Fast Facts
Location : 58 kms from Mangalore, Karnataka
Attractions : Krishna Temple, Krishna Mutta, Kankana
Kindi, Malpe Beach etc.
Best Time To Visit : October to March
Introducing Udupi
Udupi is an important town and district headquarters of the Udupi district
in the state of Karnataka. Situated on the west coast, 58 km north of
Mangalore, Udupi is one of South India's holiest Vaishnavite centres and
famous for its Krishna temple and delicious Udupi cuisine. Udupi is a big
town and the urban focus of the town is an open square surrounded by a
number of temples and muths. One of most important pilgrimage sites of South
India, Udupi is the birth place of the 12th century Saint Madhwacharya, the
founder of Dwaitha philosophy, who set up eight mutts in the town. Besides a
pilgrimage town, Udupi is also known for its beaches and pleasant climate.
So, visit this charming town of Karnataka, which is ideal for pilgrims and
common travellers as well.
How to Reach Udupi
By Air : Udupi has not its own airport, nearest airport is
Mangalore Airport which is 50 km away. Mangalore (Bajpe) Airport has flights
from important cities of India. From the airport you have to take road
journey to reach Udupi.
By Train : Udupi railway station is on the Konkan railway.
A number of trains are available to Udupi from Mumbai and other cities
falling on the Konkan railway route.
By Bus : National Highway 17 and other
State Highways connect Udupi with important destinations of Karnataka and
neigbouring states. Several private and government run buses connect Udupi
to Mangalore, Bangalore, Gokarn, Jog Falls, Goa and other towns along the
coastal highway.
Local Transport : Suburban buses are available within the
Udupi city. The buses start from a separate suburban bus stand and they have
different route numbers.
Places Where You Can Stay
Limited accommodation options are available in Udupi city but they are
sufficient to meet the number of tourists. All the hotels of Udupi provide
comfortable stay to guests at reasonable rate. Rukmini Residency, Hotel
Sharada International, Hotel Swadesh Heritage and Shri Ramakrishna Hotel are
the most popular hotels of Udupi.
Tourist Attractions in Udupi
Krishna Temple : Krishna Temple, a temple dedicated to
Lord Krishna is the popular attraction of Udupi. The temple enshrines an
image of Lord Krishna believed to have been made by the divine architect
Viswakarma. There are several temples in Krishna temple area, the most
ancient dates back to 1,5000 made of basic wood and stone.
Krishna Mutta (Matha) : Krishna Mutta (temple of Lord
Krishna) was founded by the Vaishnavite Shri Madhvacharya in the 13th
century AD. The matha is known all over the world for its religious customs,
traditions and learning in Dvaita or Tatvavaada philosophy. Krishna Mutta is
also the centre of Daasa Sahitya, a form of regional literature that
originated in Udupi.
Kanakana Kindi : Kankana Kindi is the main attraction of
the Udupi Krishna Temple. Actually Kanakana Kindi is a small window, through
which Lord Krishna is believed to have given darshan to his ardent devotee,
Kanakadasa.
Tourist Attractions Around Udupi
Malpe Beach : Udupi's popular picnic spot, Malpe Beach is
5km north of the city centre. You can spend some pleasant moment on this
beach.
St Mary's Island : You can take a cruise to St Mary's
Island, an extraordinary rockface of the hexagonal basalt. It is said that
Vasco da Gama placed a cross here in the 1400s, before his historic landing
at Kozhikode (Calicut) in Kerala.
Mangalore :
Mangalore, the main port city of Karnataka is situated at a distance of 60
kms from Udupi. The city houses a number of temples and many other
interesting structures. Some of the famous attractions of Mangalore city are
Kadri Manjunath Temple, St Aloysius Church, Shri Sharavu Mahaganapathi
Temple, Kudroli Gokarnath Temple, Mangaladevi Temple, Seemanthi Bai
Government Museum, Kadri Park and Sultan Battery.
Other Attractions
Makara Sankranti Festival : Udupi's main festival, Makara
Sankranti comes in the Hindu month of Makara usually falls in the month of
January. During Makara Sankranti a grand chariot festival is celebrated in
which people carry images of Lord Krishna, Chandamouleeswara and
Ananteshwara in procession. An another chariot festival is celebrated on the
7th day, when the Aaraattu is carried out in the Madhva Sarovar tank. The
seven day Makara Sankranti festival also involves a float festival.
Paryaya Festival : The Paryaya Festival is held once in
two years when the management of the Krishna temple is handed over to the
next Matha. Each of the Mathas is headed by a Swami who takes the charge of
the temple during his tenure. The Paryaya festival is a colourful festival
attracting thousands of devotees from all over the country.
Shopping in Udupi
Although Udupi is a temple town but it offers excellent opportunities for
shoppers as well. Udupi has a number of supermarkets that include Sampoorna
in carstreet, Little Pai near Gitanjali cinema, Diana Stores in K. M. Marg
and Court Road Junction. Pantaloon Retail India Ltd has opened it
hypermarket Big Bazaar in the heart of the city near Taluk Office. In this
hypermarket you will find everything from A to Z of daily use. Udupi is also
famous for jewellery all over the world.
