It is known as one of the Pancharanya Kshetras and among the 108 Divya Kshetras important in the Srivaishnava tradition.The stalapurana of this place is described in Brahmanda and Padma Puranas.It was here that Sati daughter of Daksha married Rudradeva.It is the holy land where Galava rishi meditated.The first three Alwars had met here and had sung glories of Lord Vishnu.It is here that Divya prabhandam was first composed.This is Trivikrama Kshetra as there the temple of Trivikrama is here. It is a huge temple built during the days of Naik rulers.The Moolavar is god Thrivikrama. He is a ten feet figure in a pose with his right leg lifted as it has measured the entire heavens.He is seen facing east.He is shown in the full form of Lord Vishnu as Trivikrama performing Damana of Bali-Chakravarthi.The utsav idol is known as Ayanar and Gopala.Pushpavalli is his consort.She is known also as Poongovai Nachiyar.There is an idol of Durga just outside the Sanctum - Sanctorum which is an unusual phenomenon in a vaishnava temple.She has come all the way from the Vindhya mountains just to safeguard and protect perumal.She is believed to be great giver of boons.The darshan of her after darshan of Lord Trivikrama is a must. There are also idols of Bali,Prahalda,shukracharya.There are several thirthas in its vicinitywhich are believed to be sin - clensing to every piligrim who bathe in it.They are the Pennai river,Krishna thirtham and chakra thirtham.

Its environs have also been hallowed by brindavanas of Vaishnava saints.This place called Manampondi which means marriage mantap in tamil, where Rudra married Sati.Here is the mula Brindavanam of Sri Raghoothama Thirtha the 14th Guru of the Uttaradi Mutt(1557 - 1595 AD) who shed his mortal remains at this place on the bank of the river Dakshina Pinakini.

The brindavanam of mamoth size is standing here.It is infact a Jeeva Samadhi of that saint who lived in that crucial period of 16th century in the history of Dwaita tradition established by Sri Madhwacharya. It is he who consolidated and propagated Sri Acharya's teachings to reach the masses.He won over many opponents with his polemical skills. He is the author of seven great books.It was during his piligrimage to Srirangam that he wrote five commentorial works "BHAVA BHODA" to expound the dwaita system.It was to his credit of establishing a Vidyapeeta at Mannur where Druva did penance.It was due to his efforts that at Lingeri,Gurjari,Umarji and Bidarhalli famous Madhwa panditha parampara came into being.Having ruled for 40 years of Vedantha samrajya he entered the samadhi live.His aradhana is held every year on pushya shudda ekadasi.He is blessing worshippers irrespective of caste and creed.Even animals which are affected with diseases are cured if they are taken around and made to perform pradikshana.

Another brindavana seen here in the same enclosure is that of Sri Satyapramoda Thirtha who was the pontiff for fifty long years (1948 - 1997).He strovegreatly too for the spread of Dwaita school of thought and was responsible for the alround development of the mutt.If the first fifty years of the 20th century is known to belong to Sri Satyadyana thirtha , the second half is certinly known to belong to Sri Satyapramoda thirtha.What he did during his tenure is something immeasurable.During his time rare manscripts and books were collected.He got repaired and rebuilt some of the Brindavana places.He toured north and south several times and regenerated Dwaita form of Hinduism.He was responsible for starting Vidyapeetas and libraries in Mulund(mumbai), bangalore and hospet.More than any other thing the pooja of Sri Moola Ramadeva was performed in a great grandeur where ever he went. To conclude , we may boldly say that he did maximum of everything as a Matadhipati and completed many things expectedof a great guru to one's own form of religion.

UDUPI KSHETRA

This part of the land is called Tulunadu and Parashurama Kshetra said to be a part of Saptakonkana which Parashurama created out of sea.

Udupi formerly was called Shivabelli(shivalli), Mahesharajatha. The word Udupi is from Udapa meaning the moon. As per mythology Chandra meditated on Shiva and got Sakshatkara from him. Hence, the name and connection with the founding of Chandramouleshwara Temple. There is also another interpretation. The Rajabhoja had invited Parashurama to perform Aswamedha Sacrifice and he had Rajata peeta ( a silver plank) for him to sit. It is believed to have disappeared into Pathala after the sacrifice. A Linga shaped stone appeared at that place and it is told that it has the Sanidhya (presence) of Parashurama in it. It is the same Ananthasana or Anantheswara of today. It is Ananthasana which is representation of god Sri Parashurama. He is Udupi’s ancient God Padmanabha roopi, Paramatma in Linga form. It is here that Sri Madwacharya conducted his lessons and pravachanas. Even today, the tradition of the paryaya Mutt to visit Anantheswara first and then enter Krishna temple later is still followed.

