ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
Puri: Around 50 heritage enthusiasts from various parts of the state took part in the fourth Puri Heritage Walks (PHW) here Sunday. The walk ‘Mahodadhi Monastic Trail: Exploring the Ancient Monasteries’ was aimed at reviving the spiritual narratives linked to the mutt culture and its divine connection to the Trinity and the socio-cultural canvas of Puri.
The walk started from the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Sankaracharya Mutt and culminated at Shankarananda Mutt. The participants visited places like Kabir Chaura Mutt, Bidur Mutt, Bauli Mutt, Swarg Shidi (dwar) and Ramanujkot among others. Eminent historian and researcher Surendra Mishra explained the uniqueness of the mutt culture. He said, “Mutt culture is a unique cultural tradition in the religious fabric of the Pilgrim town Puri. While they contribute towards building religious inquisitiveness and spiritual ecosystem, many mutts are also linked to many services of the Srimandir and some has specific services to offer during the Rath Yatra.
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Senior member of PHW and researcher Devi Prasanna Nanda and heritage expert Sidharth Acharya also spoke about the heritage aspects of the mutts. “While all mutts (monasteries) had an illustrious presence over the religious landscape of Puri or Sankha Kshetra for more than 1,300 years and are primarily with Vaishnavite philosophy, devotees from every nook and corner of India came to this holy land to spread “Sanatana Dharma” worldwide. For the people to walk on the path of salvation, mutt played a dynamic role,” Nanda said. Acharya said that according to historians, the mutt culture started way back in 6th to 7th Century AD and its popularity touched its zenith at around 12th Century AD following a great spiritual renaissance.