Mrithika Brindavana is held highly auspicious and sacred by the followers of Guru Raghavendra Swamy. The sacred soil removed from the Samadhi of Raghavendra Swamy is known as Mrithika. The rich tradition of removing the top portion of the soil placed on the Brindavana of Guru Raghavendra Swamy in Mantralayam is followed ritually every and replaced with fresh soil specially brought from a garden where the holy plant Tulsi is grown exclusively in Mantralayam.
The soil that is removed from the brindavana, which is called mritika in Sanskrit, is considered precious and used to adorn the Brindavanas established in the branches of the Sri Raghavendra Swamy mutt throughout the country and abroad. It is also distributed among devotees.
The devotees who are fortunate to get the mritika of the Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s Brindavana at Mantralayam mix the soil with soil taken from the Tulsi plants from their homes and use to wear it as a tilak (a religious symbol) on their forehead. The devotees strongly believe that the mritika of Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s Brindavana brings them good fortune and keeps evil and negative roces away.
The Brindavanas constructed in the Sri Raghavendra Swamy mutts are popularly known as Mritika Brindavanas. They are given respect and religious recognition as befits the Moola (main) Brindavana in Mantralayam by devotees who offer daily pujas with religious fervor.
All religious practices followed in the Mantralayam temple are practiced in the branch mutts and every year the Aradhana of Sri Raghavendra Swamy, one of the important festivals of the mutt, is observed with the same pomp and religious fervor.