Udupi
Discover Udupi
Most Indians know of Udupi not as a place, but as a category of restaurants. Udupi restaurants that generally serve vegetarian food in the South Indian style can be found all over India. However, the town itself is not as well-known as its widespread cuisine. Still fewer know of its reputation as the location of a Krishna temple and a monastery established by the founder of one of the three main philosophical strains of present-day Hinduism. Further, the suburb Manipal is popular due to it being a major educational centre, attracting students from all over the world.
What to Experience in Udupi
Famous Beaches
Taste of Udupi...
The vegetarian cuisine of Udupi is famous all over India and among Indians abroad. For this reputation, it must thank the Sri Krishna temple and its traditions. The temple offers free food to everyone who wants to partake of it. The cooks have traditionally been the Brahmins belonging to the Shivalli sect, who, over the centuries, have perfected the art of cooking that adheres to "Satvik" principles. This requires not just vegetarianism but also the avoidance of onion and garlic, as these are said to excite the baser senses. In spite of these limitations, the food of Udupi tastes great, with subtle flavours. While the eat section of the Karavali article more than adequately covers the cuisine you are likely to encounter here, Udupi has some items of food that are unique to the place. One of them is the matti gulla (see infobox) a variant of eggplant. Ibbulle, a kind of musk melon is a speciality here. The best way to consume it is by turning it into rasayana, a kind of thick, pulpy juice. Ibbulle is such a localized fruit that there are people who've lived in Mangalore all their lives and have never heard of the fruit. Then there is hayagreeva maddi a sweet made of chickpea, coconut and jaggery that is offered as prasadam to Hayagreeva (see infobox). Golibaje, a traditional fried snack item made from maida (all-purpose flour) and yoghurt, is another speciality of Udupi. Also, try out the "charmuri upkari", a famous snack from the handcarts around Rathabeedi.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Udupi into what it is today.
Politically, Udupi had an uneventful history. It was ruled by various feudatories of the Mysore kings till it was taken over by the British, who then made it part of the administrative district of Kanara, which was then divided into South and North Kanara. Udupi was part of the former. After independence, South Kanara became Dakshina Kannada, and in 1998, Udupi district was hived off from Dakshina Kannada. Its claim to fame is as a religious and spiritual centre. Udupi is the headquarters of the Maadhva sect of Hinduism. This sect was established by the sage Madhvacharya in the 13th century. He propounded the Dvaita philosophy, which is commonly translated as dualism, rivaling the older Advaita (non-dualism) philosophy propounded by Sankaracharya, Maadhvas are Vaishnavites, worshippers of Vishnu, of whose many incarnations Krishna is one. The Krishna temple Madhvacharya worshipped at is the heart of the city, and a major pilgrimage destination. Udupi had a nascent career as a financial hub till the 1960s, with many banks being established here, but most of them got nationalized. Manipal, a suburb of Udupi city, is an important educational and medical centre owing to the efforts of T M A Pai in the 1960s. The weather is fairly equable throughout the year, due to the nearby Arabian sea. Temperature ranges from 30 to 35 °C in day time and is around 25 °C at night. Humidity is normally high most of the time. The rainy season is from June to September....
Climate
The weather is fairly equable throughout the year, due to the nearby Arabian sea. Temperature ranges from 30 to 35 °C in day time and is around 25 °C at night. Humidity is normally high most of the time. The rainy season is from June to September. At this time the monsoon shows its colours. Within seconds, you could find yourself soaked in rain water. The best time to visit is October to March, when the weather is cool. April and May will be hot and June to September will be wet, so if you are visiting during this time, you will spend most of your time indoors. But then, April and May is when you get the ripe mangoes, and June to September is when the rains make the area green and beautiful, so life isn't fair. Udupi is well-connected with the cities on India's west coast. NH-66 (formerly NH-17) runs right through Udupi, connecting it to Mumbai and Goa to the North and Mangalore and Kochi to the South. Konkan Railway connects Udupi to the same cities.
Essential Information
Best Time to Visit
Oct – Marbest time to visit is October to March, when the weather is cool....
