The Krishna Matha was founded by the Vaishnavite saint Madhvacharya in the 13th century. He was the founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. It is believed that Madhvacharya found the vigraha of Krishna in a large ball of gopichandana. As told by Madhvacharya in his Tantrasara Sangraha, the Vigraha was placed initially in the east direction. Due to intense devotion shown by Kanakadasa, the deity is said to have turned Pashchimabhimukha (facing west). All the other Vigrahas in other Ashta Muthas face west as well. Devotees always have darshan of Krishna through the inner window, known as the Navagraha Kindi and the outer window known as the Kanakana Kindi, which is decorated by an arch named after the saint Kanakadasa. A statue has also been erected. A similar window covers the immediate front of the Vigraha and is called Navagraha Kindi. It is often mistaken to be the Kanakana Kindi.
The temple opens at 5:30 hours IST. The unique feature of the temple is that the deity is worshipped through a silver-plated window with nine holes (Navagraha Kindi). The temple also offers prasada at noon and is popularly called Anna Brahma as it feeds a vast number of devotees.
| Day | Timings |
|---|---|
| Monday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Tuesday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Thursday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Friday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Sunday |
4:30 AM – 12:30 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Pooja Name | Timings |
|---|---|
| Nirmalya Visarjana Pooja | 5:30 AM |
| Ushakala Pooja | 6:00 AM |
| Alankara Pooja | 6:15 AM |
| Mahapuja | 7:00 PM |
Udupi is well-connected by road to major towns in Karnataka. State Transport Buses and private taxis operate regularly from cities like Bangalore, Mangalore, and Mysore. The NH66 highway passes through Udupi, making it easily accessible.
Nearest railway station: Udupi Railway Station, which is well-connected to major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Mangalore. From the station, you can hire an auto-rickshaw or taxi to reach the temple.
Nearest airport: Mangalore International Airport (Bajpe Airport), approximately 60 km from Udupi. From the airport, you can take a taxi or bus to Udupi.
The best time to visit Udupi Sri Krishna Matha is between October and March when the weather is pleasant and ideal for exploring the temple and its surroundings. Avoid the monsoon season (June to September) due to heavy rainfall that may disrupt travel plans.