According to legend, Rukmini Devi worshipped idol at Dwaraka. When Krishna disappeared after accomplishing the mission of his incarnation, Arjuna deposited the idol in Rukmini Vana. It was not there for long. The idol was carried by sailors from Dwaraka along the west coast and reached Malpe. Following a storm the sailors cried for help. Madhwacharya who was meditating on the shore waved a piece of loin cloth and calmed the temptest. In return for the help the captain of the ship requested Madhwacharya to accept some gifts as a mark of gratitude. The Acharya accepted the idol of Krishna as a gift and installed it in the temple. Makara Sankaranthi is celebrated here in Udupi with 3 chariots being drawn simultaneously to honour the occasion of this sacred installation of Lord Krishna here by Sri Madhwacharya and arranged for puja by the Swamys of 8 mutts every two months. He also brought and installed Garuda and Mukhya Prana in the mutt.

Madhwa sarovar in the Krishna temple is a stone built tank with a stone mantap in the centre. Once in 12 years the tank is believed to be visited by Ganga Bhageerathi. Within the temple pemises there is a Nagalaya or Subramanya temple founded by Sri Vadiraja Swamy.

IMPORTANT UTSAVAS

Sri Krishna Jayanthi and Paryaya Mahotsava are major festivals here. Others are :

1.) Saptotsava is celebrated five days from Makara Sankranthi day.

2.) Vasanthotsava commencing from Chaitra Shudda pratipad to Vasantha Dwadasi.

3.) Krishna leelotsava : Krshnastami in simha masa and the next day.

4.) Laksha Deepotsava from Karthika sudha Dwadasi to fullmoon day.

5.) Madhwanavami , Hanuman Jayanthi , Paryaya Mahotsava.

UDUPI MUTT – VAISHNAVA BRINDAVANS

The premises of the Udupi has 45 mula bindavanas belonging to several astamathas. The very old brindavana is that of Vageesha Thirtha (19th of Sode mutt). It is he who initiated Sri Vadiraja into Sanyasa order at his age of 8 ( 1488, 15th century)

ABBUR - SRI SRI 1008 BRAHMANYA THEERTHARU

This holy place on the banks of river Kanwa has the mula-brindavana of Sri Brahmanya thirtha and other Saints of Vaishnava seers. The location is amid greens fields and coconut groves.

Sri Brahmanya Thirtha comes in the parampara of Sri Rajendra Thirtha , Sri jayadwaja Thirtha and Sri purushothama Thirtha. He is said to be Suryamsha Sambhootha. He is the chief person responsible for presenting the great Sri Vyasaraja to the spiritual world.

As per history , Sri Brahmanya Thirtha went on a pilgrimage to Badri Kshetra on foot and served Sri Badrinarayana for several periods. He then came back to abbur after visiting holy shines in north and south. He entered the Guha (cave) and did penance for long there. He was a great Tapaswi and devotee of Krishna. His intelligence was like a Brihaspati, his Bhakthi was like Prahalada and his Virakti was compared to Sanakadi munis. He lived as he should, like a true Sanyasi.

He performed many miracles during his life time. He was the person who restored the lost legs of the crown prince of Raja of Gangawadi in return getting the image of Brahmakarachita Sri Vittala idol from his royal treasury. He installed Sri Pranadeva at Satenahally in Dharwar District.

He installed Sri Vyasaraja in his place as the head of mutt and entered Brindavana on Vaishaka Bahula Dwadashi. So his Aradhana is celebrated on that day in all grandeur, every year.

The idols in the mutt are Venugopala, Lakashmi-Narasimha, Bhoo Varaha, Ramachandra, Seeta, Lakshmana, Madhwacharya-Karachita Yogapattika Sri Lakashmi-Narasimha, Lakshmi devi, and Satyabhami Devi