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Makar Sankranti in Udupi: the Saptotsava of the Krishna Matha
Kites, sesame sweets, and the sun's turn northward
In Udupi, Makara Sankranti is a temple festival rather than a kite day: 15 January 2027. The Sri Krishna Matha holds the Saptotsava, seven days of chariot and float processions, because tradition holds that Madhvacharya installed the Krishna image here on Sankranti more than 800 years ago. On Sankranti night the great Brahmaratha comes out for the first time in the year, and three chariots are pulled round Car Street.
Udupi marks Makara Sankramana, the day Madhvacharya is said to have installed the Krishna image: three chariots circle Car Street at night, and in even years the Paryaya follows on 18 January.
Where to watch
Sri Krishna Matha: the temple of the Krishna image installed by Madhvacharya, seen through the nine-holed silver window (Navagraha Kindi); the Saptotsava rites are held here. Men remove their shirts in the inner temple.
Car Street (Ratha Beedi): the square around the matha, where the Brahmaratha carrying Krishna and two more chariots are pulled on Sankramana night.
Madhva Sarovara: the temple tank, for the evening float festival and, the day after Sankramana, the Choornotsava immersion.
Free viewing
- Car Street on Sankramana night, for the three chariots
- The steps of Madhva Sarovara on Saptotsava evenings, for the float festival
How the seven days run
The festival is led by the seer of the matha that holds the Paryaya, the two-year term of worship at the temple, so details can vary from one term to the next. The shape stays the same.
- The first five days
Two chariots go round Car Street: the Garuda Ratha with Krishna and Mukhyaprana, and the Mahapooja Ratha with Anantheshwara and Chandramouleeshwara, the deities of the old temples beside the matha.
- Every evening: the float
After the evening Chamara Seva, Krishna and Mukhyaprana are taken out on a decorated, lit float on Madhva Sarovara, the temple tank.
- Sankranti night: three chariots
The sixth day. Krishna moves to the Brahmaratha, the largest chariot, brought out for the first time in the year; Anantheshwara and Chandramouleeshwara ride the Garuda Ratha and Mukhyaprana the Mahapooja Ratha. After the float festival the three chariots are pulled round Car Street.
- The day after: Choornotsava
A daytime chariot festival that closes the Saptotsava. The festival images and the seers then take the avabhritha, the closing ritual bath, in Madhva Sarovara, and the matha serves a large community meal, the Maha Anna Santarpane.
Visiting the matha during the festival
The Krishna Matha is seen through the Navagraha Kindi, the nine-holed silver window. Men remove their shirts in the inner temple, and footwear stays outside. At the Anantheshwara temple next door, where Madhvacharya studied and took his vows, footwear also stays outside and men are usually asked to remove upper garments in the inner area. More: temple dress code in Udupi.
The chariot processions on Car Street and the float on the tank are free to watch. The chariots are pulled by devotees, so give way when the ropes come past and keep children close at night.
Sankranti and the Paryaya
Every second year, a few days after Sankranti, the temple changes hands in the Paryaya, when the next of the eight Udupi mathas takes over the worship for two years. In those years the town fills for both events, and rooms should be booked about two months ahead rather than three weeks. Next Paryaya: 17–18 January 2028 (expected). See Udupi Paryaya.
Practical notes
- Weather — January on the coast averages about 33 °C by day and 21 °C at night, with almost no rain: hot by day, pleasant for the night processions.
- Getting there — Udupi station is in Indrali, about 3 km from Car Street, with a prepaid rickshaw counter outside (approximately ₹50–100). Overnight trains run from Bengaluru, the Panchaganga Express among them; check times with Konkan Railway or Indian Railways. From Mangaluru, 60 km away, express buses run every few minutes. Mangaluru airport is the nearest. More: how to get to Udupi.
- Where to stay — Near Car Street for the night processions; Manipal and Malpe have more rooms. See where to stay in Udupi.
FAQ
When is Makara Sankranti in Udupi?
On 15 January 2027. The Saptotsava at the Krishna Matha ends with the three chariots on Sankranti night and the Choornotsava the next day.
Why is Sankranti special in Udupi?
Tradition holds that Madhvacharya installed the Krishna image of the matha on Makara Sankranti, so the temple marks the day with its Saptotsava festival.
What is the Brahmaratha?
The largest of Udupi's temple chariots. It is brought out for the first time in the year on Sankranti night, carrying Krishna round Car Street.
Is there a dress code at the Udupi Krishna temple?
Men remove their shirts in the inner temple, and footwear is left outside.
Sources (2)
Facts checked: 22 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.