Vitla Pindi celebrated with exuberant devotion

Car Street in Udupi jam-packed with devotees

With festive spirit filling the air around Car Street in Udupi, thousands of people participated in the Vitla Pindi celebrations with fervour and enthusiasm on Saturday.

Vitla Pindi or Krishna Leelotsava, which is also known as Mosaru Kudike and usually celebrated a day after the Krishna Janmashtami, was not organised for the last two years because of the pandemic. Thus, people participated with exuberant devotion in the Vitla Pindi festival this time organised by Sri Krishna Temple/Mutt, through the Paryaya Krishnapura Mutt.

The celebrations started at 3 p.m. and went on till 5.30 p.m. with Car Street witnessing thousands of devotee footfall and becoming jam-packed with people. On the other hand, a long queue was formed since early morning in front of the Sri Krishna Temple/Mutt with devotees longing to have the darshan of Lord Krishna a day after the Janmashtami.

A clay idol of the presiding deity Lord Krishna was taken out on a chariot as per the ritual after the Maha Mangalarti. As the chariot moved, specially dressed people broke Mosaru Kudikes at different locations on Car Street using long bamboo sticks.

As the procession culminated near the Sri Krishna Temple/Mutt after going around Car Street and mangalarti was performed to the clay idol, seers of the Ashta Mutts threw laddus, fruits and coins as prasadam towards devotees. Later, the seers immersed the clay idol in the Madhwa Sarovara, with Paryaya seer Sri Vidyasagara Tirtha leading them.

Superintendent of Police Akshay M. Hakay led the security arrangements with over 300 personnel.