Udupi District, Karnataka
Location: Udupi is located in the west coast of Karnataka. It shares boundary with Dakshina Kannada district in the south, Uttara Kannada district in the north, Shimoga district in the north and east and Chikmangalur district in the east.
District Headquarter: Udupi
Distance: Around 398 km from Bangalore, 86 km from Sringeri, 110 km from Dharmasthala, 50 km from Mangalore
Journey time: Around 8 hours by bus. If road is bad then it may take longer.
How to reach there: By KSRTC bus from Majestic, private bus or private vehicle. By train upto Mangalore from Bangalore and then by bus to udupi.
Route: Bangalore – Yeshwantpur – Tumkur Road (NH4) – At Nelamangala take left turn to Kunigal bypass road (NH 48) – Kunigal – Channarayapatna – Hassan – Sakleshpur – Bantwal – Mangalore – Udupi
Where to stay:
1. Hotel Swadesh Heritage
Maruthi Veethika,
Udupi – 576 101
Karnataka, India
Ph:+ 91 820 2529605 / 2529705
E-mail: udupi@hotelswadesh.com
Website: http://www.hotelswadesh.com/
2. Hotel Udupi Residency
Near Service Bus Stand
Udupi – 576101, Karnataka
India
ph: 91.820.2530005, 2530107, 2530108, 4295333, 4295666
E-mail: info@udupiresidency.com
Website: http://www.udupiresidency.com/
3. Karavali Hotel
N.H. 17, Adiudupi
Udupi, Karnataka – 576103
4. Mayura Boarding and Lodging Hotel
N. H. 17, Kaup
Udupi Dist
5. Sri Srama Residency Hotel
Opposite Head Post Office
Udupi, Karnataka – 576101
6. Shantala Hotel
Near Service Bus Stand
Udupi, Karnataka – 576101
Where to eat:
1. Woodlands Restaurants
2. Pancharathna Paradise
3. Tasty Bite
Manipal, Udupi
4. Snack Shack
5. China Valley
Ground Floor, Mandavi Palace
Manipal, Udupi
6. Diana Hotel
Language spoken: Tulu, Kannada, Konkani, Hindi, English
Udupi district has been carved out as a new district from the Dakshina Kannada district recently. Udupi is a famous religious center and is renowned world over for its cuisine.
What to see:
1. Krishna temple: Udupi is famous for the Lord Krishna temple founded by Vaishnavite saint Shri Madhvacharya in the 13th century.
According to history, there was a storm in the sea at Malpe. Shri Madhvacharya was on the shore at the time and saw a ship which was in trouble. He helped the ship reach the shore to safety. The sailors were very grateful to him and gave him deities of Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama. He did the pratishte (installation ceremony) of the deity of Lord Balarama near Malpe. This temple is known as Vadabhandeshwara. He brought the deity of Lord Krishna and did the pratishte at Udupi. This temple is known as Krishna Mutt.
Shri Madhvacharya handed over the puja and administration of Krishna Mutt to his 8 disciples. Each of them set up their Mathas (monasteries) around the Krishna Mutt. These are known as the Ashta Mathas. The Mathas are Pejavara, Puttige, Palimaru, Adamaru, Sodhe, Kaniyooru, Shirur and Krishnapura. Since then, the daily sevas (offerings to god) and administration of the Krishna Mutt are managed by the Ashta Mathas (eight temples). Each of the Ashta Mathas performs temple management activities for two years in a cyclical order. During the Paryaya festival, held every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Matha. Each of the Mathas is headed by a Swami, who will be in charge of the temple during his Paryaya.
In the 16th century during Sri Vaadiraja’s administration, Kanakadasa an ardent believer of God came to Udupi to worship Lord Krishna. He was not allowed inside the temple since he was from the caste other than Brahmin, as during that time only Brahmin’s had the privilege of entering the temple to offer pooja to the God. He tried to see Lord Krishna from a small window, but was only able to see Lord Krishna from the back. It is believed that Sri Krishna, pleased by the bhakti (devotion) of Kanakadasa turned to face the window. This window came to be known as Kanakana Kindi. To this day, the deity of Lord Krishna faces the back of the temple towards the Kanakana Kindi. All Hindu temples have their Vigraha (Deity) facing the entrance of the temple, except Krishna Mutt.
Kanakana Kindi is decorated with carvings depicting the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Through the nine small holes of the window we see the deity of Sri Krishna as a very young boy. He holds the churning rod in His right hand and rope in his left. The Krishna Matha is known throughout the world for its religious customs, traditions, and learning in Dvaita or Tatvavaada philosophy. It is also the centre of Daasa Sahitya, a form of literature that originated in Udupi.
Source: Wikipedia
Idol of Udupi lord Krishna
Krishna Janmasthami is celebrated in a big way here. The Paryaya festival takes place once in every two years which an even year like (2008, 2010 etc) on January 18th. During Krishna Janmasthami, a chariot festival called Rathothsava is organized where local pull the chariot of Lord Krishna.
2. Shri AnantheshwaraTemple: It is located besides Sri Krishna temple. At its front, Chandramauleshwara temple is located.
3. Ambalapady Temple: Here one can see the 400 year old temples of Lord Janardhana and Goddess Mahakali. Ambalapady is located around 3 km from Udupi town.
4. Indrani Panchadurga Temple: panchadurga temple is located around 2 km from Udupi town. Here goddess Durga is seen in 5 form. In the 1990s the temple has been renovated. The temple is said to be built in 11th century.
5. Bailur MahishamardiniTemple: Located around 2 km from Udupi town, this temple is dedicated to Goddess Mahishamardini another name of goddess Durga. The temple is said to be built in 13th century.
6. Alevoor Durgaparameshwari Temple: Durgaparameshwari temple is located in Alevoor around 5 km from Udui town.
7. Durgadevi Temple, Herga: This Durgadevi temple is located around 8 km from Udupi town in Herga village.
There are many other temple. If you have temple, you can see them — Udyavara Shakthi Peetha, Bhaghavathi Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Chitpady Sharada Temple, Kunjibettu Sharada Temple, Sri Durga Temple, Kunjarugiri, Kannarpady Jayadurga Temple, Kadiyali Mahishamardini Temple, Sri Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapathi Temple, Padubidri.
Udupi celebrated some traditional festivals like Bhuta Kola, Aati kalenja, Karangolu, and Nagaradhane apart from Diwali, Dassera and Christmas.
9. Malpe Beach: Malpe beach is a clean and serene beach in Maple town. Malpe is an important port of Karnataka located at the mouth of Malpe or Udyavara river around 4 km from Udupi town.
10. St. Mary’s Island: St. Mary’s Island are a group of island in the Arabian sea near Malpe. In one of this islands Vasco Da Gama landed in 1498 in his search of India and named it EI Padron de Santa Maria. The present name is derived from here.
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