Best Things to do in Udupi

Udupi, which is well-connected to west coast port towns, is a calm city known for its temples, beaches, and natural beauty. In this article, I confer my Udupi vacation experience, which was organised by the India tourism Bangalore. It began with a long twilight drive along the Arabian Sea as the palm-fringed road took us away from Mangalore and closer to Udupi. We made it to Udupi in under two hours from Mangalore, racing against the fresh sea breeze. We went to Maple Beach for dinner later that evening, where I witnessed Yakshagana in an open-air amphitheatre outside Fisherman’s Beach Cafe.

Yakshagana: A Traditional Dance

Yakshagana is a form of traditional theatre that depicts the Ramayana story. This narrative is about Jatayu, a celestial bird who takes the appearance of a vulture and is a demi-god. Surprisingly, the first written witness to Yakshagana is confirmed on an epigraph at the Lakshminarayana Temple in Kurugodu, dating to 1556 CE. Yakshagana is thought to have been first introduced in Udupi by Madhvacharya’s disciple Naraharitirtha, who developed the Kuchipudi dance. 

Similar to an opera, traditionally, Yakshagana is performed, from dusk to dawn, but the period has recently been receded, to under three hours. Today, Yakshagana is the offshoot of passive unfolding, with details drawn from ritualistic amphitheatres, royal courts, temple arts, and painters imaginations. As the decked-out cast takes centre stage to deliver poetry epics, a few others compose live music in the background, the action unfolds. 

Yakshagana captures the audience interest right away by blending pre-classical dance, speech, music, lavish costumes, and stage methods. In the twilight hours, I experienced Yakshagana, and what a great experience it was! 

The evening was capped off with a traditional supper on a banana leaf at Fisherman’s Bay Beach Cafe, where I must commend them on their spectacular spicy seafood and kind hospitality. Yakshagana is known as Badaga Thittu in northern Karnataka, whereas it is known as Thenku Thittu in southern Karnataka.

Attend this cultural performance while in Udupi, either on Malpe Beach or in a family temple. This performance instantly feeds you with a thorough understanding of Karnataka’s cultural heritage.

Mary’s Island: The Coconut Island (Thonse Par)

The next morning began with a trip to Malpe Beach for a marine experience. We left a little early in the morning, as the beach heats up quickly by noon. We took a blue-coloured boat from Malpe beach to neighbouring St. Marys Island, which has its intriguing history. Sailing to St. Marys Island, also known as Coconut Island or Thonsepar, meant getting a close look at Madagascar’s remaining relics!

Madagascar was once concatenated to India, and scientists believe this island was bred by the sub-aerial subvolcanic activity. The unusual columnar rhyolitic lava is all that’s left of Madagascar’s rifting 88 million years ago. Vasco da Gama set a Cross on the island in 1498 and named it after Mother Mary.

It’s remarkable to think about how ancient travellers named places, whereas we, the modern travellers just get to mention them in our writings. St Mary’s Island, with its marine blues and green coconut trees, is an ideal spot for a day picnic or leisure time by the sea. It is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. This visit came to a close with me pumping my adrenaline soaring higher! You can’t go to St. Mary’s Island and not go parasailing to get a bird’s eye view, can you?

Saint Lawrence or Attur Basilica

We stopped in Karkala, a delightful 17th-century Roman Catholic church surrounded by valleys, on our way from Udupi to Kudremukh in Karnataka. St. Lawrence Shrine Basilica, also known as Attur Basilica, was founded in 1759 and is credited with numerous miracles. Lawrence was a 3rd-century Spanish saint who is said to have studied the sacred books and Christian perfection under Sixtus tutelage. He was well-known for his extraordinary ability to communicate with God through prayer.

The month of January, when the Attur Jatreor Attur Festival takes place, is a fine feast month for this church, alluding that Saint Lawrence does not discourage those who come to him in service. The acquisition of a 100-foot-high tower in 1997, the restoration of the Miracle Pond/Pushkarini in 1998, and the Twin Gates in 1999 are just a few of the latest advancements. The most pleasing aspect is that this peaceful chapel looks out over a decrepit orphanage and a school. Saint Lawrence Church, despite its location on the outskirts of Karkala, is positively worth a visit if you have a few days planned in or around Udupi.

A Day in Kudremukka

While most visitors come to Udupi to see its temples and roaring beaches, coastal Karnataka also boasts a diversified range of natural beauties to its east. India Tourism had an unconventional surprise prepared for us via the impenetrable green mountain ranges of Kudremukh, which turned out to be an adventurous turn of events. While the lush forests of Kudurekuha are about a 2-hour drive away, it is completely worth spending a night or two here.

