Udupi :
The name “Udupi” is believed to have come from the Sanskrit words “Udu & Pa” that means “stars” and “Lord“.
Udupi, is a coastal district in Karnataka. It is popular for its food, temples, beaches, educational as well as financial institutions. The major tourist attraction is Shri Krishna temple. Udupi Shri Krishna temple and Mathas here were set up by Sri Madhwacharya (popular Vaishnava Saint) during the 13th century.
As it is a coastal land, there are a few beaches which are tourist attractions. The major languages spoken here are Tulu, Kannada and Konkani. Udupi is considered as the final resting place of Lord Krishna.
Following are the best and popular places in Udupi : –
- Shri Krishna Temple.
- Shri Mookambika Temple.
- Shri Anantheshwara Temple.
- Kunjarugiri (Shri Durga Temple).
- Shri Pajaka Kshetra.
- Ashtha Mathas.
- Malpe Beach.
- St. Mary’s Island.
- Mattu Beach.
- Kapu Beach.
- Kodi Beach.
- Maravanthe Beach.
1) Shri Krishna Matha :
It is a religious Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Krishna, located in the city of Udupi.
The Krishna Matha was founded by the sacred holy Vaishnavite saint Jagadguru Shri Madhwacharya in the 13th century. He was the founder of the Dwaita (dualism) school of Vedanta. It is believed that Madhwacharya found the vigraha of Shri Krishna in a large ball of gopichandana.
History : In the 13th century, Vaishnavite saint Madhvacharya founded the Sri Krishna Temple. He set up eight mathas – Ashta Mathas in Udupi to propagate the Dvaita Vedanta philosophy, and this caused a vibrant temple culture to take root in present day Udupi district.
The unique feature of the temple is that the deity is worshipped through a silver-plated window with nine holes.
Timing : The temple is open from 4.30 am till 9.30 pm on all days.
2) Shri Mookambika Temple :
It is a popular Hindu piligrimage situated in the Western Ghats, on the base of Kodachadri Hill. The temple is in Kollur village located in Kundapur Taluk, Udupi District.
The Mookambika Temple, one of the seven most sacred spots of Salvation. Goddess Sri Mookambika Devi is the symbol of strength, knowledge, power and courage. The temple has a gold plated crest and copper roofs.
Adi Shankracharya installed the Kollur Mookambika temple, who is known for expounded Advaita Vedanta. Goddess Sri Mookambika Devi is worshipped in the form of Jyotir-lingam. According to SkandaPurana, she is the unification of both Shiva and Shakti. She is the manifestation of Parvathi, Saraswathi and Mahalaxmi.
Timing : The best time to visit Kollur Mookambika Temple is during the months of October to March, which is considered the winter season in the region. During this time, the weather is pleasant for temple visits.
Darshan timings : Kollur Mookambika Temple is open from 5 am till 9 pm. Darshan is allowed all through the day except brief intervals of time when certain rituals or decorations are being performed.
3) Shri Anantheshwara Temple :
Udupi Anantheshwara Temple is a historic Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ananteshwara Parashurama. The Anantheshwara temple is located in Udupi, India.
The temple is a unique temple where Parashurama is worshipped in the form of Linga. It is the oldest temple in Udupi managed by Puttige Matha (one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi). In this temple premises Jagadguru Sri Madhvacharya wrote many of his Tattvavada scripts, taught to his disciples.
There is also a belief that the temple was built by Pandavas.
Timing : The temple is open from 4.30 am till 9.00 pm on all days. Mondays are an auspicious day.
4) Kunjarugiri (Shri Durga Temple):
Kunjarugiri is a village in Udupi district, Karnataka. It is located about 11 kms from Udupi City, near Shankarapura. The high hills, abodes of Shree Durga and Lord Parashurama, look like “Kunjara” (Elephant) for which the place is known as “Kunjarugiri”.
The temple is also called as Durgabetta and Vimanagiri. This Durga Saannidhya was installed by Lord Parashurama.
Timing : The temple is open from 6 am till 9 pm on all days.
5) Shri Pajaka Kshetra:
Pajaka is the birth place of Sri Madhwacharya which is situated seven miles south-east of Udupi.
Pa – means protector of the world, Aja – means one who does not have birth (god), and Ka – means theertha or water.
There are four holy teerthas or tanks created by Lord Parashurama. On the eastern side is Parasu Teertha, on the southern side is Dhanus Teertha, on the west is Gada Teertha and on the north is Bana Teertha. Taking bath in these teerthas is considered to wash out all the sins. Pajaka bears many marks associated with the child-hood incidents of Sri Acharya.
Every year, on Ashwayuja Shudda dashami (Vijaya Dashami) the birth day of Madwacharya is being celebrated in a grand manner in Pajaka.
Timing : The temple is open from 7 am till 7 pm on all days.
