Tulasi Seva at Udupi - My experience

About Seva:

Paryaya Palimar Swamiji has made Sankalpa of doing daily Tulasi Laksharchana to Sri Krishna. For this Mutt need continuous flow of Tulasi which the Sevarthis need to pluck from different Vanas, created only for this purpose. Only Gents need to pluck tulasi that too before Lunch. Mutt needs Volunteers to do the same and gives accommodation, food, local transport to get the seva done. 

Gundebele Tulasi Vana

My Plan:

As a normal soul, I cannot go near Udupi Sri Krishna let alone touch Him. But imagine the Tulasi plucked by me touches Him. Thinking about this itself gives immense pleasure, right? On hearing about this Seva from last April itself I wanted to go. But Sri Krishna Prerane happened last week only and I was there for 5 days to do the Seva. 

Tulasi Dhala:

In each petal of Tulasi, it is considered there are 5317 forms of Sri Hari. Now Looking a Tulasi vana, trying to find how many rows, plants & petals of Tulasi are there and multiplied by 5317 - that much forms of Sri Hari - we are seeing. We are standing in between that much forms of Sri Hari. With this anusandana, started doing the Seva by listening to whatever Dasa Sahitya keerthanas that were in my mobile - which is a totally divine experience we will get while working for a noble cause. 

Shirubeedu Tulasi Vana

Seva Schedule:

Normally, 6.30 to 10.45 or 11.00 is the time we plucked Tulasi. In between, palahara time for 15-20 mins. If the Vana is near the Mutt, we came to Mutt itself at 8.15 for Palahara & returned to Vana again. If the Vana is not in walkable distance to Mutt, Pajattayachar ensured he got us breakfast either at his Home or delivered to the Vana itself.

Tulasi Vana:

There are totally 5-6 Tulasi vanas in Udupi town itself. I had visited 4 of them for this Seva. All of them are clearly fenced, watered with automatic sprinklers, nurtured with natural resources only. No chemical fertilizers used anywhere. All of them were within 2kms range from Mutt. Either we can walk or pickup auto to travel. Sripathi achar ensures that he gets us the auto charges also without fail. 

(Landmark to be told to Auto driver to reach Shirubeedu Tulasi Vana is near MRP Wine shop. Imagine, in early morning, in the attire of a proper Madhwa, asking this place to a Auto driver!!. Have told other Sevarthis to find a different landmark to identify this place).

Sode Mutt Tulasi Vana

Tulasi Plucking:

Few plants would have grown bigger so I could pluck by standing itself but others may not be that big. So from Standing, bending, kneeling in alternate legs, sitting, and all the postures in between - I have tried to get going. Pajattayachar either collects the Tulasi or asks us to deliver it in Mutt itself. 

Target:

Also they have set some target for Sevarthis that atleast minimum number of Tulasi dalas are plucked by each Sevarthi. Achar does the Quality check and also weighs the Tulasi before submitting to Mutt. My Tulasi weight was 1.25 kg per day - which he said was the maximum per day so far. Wow! I was escatic. 

Food:

At Udupi, it is considered Bhimsena devaru himself cooks & Acharya Madhwaru does the naivedya to Lord Sri Krishna. What do we need more than this? Whatever they serve is Deva-amrutha only. Both Lunch & Palahaara in Night are Divine and tastier.

Vadiraja 3rd Street Tulasi Vana

After Theertha Prasadha:

Seva timings is till 11am only and after Theertha prasada, from 2pm onwards there will be continuous excellent programs / pravachanas at Rajangana. I was there at the exact week of Raghavendra Swamigala Saptaaha. So had the privilege of watching Rayara Pattabhisheka program, Srinivasa Kalyana, Lakshmi Shobane, Rayara Procession etc. Even otherwise programs will be there from 2 to 10pm which are nectar to the ears & will enrich our knowledge. 

Samarpana:

As Jagannathadasaru said 'Phala purusharthagalu bedadhiru swapnadalu', I just submitted (samarpane) the Seva as Sri Krishna Preranaya & Sri Krishna Preetyartham, as He knows what to give to us & who are we to ask for anything to Him. 

Paryaya Swamiji:

As Sripathi Achar said, Swamiji will become very happy to see a Tulasi sevarthi, when he heard that I did seva for 5 days, Swamiji said 'aananda, aananda' and blessed me with Mantrakshatha. 

Seva Contacts:

Both Pajattayachar (9019404030) & Sripathi achar (6362276340) are doing great service of coordinating everything for Tulasi sevarthis - their Stay, commute, food & upto getting Phala mantrakshatha from Paryaya Swamiji. 

Sevarthis:

As requested by them, they need more & more Sevarthis. Hence, I am planning to do this seva for 2 more times (5 days each) in this year. Request others also to do the Seva when time permits and get Anugraha of Sri Krishna. 

|| Sri Krishnarpanamasthu ||