With its wooden huts, authentic Kannada food, and jungle safaris, Bhagvathi Nature Camp (the only accommodation in the area) provides a fantastic experience. Kudremukh can be explored in two ways, depending on the purpose of your journey. Stay at Bhagvathi Nature Camp and take a stroll around the Lakya Tailing Pond, or hike up the Kudremukka Mountain range. A Jeep Safari is an ideal option, so is trekking, which can take up to 7-hours one way.

Also, because Bhagvathi Nature Camp is home to King Cobras, I wouldn’t recommend visiting the grounds alone. Always bring a member of the crew on a natural trail! I stayed in the first cottage #1, a spacious, clean, and highly eco-friendly room equipped with modern amenities. The staff is polite and friendly and will assist you to the best of their abilities. We went on a vehicle safari to the top of the Kudremukh mountain when we came across Sambar. The highlight of the day, though, was witnessing the lyrical and Instagrammable sunset from the unique Kudremukka peak.

Varanga: The Pastoral Water Temple

On our way back from Kudremukh, after an hour of drive through lush jungles, we stopped at the scenic Varanga village. This village belongs to the Hebri Taluk of Udupi but is an hour drive from the city centre. If you are travelling from Karkala to Agumbe or vice versa, you can stop by to see this temple. Varanga is a small neighbourhood, frequently visited by Jain pilgrims and others because of its old Varanga Water Temple. The Jain temple, Chandranath, Kere, and Neminath Basadi are the primary attractions here!

Ancient temples like this have been enduring sacred energies for generations, and visiting them allows you to experience a small part of our rich history. A small blue boat will carry you to the picturesque Jain Mutt in the middle of the lake. The temple building is made of stone and features intricate carvings and abounded deity. It was revitalising to visit this temple in the centre of the lake, surrounded by lotus and water lilies.

Udupi Shree Krishna Temple

We visited Udupi’s famous Shree Krishna Temple and the Manipal University when we returned to the mainland the next day. The philosopher Madhvacharya founded the Maadhva branch of Hinduism at Udupi in the early 13th century, introducing dualism and challenging the more traditional Advaita philosophy. Madhvacharya began to worship at the Krishna temple in the middle of the city to accomplish this. Krishna is one of Lord Vishnu’s many avatars.

It is because of his devotion that this temple has become a prominent pilgrimage destination. I adore the temple’s simple architecture, which resembles an Aashram and includes eight Mathas: Admaru, Kaniyoor, Krishnapura, Palimaru, Pejavara, Puttige, Sodhe, and Shirur. The Ashta Mathagalu is their collective name. Daily worship is offered, at these sacred Mathas, and each has its deity, known as the Pattada Devaru.

Krishna Matha, in particular, is known around the world for its holy Dvaita philosophy rites. All Matha expenses are covered by the devotees voluntarily. Because Madhvacharya was also the founder of the Dwaita school of Vedanta, the temple provides daily mass feeding for school kids.

Thousands of devotees and students eat at the shrine every day. The giving of Anna Prasada is the name for this service. Shri Krishna Temple is surrounded by a couple of thousand-year-old temples.

Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum

After touring the Shree Krishna Temple, we drove to Manipal’s Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum. Nestled among wild jackfruit trees, this living museum is a collection of historic dwellings that have been well-preserved for generations. The first owner of this property, Vijayanath Shenoy, had a dream of creating a one-of-a-kind ethnographic museum therefore, he chose to bring his own traditional home into play.

This residence was initially built as a courtyard house in the 1980s. Hasta Shilpa still keeps every uncia of its varied collection of artefacts and furnishings, whether it’s kitchen utensils or gathered material from abandoned structures. Vijayanath Shenoy abruptly renounced this residence as the advertising surrounding it led to a loss of privacy.

As a result, the house was deserted for more than 15 years. Until the Hasta Shilpa Trust, with the help of the Norwegian and Danish governments, restored it. This residential museum opened its doors to the public on November 14, 2017, and is open from September to February.

Manipal University

Udupi was a nascent financial centre until 1953 when Manipal University changed everything. It’s only natural that this neighbourhood serves as a learning centre for students and curious visitors alike. We visited WGSHA, India’s first-ever living culinary arts museum, recorded in the Limca Book of Records in 2020.

To begin with, the building’s pot-shaped architecture is very stunning. So is the facility, where I had the good fortune to view some of the unique kitchen gadgets donated by Indian famous chef Vikas Khanna, as well as others who are passionate about cooking.

WGSHA’s tens of thousands of kitchen equipment are worth millions of dollars! Our time in Udupi came to a close at Manipal University, and the next day we were headed to Paduvari and Gokarna for some less-travelled beach activity.