PILGRIMAGE · UDUPI · UPDATED OCTOBER 2026
Udupi Sri Krishna Matha Guide: Timings, Dress Code, Free Meals and Paryaya
The Krishna Matha is the temple where Madhvacharya installed Krishna in the 13th century and where the deity is still seen through a window with nine holes. Here are the timings, the shirt-off dress rule introduced in January 2026, how the free meal runs, what the Paryaya handover means, and how to fit the Matha, Malpe and St Mary’s Island into one day.
The short answer
The Udupi Sri Krishna Matha is open from about 4:30 am to 9:30 pm, men now enter without a shirt at all hours, jeans, T-shirts and sleeveless clothes are not allowed, and the Matha serves a free meal at lunch and dinner. Go early, see Krishna through the Navagraha Kitiki, eat in the dining hall, and spend the afternoon at Malpe and St Mary's Island.
The Matha stands in the middle of Udupi town, a short walk from the bus stand and about 4 km from the railway station. Madhvacharya, the founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta, established it in the 13th century. Tradition says he found the Krishna image inside a large ball of gopichandana clay, and the image faces west, unlike most temples, because of the legend of the poet-saint Kanakadasa. Krishna is not viewed directly: devotees see him through a silver-plated window with nine holes, the Navagraha Kitiki, and the small opening in the outer wall, the Kanakana Kindi, is where Kanakadasa is said to have seen the deity.
The temple is also the home of the Udupi style of vegetarian cooking, and the Matha kitchen feeds thousands each day. If you want the town around it, read our Udupi district guide, and for the other great pilgrim towns on this coast see the Dharmasthala temple guide, the Kukke Subramanya temple guide and our famous temples in Karnataka circuit.
Darshan timings, pooja schedule and dress code
| Item | Timing |
|---|---|
| Temple open | About 4:30 am to 9:30 pm |
| Nirmalya Visarjana Pooja | 4:50 am |
| Ushakala Pooja and Vishwaroopa Darshana | 5:30 am to 5:45 am |
| Teertha Pooja | 6:30 am |
| Alankara Pooja | 8:00 am |
| Maha Pooja | 9:45 am |
| Free lunch | 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm |
| Ratri Pooja and Ranga Pooja | 7:30 pm to 7:45 pm |
| Free dinner | About 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm |
| Festival days | Hours and queues change; check locally |
The dress rule changed in January 2026. Men must now take off their shirts before entering the inner temple premises at all hours; earlier the rule applied mainly to the early morning Mahapooja. Women wear modest, traditional clothes. Jeans, T-shirts, sleeveless outfits and short dresses are not allowed for men or women, and entry is refused for non-traditional clothing. Footwear stays outside, and tobacco, gutkha, betel and chewing gum are not allowed on the premises. Many devotees bathe before they visit.
There is no entry fee and no paid fast-track line, so everyone uses the same queue. Early morning and the hour before the evening Ratri Pooja are the most atmospheric times to be there, and mid-morning on weekends is the busiest.
Annadana, the Matha kitchen and where to eat
The Matha serves a free sattvic meal in its dining halls every day to around 30,000 people at peak, and a prasadam counter inside the complex sells temple offerings. Lunch runs from noon to about 2 pm and dinner from about 8 pm to 9:30 pm. The meal is a traditional vegetarian one. Join the queue before 12:30 pm for the shortest wait.
For restaurant food, the streets around Car Street are where the Udupi restaurant tradition began, and you can eat dosa, idli, masala dosa and filter coffee in places that have been open for decades. Our food to try in Karnataka guide covers the dishes to look for.
Paryaya: why the Matha changes hands every two years
Eight mathas founded by Madhvacharya’s disciples share the management of the Krishna temple in turn. The handover, called Paryaya, happens every two years in January of an even-numbered year, and the tradition has run for about 500 years. The 2026 to 2028 term began in the early hours of 18 January 2026, when the Shiroor Matha seer, Sri Vedavardhana Tirtha Swamiji, took charge. The ceremony begins before dawn with a ritual bath at Dandatirtha near Kapu, followed by a procession through Udupi’s streets to Car Street, and the free meals run through the night for tens of thousands of visitors.
The next Paryaya falls in January 2028. If you plan to see one, book rooms well in advance, expect an enormous crowd, and follow the Matha’s and the police’s instructions for traffic and parking.
| Festival | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Makara Sankranti | January | Special pooja and processions |
| Ratha Saptami | January or February | Chariot festival |
| Madhva Navami | February | Remembers Madhvacharya |
| Krishna Janmashtami | August or September | Large crowds and street processions |
| Navaratri | September or October | Krishna is dressed as the goddess in different forms |
| Geetha Jayanthi | December | Special programme |
See festivals in Karnataka for the rest of the year and our best time to visit Karnataka guide for seasons.
