Udupi

Udupi, the Kokani city is the headquarters of the Udupi District, Karnataka State, India. When one hears the name “Udupi” either “Udupi Krishna” or “Udupi Masala Dosa” comes to the mind. Of course the famous, Krishna temple is located in this city. It also lends its name to the Kannada Vegetarian Cuisine which is famous across the world. This cuisine was developed by Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins who cooked food for Lord Krishna, and at Krishna Matha in Udupi, the food is provided free.

The name Udupi is derived from the Tulu language, is associated with a temple at Malpe, devoted to Vadabhandeshwara. According to legend, due to a curse by King Daksha, his 27 daughters (the 27 stars, according to Hindu astrology) were married to the moon and the moon lost its shine. The moon prayed to Lord Shiva to get back its original shine. Lord Shiva was pleased with the moon's prayer and restored its shine.

Legend says that the moon and his wives made their prayer at the Chandramouleeshwara temple at Udupi, creating a linga that can be seen even today. According to this story, therefore, Udupi means the land of the "lord of the stars," the moon.

Udupi is known for the Krishna Mutt (Temple of Lord Krishna). The Krishna Mutt was founded by the Shri Madhvacharya , a Vaishnavite saint in the 13th century. The Ashta Mathas (set of 8 religious organizations manage the temple administration, and the daily sevas. According to legned, the statue of Sri Krishna in the famous temple here is believed to have turned around to give darshana to the kuruba devotee, Kanakadasa , who was not allowed to enter the temple because Kanakadasa belonged to a different caste. Each of the Ashta Mathas performs temple management activities for two years on rotation.

During the Paryaya festival, held every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Matha. Each of the Mathas is headed by a Swami, who will be in charge of the temple during his Paryaya. These eight Mathas are Pejavara, Puttige, Palimaru, Adamaru, Sodhe, Kaniyooru, Shirur and Krishnapura. If one needs to learn the Dvaita or Tatvavaada philosophy, the Krishna Matha is the Gurukul for it. It is also famous for the Daasa Sahitya, a form of literature that originated in Udupi.