Udupi, a pilgrimage destination
Udupi is a small temple town situated in the Udupi District of Karnataka, renowned for the Udupi Sri Krishna Matt. Udupi is also the headquarters to Udupi district and it lies at a distance of about 60 km from Mangalore. Udupi, situated between the hill extensions of the Western Ghats on its east and Arabian Sea on its west, is a famous Vaishnavite pilgrimage destination in India.
The name Udupi, which literally means, the land of the stars, i.e. the Moon, derived its name from the Tulu word ‘Odipu’, which relates it to the Vadabhandeshwara temple at Malpe. But, the name Udupi, today, is synonymous with the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, Udupi Astha Mattas and Udupi Cuisine. The 13th century Vaishnavite saint Shri Madhvacharya founded the Krishna Temple of Udupi. Shri Madhvacharya also set up eight mattas to manage the daily puja and administration of the temple. These Mattas are Pejavara, Puttige, Palimaru, Adamaru, Sodhe, Kaniyooru, Shirur and Krishnapura. Once in two years the administration is handed over from one Matt to another, in a cyclical order and this is celebrated as the famous Paryaya festival.
Udupi is also famous for the Udupi Cuisine, which is a balanced and delicious vegetarian food. The origin of Udupi cuisine is related to the Udupi Sri Krishna Matt. Since Lord Krishna is offered different varieties of food every day and certain ingredients are avoided during Chaturmasa, a requirement for the innovation of a vegetarian cuisine was developed in the kitchen of Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, which led to Udupi cuisine. Developed by Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins, Udupi cuisine is free for its visitors.
Spread over an area of about 68.23 sq. km at an average elevation of 39 m from the sea level, Udupi is famous for its cultural traditions and folk arts. Some of the cultural activities in Udupi are Bhuta Kola, Aati kalenja, Karangolu, and Nagaradhane. Udupi is also famous for the festivals such as Diwali, dussera and Christmas as well as folk arts such as Yakshagana.
Udupi also offers some other tourist spots to its visitors. These are Sri Ananthesvara Temple, Chandramauleshvara Temple, Madhava Sarovar and Pajaka. Udupi also offers beaches to the beach lovers amongst you, which are Kaup Beach (12 km), Malpe beach (6 km), Brahmavar (13 km), Yellur Vishwanatha Temple (25 km), etc.
You can reach Udupi from any tourist destination in Karnataka, as the place is well connected by NH 66 and State Highways. The most suitable time to visit Udupi is during the winter, when the climate is mild and pleasant.
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