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| A view of the temple on Oakli day |
Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, has been worshipped in
various forms for centuries now. Some families in Karnataka, Telangana,
Tami Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have retained the Narasimha cult even today.
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| The Naik Clan |
One such family are the Ranebennur Naiks from Bhadravati who have been
celebrating Narasimha Jayanti for hundreds of years. Earlier, they
traveled all the way to Koppara Shri Lakshminarasimha temple in Devadurga
taluk, Raichur district. But due to long distances, they decided to carry
on the tradition in Bhadravati, their place of residence. This tradition
therefore shifted to Lakshminarasimha temple at Bhadravati where the deity
is in a relaxed state, protecting Bhakta Prahalad, his devotee.
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| Naik clan carry the deity on Oakli day |
On the day of Okali when the entire clan congregated, the deity was
brought to the house with all fanfare. Also, devotees were fed on this
occasion which was a simple affair. This could not continue for long and
arrangements were made with the Sri Raghavendra Mutt in the old town and
the Okali celebrations shifted to the Mutt in 1960s. Till date, this
tradition continues.
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| Another view of deity being carried |
According to family elders, the tradition of Lord Narasimha being
permitted to enter the Naik household for one day started from 1915-16.
Around this time, three acres of rich cultivable land was given by
Vasudeva Naik and wife Sundara Bai for the development of the 800-year-old
Lakshmi Narasimha temple.
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| Seeking blessings of Lord Narasimha |
In fact, Sundara Bai was fostered by the local chieftain Yadava Rao and his wife Savitri Bai. They left all their lands and riches to her. Thus, the colorful Narasimha cult started from this era wherein the Lord was allowed to be taken home for a day during Okali.
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| Family members from different parts of the state taking part in the celebrations |
However, as time passed, this tradition passed on to Narsimhmurthy Naik
(Baji Kaka), their youngest son who lived in the Old Town near the
temple. But this tradition stopped in the 1960s. The Naik family
then decided to take the deity to the nearby Raghavendra Swamy Mutt to
keep the seva tradition.
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| Lord Narasimha is at Raghvendra Swamy mutt, brought by the Naik clan |
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| A view of the deity at the mutt |
For the clan, taking part in the festivities – it is a moment of joy
and enriching their connections and memories. The family vies for the
sprinkling of holy waters and the blessings of the God with all devotion.
After this, the richly decorated and ornamented deity comes to the Mutt –
traversing almost 2 kms of narrow, congested roads with musicians
rendering devotional songs on folk instruments.
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| The Folk element in the Oakli celebrations |
At the Mutt, the day is marked by pooja, chanting of mantras, rendition of
devotional songs by family members, devotees, musicians and then followed
by a sumptuous feast which is served to all family members, devotees, and
visitors to the Mutt. Later, in the evening, the deity goes back to the
temple after the Mahamangalaarthi.
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| Sprinkling of holy waters on Oakli day |
Come May, every year, the Naik clan congregates to celebrate the festival
with younger, older and newer members participating with all fervour and
zest.
The baton has now passed on to the fifth generation. But keeping the clan
together and the traditions alive is not an easy task for the Naik family
as the younger generation is spread across the world. However, they hope
the ones who are in India will keep their connections as culture touches
and expands humanity forever.
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