6) Ashtha Mathas :
The Tulu Ashta Mathas of Udupi are a group of eight mathas or Hindu monasteries established by Sri Madhvacharya, the preceptor of the Dvaita school of Hindu thought with his direct disciples to be the first Swami, head of the matha.
He established eight mathas called the Ashta mathas to enable regular worship of Lord Krishna. They are Palimaru, Adamaur, Krishnapura, Puttige, Shirur, Sode, Kaniyoor and Pejawara mathas.
The Ashta mathas are named after the villages in which they were originally located. Today, the mathas are situated in the temple town of Udupi. The mathas work to propagate the Dvaita philosophy. They also administer the famous Udupi Krishna Temple by way of a formal rotation scheme called Paryaya.
Timings : The mathas are open from 6 am till 9.00 pm on all days.
7) Malpe Beach :
It is located around 8 km from Udupi. Malpe is a calm beach town near the temple town of Udupi in Coastal Karnataka. It is known for its fishing harbor, St Mary’s Island and beaches.
It is a natural port and a major fishing harbor on the Karnataka coast. A good destination for fish lovers as you’ll find lots of local shops selling sea fishes of all kind in attractive price. Also there are quite a few water sports options available in this beach.
Timings : October-March is the ideal season. Open all days. Time duration is 1 – 2 hrs to experience and enjoy the view.
8) St. Mary’s Island :
St. Mary’s Island is a picturesque island located off the coast of Malpe in Udupi, Karnataka. It is known for it’s unique geological formations, pristine beaches, and crystal-clear waters making it an ideal spot for sunbathing, swimming, and beachcombing. The island is a popular tourist destination and a haven for nature lovers.
Cost : The ferry ride will cost you approximately INR 300 per person and the ride generally starts only after the ferry is completely full. Duration: It usually takes around 25-30 minutes.
It is also referred to as the ‘Coconut Island‘ due to the presence of a large number of coconut trees across the island.
Timing : 9.30 AM – 5.30 PM, Closed from June – September. Best time to visit is Nov-Feb, otherwise its going to be really hot out there.
9) Mattu Beach :
Mattu beach is located around 10kms from Udupi District. This mystic beach glows to life at night. The remote location of this beach makes it even more scenic and one of the best bioluminescence beaches in Karnataka.
The Mattu beach gets its name from the village it is located in, Matti village or Mattu Gulla. The village is typical small village in the coastal Mangaluru style. In this village, you will find the green variety of brinjal. This type of brinjal seeds is believed to be gifted by the God Vadiraja Swami.
The Mattu beach leaves you spellbound due to it’s unexploited beauty as it is in the remote location, unlike other beaches which has more crowd. It is one of the best beaches in Karnataka for nature lovers, foodies, and adventure enthusiasts.
Timing : October-January is the ideal season. Open all days. Time duration is 1 – 2 hrs to experience and enjoy the view.
10) Kapu Beach :
Kapu is a town situated in the Udupi of Karnataka, India. It lies between the twin cities of Udupi and Mangalore, next to the National Highway 66.
Lighthouse : Kapu lighthouse was built in 1901. Kapu lighthouse is 27 meters tall. Kapu light house is open to visitors from 4 PM to 6 PM daily. Visitors may go up the stairs and get a bird’s eye view of Kąpu beach. The lighthouse may be closed during heavy rains for safety reasons.
Timing : October-March is the ideal season. Open all days. Time duration is 1 – 2 hrs to experience and enjoy the view.
11) Delta Beach :
Delta Beach, also known as Kodi Bengre Beach, is located in a small village of Kodi Bengre in Udupi district, Karnataka. The Beach is situated around 9 kms along the Kodi Bengare Hoode Road from Udupi. Delta Beach is just about 10 kms from Malpe Beach.
Surrounded by water on three sides, Kodi Bengre Beach is a perfect attraction for beach lovers. With the Suvarna River draining into the Arabian Sea, it forms a delta and hence it gets its name as Delta Beach and is also known as a ‘sangama‘ point.
It has a small port for fisheries and is famous for toddy and freshly prepared seafood. Tourists can also take boat trips into the nearby mangroves or just enjoy an afternoon of fresh seafood followed by a stunning sunset.
Timing : October-March is the ideal season. Open all days. Time duration is 1 – 2 hrs to experience and enjoy the view.
12) Maravanthe Beach :
Maravanthe is a uniquely positioned beach in Coastal Karnataka with Arabian Sea on one side and Souparnika river on the other. This unique combination of sea and river on each side of a highway is hard to find elsewhere and is said to be the only one in India.
Maravanthe is a village and a beach in Byndoor Taluk, Udupi District, Karnataka, India.
Maravanthe beach is often referred to as the Virgin beach. At a distance of 48 Kms from Murudeshwar & 52 Kms from Udupi, Maravanthe Beach is a beautiful sight on the NH17 towards Udupi.
Timing : October-March is the ideal season. Open all days. Time duration is 1 – 2 hrs to experience and enjoy the view.
Happy Traveling 🙂