Sode and Subrahmanya mutt seers make peace with centurys' old bitterness, script new chapter

Anantheshwara temple in Udupi witnesses historic moment Legend has it that then pontiff of Sode mutt had sworn to never see Subrahmanya mutt pontiff following a misunderstanding The present seers' decision has been well appreciated

May 29 - would be scripted in bold letters in the annals of Udupi temple history. The seers of two influential mutts - the Sode Mutt in Udupi and the Subrahmanya Mutt in Kukke - decided to forgo the differences that kept them apart for over 200 years much to the surprise and joy of lakhs of followers. The difference was such that the seers of these two mutts had sworn off to never to see each other.

But what was it that kept the seers of these two mutts away for over 200 years? The Mutt's history has it that Sri Madhwacharya's brother Shri Vishnu Theertha had founded both Sode Mutt and Subrahmanya Mutt in Kukke. Madhwacharya is the founder of Dwaita philosophy. Over the years, Madhwacharya became the pontiff of Sode Mutt, his younger brother Sri Vishu Teertha became the pontiff of the Samputa Narasimha Mutt in Kukke Subramanya, reports Bangalore Mirror.

Legend has it that, one day Sode Mutt pontiff told his younger brother that he will visit the Subrahmanya Mutt by afternoon and offer 'Mahapuja'. But the elder seer-brother failed to turn up to offer the 'Mahapuja' - usually done around 1 pm. But he failed to turn up well past the 'Mahapuja' time and this delayed the lunch served to devotees after the 'Mahapuja'.

While he kept waiting for his brother, he could not afford to keep the devotees hungry. Moved by their plight, Subhramanya seer offered 'Mahapuja' much to the chagrin of his elder brother, who eventually turned up but late. Humiliated at the fact that 'Mahapuja' was offered in his absence, he had vowed not to see the Subrahmanya Mutt seer again. And, this rather unpleasant tradition continued year after year.

Over 200 years later, Vidya Prasanna Theertha of Kukke Mutt and Vishwavallabha Theertha of Sode Mutt decided to put an end to this custom and script a new chapter at Anantheshwara temple in Udupi.