The temple town of Udupi is almost a household name and etched in the minds of people all over India. But the founder pontiff of the Udupi mutt, Shri Adi Madhvacharya, his life and his household has its own story to tell. About 20 kilometers from NH17 ,taking a right from Katpadi when you go from Mangalore lies the humble abode of Madhvacharya, called Pajaka Kshethra. This home is not only the birth place of the pontiff but also the place where he grew and experienced many incidents. These incidents saw him gradually grow from a boy to a Swamiji.
Madhvacharya was the chief proponent of Tattvav?da popularly known as Dvaita or Dualistic school of Hindu philosophy. Ananthpadnabha Mandir, the birth home of the acharya now stands as a silent testimony to the pontiff’s life before he established the 8 mathas of Udupi. As you enter the premises, you are expected to wash your feet. At the entrance you find a long hall which was used to welcome guests and chit chat. During summer this hall is a very cool and soothing place to be in.
The entire mutt has a square shape and once you pass the front you come across an open space where there is a huge tamarind tree. Legend has it that Madhvacharya’s father had owed some money as loan to one Kakre Shetty during those days. One fine day, this Shetty sat tight in front of the pontiff’s father demanding that he replay the loan. Madhvacharya , a little boy then, saw this when he came into his house. He learnt from his father about the loan. He soon, picked up few tamarind seeds and with his little hands handed over the seeds to Kakre Shetty. Immediately Kakre Shetty left the place with those seeds. After few days , when Kakre Shetty met the pontiff’s father he said, “ Your son has already repaid my loan”. By this he meant that those seeds were not just the repayment of loan, but were seeds of ‘Moksha’. This was because the seeds had bloomed in Kakre Shetty’s house to symbolize the existence of knowledge, faith and immortality. This tamarind tree even now stands tall.
The mutt also has in it a ‘Go shala’ where they tame cows and meet their dairy needs. One of the most important parts of the house is the pakashala or kitchen. Since Udupi is well known for its culinary delights, the cooks at the mutt prepare a nice mid day meal, which is offered only to Brahmin tourists. Near the pakashala a huge stone is present which is where the pontiff learnt writing alphabet. As you come out of this abode, you can find the diety which Madhvacharya worshipped and also his throne. The Ananthpadmanabh mutt is structured with many long passages and calm corners where one can easily meditate and enjoy silence.
Although, not very much propagated, Pajaka kshethra is worth a visit.
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