"Unchavrutti" in Sanskrit means top-most Dharma or livelihood.

In the bhajan paddati, this forms part of the sampradaya. A senior Bhagavathar (who is initiated specifically to this) is dressed in the traditional Unchavrutti attire, i.e., a turban on the head with a naama vastram (cloth with divine names printed on it) and carries a vessel or Akshaya Patram tied to a rope and hanged around to his left shoulder. Along with his followers, he goes on the streets singing the names and glories of Lord and Guru, requesting for alms for divine purposes. Devotees come to street and offer rice, grains, jaggery etc. by putting into the Akshaya Patram. The Bhagavathar in return, blesses the devotees and as a token, gives back a few grains of rice to the devotees. The songs are mostly on all Gurus starting with Sri Dakshinamurthy, Sri Adi Shankara and others in the set order. After offering rice, the devotees do pradakshinam and namaskarams to the Bhagavathar as a mark of their love and reverence.

Normally, the Unchavrutti proceedings begin and end at the same place. At the concluding session, Pada pooja is performed to the Lotus Feet of the Bhagavatha by offering flowers, incense, fruits, camphor etc. at the entrance and the bhajan group enters the venue where the grains collected are gathered and kept on the ground. The group goes around the grains by singing bhajans and dancing in ecstasy and devotion. Finally, harathi is performed to the grains and proceedings conclude.

The above Unchavrutti paddati was first introduced by the Sri Purandaradasa and subsequently followed by great saints like Sri Thyagaraja, Marudanallur Sri Sadguru Swamigal, Pudukkottai Brahmasri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar, Brahmasri Krishna Premi Swamigal of Paranur and others. Even today, there are a few members in the Brahmin community who perform Unchavrutti on a daily basis after their daily rituals and pooja (excepting on Ekadashi and Amavasya days), cook their food out of the Unchavrutti collection, offer to God and then eat it as a prasada.

The significance of Guru Vandanam and the efficacy of Nama Sankeertanam in this Kali Yuga are highlighted mainly in this Paddati. There is a staunch belief that a handful of rice/grains offered at the Akshaya Patra is equivalent to feeding the mass (Annadanam) and Lord Narayana is immensely pleased by this noble act. The rice thus collected is cooked and offered to Lord as neivedyam.

Due to paucity of time and other constraints in this fast moving modern age, it is not practically possible for all in the society to follow this path. Hence, on occasions like celestial weddings, i.e., Sita Kalyanam and Radha Kalyanam etc., this Unchavrutti Dharma is followed in our country.