Temples in Udupi

Sri Krishna Matha. The heart of the town. Madhvacharya, who founded the Dvaita (dualist) school of Vedanta, installed the Krishna image here in the 13th century and set up eight mathas (monasteries), the Ashta Mathas, to serve it. Krishna is worshipped as a child, and the image is not seen face to face: pilgrims look at it through the Navagraha Kindi, a silver-plated window with nine openings. It is often confused with the Kanakana Kindi, a small opening in the western wall of the main hall: by tradition Krishna turned towards the poet-saint Kanaka Dasa when he was refused entry, and the wall opened where he stood. Every two years the duty of running the temple passes from one of the eight mathas to the next at the Paryaya: 17–18 January 2028 (expected).

Anantheshwara Temple. A low tiled roof and a copper-sheathed sanctum: coastal building at its plainest, generally dated to the 8th century under the Alupa kings, and one of the oldest temples still standing in Tulu Nadu, the Tulu-speaking coast. Madhvacharya studied here and took his vows in this compound, so Udupi's monastic story begins here rather than at the Matha. Beside it stands the Chandramouleshwara Temple: by legend the Moon regained its light by praying to Shiva here, and one explanation of the town's name comes from it (udupa is the moon in Sanskrit).

Shri Lakshmi Venkatesha Temple. A short ride from the Matha: brass lamps, bells and a carved wooden sanctum in the same coastal craft, without the crowd.

Distances are from Udupi by road. Anegudde and Guddattu sit on the same northern road and make one half-day; Karkala's two Jain sites make one morning.

• Footwear off at every temple on this page, and at Anegudde phones stay outside the sanctum too.
• Men remove their shirts in the inner temple at the Krishna Matha and are usually asked to at Anantheshwara. The Matha's dress code, tightened by the current Paryaya matha, turns away jeans, T-shirts, shorts and sleeveless clothes; Kollur enforces its dress code strictly. Details in temple dress code in Udupi.
• No photography inside Anantheshwara, Kollur, Anegudde or the Guddattu cave; ask before taking a camera out at the Krishna Matha.
• Entry is free at the temples beyond town listed here, as at Anantheshwara; paid sevas are optional offerings.
• Stay for the meal. The Krishna Matha feeds everyone free, roughly 12:00–14:30 and 20:00–21:30, sitting in rows on the floor with a banana leaf. More in prasadam in Udupi.

Paryaya (17–18 January 2028, expected): before dawn the head of the incoming matha walks to the temple and receives the Akshaya Patra (the inexhaustible vessel), the ladle and the shrine keys. Rooms go about two months ahead.

Vittla Pindi (24–25 August 2027, expected): a clay Krishna rides the golden chariot around Car Street, pots of curd are broken overhead and Huli Vesha tiger dancers drum through town.

Teppotsava (10–16 January 2027, expected): the deities circle the temple tank on a lit float, and on Makara Sankramana night three chariots go round Car Street.