Getting There
Multiple OptionsUdupi is well-connected with the cities on India's west coast. NH-66 (formerly NH-17) runs right through Udupi, connecting it to Mumbai and Goa to the North and Mangalore and Kochi to the South. Konkan Railway connects Udupi to the same cities. The city is around 406 km from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. Rail connectivity with Bangalore is good, but travelling by road is a good option, as you are exposed to the beauty of the nature. The road journey through Agumbe ghats is really mesmerizing. Mangalore International Airport (IXE) is 59 km from Udupi. The airport is well-connected with major Indian cities and a few Middle-eastern destinations. Pre-paid taxis (non air-conditioned) can be booked from the counter inside the arrival terminal. They take approximately 1½ hours to reach. Goa's Dabolim airport (GOI) is around 300 km from Udupi....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws are ways to get around the city. Udupi has excellent city bus services run by various private companies. Buses generally start and end at the main bus stand. There are bus stops throughout the city. Ask around. Tickets can be bought once you board or from the conductor just before boarding. Rates start from ₹5 per 2 km. Hired cabs are available, though they can't be hailed off the street. They are unmetered, but as a general guide, ₹15 per kilometre for a non-air-conditioned compact car for short distances is a good starting point. Autorickshaws can be found on the street, and are generally a cheap mode to travel. For autos, fares start at ₹25 for the first 1.5 km and go up by ₹16 every kilometer after that. This is assuming that they agree to go by the meter, which they generally do not. Nonetheless, this is a good guide to estimate the rate you should agree to. Walking around the city when the weather is good is a nice experience.
Where to Stay
Hotels are reasonably priced and cheap. Most hotels are concentrated around the city centre and the temple. The other option is to look for a hotel near Manipal, which is more expensive. The Paradise Island Beach Resort (see under "Do") is an option if you are looking for a beach holiday.There are many Chatra's or Choultry's in and around Shri Krishna Matha, Birla Chatra(Telephone :0820-2521624),Krishna Dhama (Telephone:0820-2522679), Vidya Samudra Choultry( Telephone:0820-2520820), Bhuvaraha guest house(Telephone:0820-2525150),Adhokshaja Mandira(0820-2524178),Vijayadwaja (Telephone:0820-2521328). The 8 Mathas offer comfortable rooms, adjacent to Krishna Temple Parking Area, which can be booked only in-person. Rates begin from 2000 per night. To the west of Udupi lies the historic town of Karkala, which is a major religious centre for Jainism. There stands a 42-feet statue of the saint Bahubali (known as Gomateshwara), completely naked, as is the custom.
Money & Budget
While Udupi, like any other city of moderate size, offers many opportunities to shop, and the Ratha Beedi area around the temple is a popular and interesting destination to buy what the city is best known for. Most people who visit the temple combine their religious sojourn with a shopping expedition. On festive occasions, the area around the Krishna temple comes abuzz with many temporary shops set up for the occasion. Befitting Udupi's status as a culinary paradise, many of the items on the must-shop list at Ratha Beedi are culinary. Snacks and juice extracts top the list. Spices and oils used in traditional Udupi cooking can also be bought here. Shops that sell vessels and other implements used to prepare Udupi-style cuisine are scattered all over the street.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Udupi
Lighthouse at Kapu Beach, Udupi, Karnataka, India.
red and white concrete building near body of water during daytime
This is an island about the 30mins from the the coastal area of Udupi in Karnataka, India. Beautiful place, clean waters, more shells less sand :)
Kaup Beach located in Mangalore mostly identified by the light house here. This view is from the top of the light house.
white red and blue concrete building under blue sky during daytime
A boat floating on top of a lake next to a building
silence is wise
A person para sailing in the ocean on a cloudy day
A group of people standing on top of a sandy beach
Sea Shore with a pleasant atmosphere.
Lighthouse at Kapu Beach, Udupi, Karnataka, India.
red and white concrete building near body of water during daytime
This is an island about the 30mins from the the coastal area of Udupi in Karnataka, India. Beautiful place, clean waters, more shells less sand :)