What to see around the Matha
| Place | What it is | Visit notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chandramouleeshwara and Ananteshwara temples | Older Shiva temples in the Matha precinct; Ananteshwara dates to around the 8th century | Customary order: Chandramouleeshwara, Ananteshwara, then Krishna |
| Car Street | The ring road around the Matha | Eight mathas line it; the chariot festival starts here |
| Kanakana Kindi | The window on the west wall linked to Kanakadasa | Small glimpse of the idol from outside |
| Malpe beach | Wide beach and fishing harbour | About 6 km from Udupi |
| St Mary's Island | Hexagonal basalt rocks off Malpe | Boats run from Malpe; see the beaches in Karnataka guide |
| Vadabhandeshwara temple | Shiva temple near Malpe beach | Where the Krishna idol is said to have been found on the sands |
The Matha and Malpe fit into a single day: do the temple early, lunch at the Matha, then head to Malpe in the afternoon for the beach and a boat to the island. Murudeshwar is the next stop north on the highway; see the Murudeshwar guide and the Mangaluru to Gokarna coastal road trip for the whole stretch.
Where to stay and how to book
Several of the eight mathas run guest houses close to the temple, such as the Admar Matha guest house, and the Matha administration can be reached on 0820-2520598. Seva tickets are sold at the counter in the Matha, and rooms near the temple fill quickly during Paryaya, Janmashtami, Navaratri and long weekends. Private hotels range from simple lodges near the bus stand to beach resorts at Malpe. If you are visiting only the temple, the Matha is walkable from most town hotels, and an auto from the railway station is quick and cheap.
How to reach Udupi
| From | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mangaluru | About 60 km, 1.5 hours | Mangaluru airport is about 59 km away, the nearest |
| Udupi railway station | About 4 km | On the Konkan Railway line; autos and taxis available |
| Malpe | About 6 km | Auto, bus or taxi |
| Murudeshwar | About 100 km | Along NH 66 |
| Bengaluru | About 400 km, 8 to 9 hours | Via Hassan and Charmadi or Agumbe; overnight buses |
Buses connect Udupi with Mangaluru, Mysuru and Bengaluru round the clock. In the monsoon the ghat roads from Bengaluru and Shivamogga are slow; read Karnataka in monsoon before booking a July trip.
Best time to visit and what it costs
| Months | Conditions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| October to February | Pleasant and dry | Best season for the temple and the beaches |
| March to May | Hot and humid | Go early; evenings are comfortable |
| June to September | Heavy rain | Beach boats stop; temple visit is fine |
Darshan and the Matha meals are free. The figures below are our own estimate for two people driving from Bengaluru for one night, with the assumptions in the last column.
| Item | Estimate (Rs) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | About 6,500 | 800 km round trip, 15 km/l, Rs 100/l |
| Tolls | 1,200 to 1,800 | Estimate for the Hassan and coastal route |
| Room | 1,200 to 3,000 | Mid-range hotel; varies by season |
| Meals | 0 at the Matha | Budget Rs 400 to 800 for restaurant meals |
Mistakes to avoid
- Wearing jeans or a T-shirt. Entry is refused for non-traditional clothing.
- Keeping a shirt on for general darshan. Since January 2026, men remove it at all hours.
- Looking for the idol straight on. Krishna is seen through the Navagraha Kitiki.
- Skipping the older Shiva temples. Visit Chandramouleeshwara and Ananteshwara before Krishna.
- Arriving for Paryaya without rooms. Book months ahead.
- Going to St Mary’s Island in the monsoon. Boats stop from June to September.
- Missing the midday meal. The dining hall runs on fixed timings.
Udupi Krishna Matha FAQ
What are the Udupi Krishna Matha timings?
The Matha is open from about 4:30 am to 9:30 pm. Maha Pooja is at about 9:45 am and Ratri Pooja at about 7:30 pm. Hours change on festival days.
What is the dress code at Udupi Krishna Matha?
Men must take off their shirts before entering the inner premises at all hours. Women wear modest, traditional clothes. Jeans, T-shirts, sleeveless outfits and short dresses are not allowed.
Is there free food at Udupi Krishna Matha?
Yes. The Matha serves a free meal at lunch from noon to about 2 pm and at dinner from about 8 to 9:30 pm.
What is the Navagraha Kitiki?
It is a silver-plated window with nine small holes through which devotees see the Krishna idol. The window on the west wall, the Kanakana Kindi, is linked to Kanakadasa.
What is Paryaya in Udupi?
Paryaya is the biennial handover of temple administration among the eight mathas. The Shiroor Matha took charge on 18 January 2026 for the 2026 to 2028 term.
How far is Udupi from Mangaluru and Bengaluru?
About 60 km from Mangaluru and about 400 km from Bengaluru. The railway station is about 4 km from the Matha.
Is there an entry fee or paid darshan?
No. Entry is free and everyone uses the same queue.
Can I visit Malpe and St Mary's Island on the same day?
Yes. Malpe is about 6 km from the Matha, and boats to St Mary’s Island run from Malpe outside the monsoon months.
What is the best time to visit Udupi?
October to February is the most comfortable. Janmashtami and Paryaya are the busiest times.