Udupi seer steps into sea of controversy

A controversy has erupted in the coastal town of Udupi in Karnataka after the head of Puthige Mutt...

A controversy has erupted in the coastal town of Udupi in Karnataka after the head of Puthige Mutt, Swami Sugunendra Teertha, travelled to the United States and Chechnya, much to the chagrin of some other pontiffs, who argue that he should deprived of his right to perform pujas at the famous Sri Krishna Temple in the town.

The temple, which was established by Madvacharya, the founder of the Dvaitha philosophy, is being administered by ashta mutts (eight mutts), including the Puthige Mutt of Swami Sugunendra Teertha. As per tradition, these eight mutts share the responsibility of managing the temple and perform elaborate pujas on a rotational basis known as the paryaya. The turn of the Puthiga Mutt will come in January 2008.

However, Swami Sugunendra Teertha, who had been maintaining a tough stand by insisting that his right to perform the pujas cannot be taken away, said at a public function in Hampi on Sunday that it was not necessary that he himself should perform the pujas on behalf of his Mutt.

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While priests who have travelled abroad can participate in the Paryaya festival at the temple, they cannot offer pujas since they have violated a traditional ban on priests crossing the seas, claim the other pontiffs. The influential head of the Pejawar Mutt, Swami Vishveshwara Teertha, too has questioned the right of Sugunendra Teertha to conduct pujas

Sugunendra Teertha, who is president of the World Council of Religions for Peace, initially responded by saying that he had travelled abroad to spread the principles of Hinduism, and not for any personal benefits. “If Earth is holy, isn’t foreign soil the same?” the seer has asked. In fact, his supporters wanted to know whether it’s the foreign travel of the Puthige seer or the Pejawar seer’s association with politics is a violation of tradition.

The head of another Mutt, the Admar Mutt, was also forced to handover his rights to his disciple after foreign trip.