Sightseeing Highlights:
Sri Krishna Temple
This is Udipi's most famous attraction and draws thousands of pilgrims, especially during the Paraya festival in January. The great composer Kanakadasa is believed to have seen the Lord here and there is a window called Kanakana Kindi commemorating this fact. The Madhava Sarovar is the holy tank in which devotees take a dip.
Sri Anathesvara Temple
This is another famous temple right in the middle of the temple square and is dedicated to Vishnu. It has intricate carvings in wood and stone, especially in the alter.
Chandramauleshvara Temple
This temple is in the busy market area of Temple Square. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a towering pyramidal roof.
Around Udipi:
Manipal, 3km away from Udipi, is the famous educational centre with its well-known Medical College. You can also visit a small museum established by Vijayanath Shenoy and displaying his private collection of artifacts.
Malpe is a port town 6 km from Udipi. It draws many tourists for its beautiful natural surroundings. There is a secluded beach at the estuary of the Malpe River and the St. Mary's Island, with stunning rock formations of basalt.
Brahmavar, 13 kms north of Udupi, draws pilgrims to its three famous temples: the 9th century Mahalinga temple, the Gopinatha temple a fine example of Hoysala architecture, and the Janardhana temple.
Shopping & Food:
Udipi has a bustling shopping area in Car Street which is in the heart of town. You will find all the branded shops, along with supermarkets and malls here. Udupi is also a famous jewellery making centre and you can shop here for traditional designs. As mentioned earlier, Udipi is the original destination for the famous vegetarian South Indian cuisine and tiffin items, now so popular all over India. Naturally you have to eat the real stuff in the restaurants here. A sit-down meal at the temple is a great experience too.
Tourism info:
Regional Tourist Office
Krishna Building, Car Street, Udupi - 576 101
Phone: 91 8252 29718
Karnataka Tourism Information Centre
Triveni Lodge Building, Hampanakatta, Mangalore
Phone: 91 824 442926
Sixty kilometers from Mangalore, is the temple town of Udupi, famous for its Krishna temple established in the 13th century by the great Sanskrit philosopher, Madhavacharya. The temple attracts pilgrims from all over India and is also a centre for the Dvaita philosophy. Udipi is also the district headquarters and is the third-most important city of Karnataka, after Bangalore and Mangalore. The economy is based on agriculture and fishing, as well as small scale industries such as food processing, dairy and cashew production. It is also developing into a hub for the software industry.
Udipi is synonymous with the world-famous Udipi cuisine, which is served all over India in the efficiently-run Udipi restaurants, famous for dosas, idlis and other snacks. The tradition of this cuisine started in the great kitchens of the Krishna Temple which serve meals in the form of prasada to the thousands of devotees who come to pray at the holy shrine. |
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