Sri Krishna Matha

Lord Krishna

Udupi, Karnataka

Folktale & Sacred Story

Long before the temple was founded, a ship sailing the western coast near Malpe was caught in a violent storm. The saint Madhvacharya, meditating nearby, is said to have calmed the sea by waving the end of his saffron robe, saving the vessel. In gratitude, the captain offered him anything aboard, and Madhvacharya asked only for a large lump of gopichandana (sacred clay) that had been loaded as ballast. Breaking it open, he found within it the murti of Krishna as a child holding a churning rod, worshipped earlier by Rukmini at Dwaraka. He carried it to Udupi, purified it, and installed it as the presiding deity of the Krishna Matha.

Most Revered Practice

Devotees do not view the deity through a direct sanctum doorway but through a carved nine-holed silver window, the Navagraha Kindi, alongside the adjoining Kanakana Kindi arch -- a form of worship unique to this temple. Every two years, the Paryaya festival ceremonially transfers temple administration between the eight Ashta Mathas, with processions, a pre-dawn holy bath by the incoming seer, and large public celebrations.

Prasadam & Offerings

The Krishna Matha is popularly called 'Anna Brahma' for its tradition of free Anna Prasadam: a full sattvic vegetarian meal (rice, sambar, rasam, vegetable dishes, payasam and more, without onion or garlic) served daily to thousands of devotees in the temple's dining halls, a practice going back to Madhvacharya's time.

Temple Speciality

Udupi Krishna is one of the few Krishna idols in India that faces west rather than east, said to have turned in response to the devotee Kanakadasa's devotion. The temple has been administered for roughly 500 years by a rotating council of eight monasteries (Ashta Mathas) rather than a single hereditary priesthood, and Udupi is widely regarded as the birthplace of the vegetarian 'Udupi cuisine' served in restaurants worldwide.

Why Pilgrims Visit

Visitors come to witness the distinctive tradition of darshan through a carved silver window, to experience a living 13th-century monastic complex still run by eight rotating mathas, and to share in the free Anna Prasadam meal that has fed pilgrims for over seven centuries.

History & Legend

Founded in the 13th century by the philosopher-saint Madhvacharya, famous for its unique window (Kanakana Kindi) through which a lower-caste devotee, Kanakadasa, is said to have received a direct darshan.

Divine Significance

A major seat of Dvaita Vedanta philosophy, it is one of India's most influential Krishna temples, run on a rotating eight-monastery (Ashta Matha) system.

Darshan Timings

General darshan is approximately 5:00 AM-1:00 PM and 3:00 PM-9:00 PM daily (closed roughly 1-3 PM); free Anna Prasadam meals are typically served 11:30 AM-2:30 PM and 8:00-9:30 PM (please confirm exact timings with the temple before visiting, as they vary by season and festival).

How To Reach

Nearest airport: Mangaluru. Nearest railway station: Udupi, close to the temple.

Where To Stay

Numerous mathas (monastery guesthouses) and hotels in Udupi town.

Local Food Nearby

Udupi is the acknowledged birthplace of the globally known 'Udupi cuisine' vegetarian restaurant tradition, and the temple itself serves a free Anna Prasadam meal daily in its dining halls. Numerous vegetarian eateries around Car Street serve classic Udupi-style meals, dosas, and filter coffee.

Contact & Official Info

Official site: udupikrishnatemple.in

Location Map

View on Google Maps → (13.33222, 74.74611)