Sri Krishna Matha, Udupi
Car Street (Ratha Beedi), Udupi, Udupi district · Sri Krishna as Bala Krishna (child Krishna) holding a churning rod and rope
Madhvacharya's Krishna, seen through a nine-holed silver window and served by eight monasteries in turn.
Sri Krishna Matha is the temple-monastery founded in the 13th century by Madhvacharya, the philosopher of Dvaita (dualist) Vedanta, around the image of child Krishna that he is said to have recovered from a lump of gopichandana clay. It is not a government-run temple: its worship and administration pass every two years from one of eight Madhva monasteries (the Ashta Mathas) to the next in a ceremony called Paryaya. Devotees see Krishna through the Navagraha Kindi, a small silver-plated window with nine openings, and the matha feeds thousands of people free every day, which is why Udupi is called Anna Brahma kshetra.
Timings
- Matha open for darshan: approx. 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM (the first puja is around 4:50–5:30 AM)
- Morning puja sequence: approx. 5:00 AM – 11:30 AM, ending with Mahapuja
- Evening puja sequence: approx. 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Chamara Seva to Ekanta Seva)
- Annaprasada (free lunch): approx. 11:30 AM / 12:00 noon – 2:30 PM
- Annaprasada (free dinner): approx. 7:30 / 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
- Note: Times shift on festivals, eclipses and Ekadashi (fasting day, no regular meals). Published lists differ by 15–30 minutes, so treat all times as approx.
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
- Sheeghra (quick) darshan – Check official site
- Seva holders – Included with seva
Sevas and costs
- Ushahkala Puja (Vishwaroopa Darshana) – ₹250 (Daily, approx. 5:30–6:30 AM)
- Panchamritabhisheka – ₹750 (Daily, approx. 6:30 AM)
- Alankara Puja – ₹1,500 (Daily, approx. 8:00–8:30 AM)
- Avasara Sanakadi Puja – ₹300 (Daily, approx. 9:30–10:30 AM)
- Madhyahna Mahapuja – ₹2,500 (Daily, approx. 11:00–11:30 AM)
- Chamara Seva – ₹750 (Daily, approx. 7:00 PM)
- Ratri Puja – ₹1,200 (Daily, approx. 7:30 PM)
- Chinnada Thottilu Puja (golden cradle) – ₹1,500 (Daily, approx. 8:30 PM)
- Kolalu Seva – ₹500 (Daily, approx. 8:40 PM)
- Shayanotsava (Ekanta Seva) – ₹300 (Daily, approx. 8:50 PM)
- Ksheerabhisheka – ₹350 (Mornings, during abhisheka time)
- Halu Benne (milk and butter) Samarpane – ₹250 (Daily)
- Sahasranamarchana / Ashtottara Archana – ₹500 (1,000 names) / ₹200 (108 names) (Daily)
- Gopuja – ₹400 (Mornings)
- Hoovina Puja (flower puja, flowers extra) – ₹5,000 (Krishna) (Check at counter)
- Mahapuja Rathotsava – ₹10,000 (Evening utsava, approx. 8:00 PM)
- Garuda / Rajatha (silver) / Navaratna / Suvarna (golden) / Brahma Rathotsava – Garuda ₹15,000 · Rajatha ₹22,000 · Navaratna ₹25,000 · Suvarna Ratha ₹30,000 · Brahma Ratha ₹35,000 (Evening utsava, approx. 8:00 PM, on available dates)
- Sarva Seva – ₹25,000 (without rathotsava) · ₹50,000 (with Suvarna Rathotsava) · ₹60,000 (with Brahmotsava) · ₹1,75,000 (with Annadana) (One full day)
- Udayasthamana Seva – ₹1,00,000 (Sunrise to sunset, one day)
- Saptotsava / Akhanda Saptotsava with Annadana – ₹2,00,000 (Saptotsava) · ₹5,00,000 (with Annadana) (Seven-day sponsorship)
- Vajra Kavacha Alankara Seva – ₹15,000 (Krishna) / ₹5,000 (sub-shrine) (On request)
- Laksha Tulasi Archana – ₹50,000 (Over one or more days)
- Godana – ₹5,000 (Madhyama Kalpa) · ₹8,000 (Uttama Kalpa) · ₹18,000 (Pratyaksha Godana) (On request)
- Hastodaka to Sri Madhvacharya / to the Vrindavanas – ₹200 each (Daily, around Mahapuja)
- Tulabhara – ₹1,000 kanike (items extra) (On request)
- Annadana – Any amount · ₹3,00,000 for one full day (Any day)
How to book darshan
Darshan is free and needs no booking. Sevas are booked through the matha holding the current Paryaya, which in 2026–2028 is Shiroor Matha: use its website (Sevas & Donations, which pays through pay.shiroormatha.org) or the seva counter inside the Krishna Matha. When the Paryaya changes (next in January 2028, to Sode Matha) the booking website changes too.
Book sevas – Paryaya Shiroor Matha
Dress code
Strictly traditional, enforced all day since 19 January 2026. Men must remove shirts, T-shirts and vests before entering the shrine area (an angavastram or shawl may be draped over the shoulders) and wear a dhoti/panche or full-length trousers. No shorts. Women should wear a saree, salwar kameez/churidar or half-saree. Jeans, T-shirts, sleeveless tops, short dresses and other western wear are refused entry.
Best time to visit
October to February (pleasant and dry). Avoid June–September if you dislike heavy coastal monsoon rain, though it is the season for Janmashtami. Paryaya (18 January, even years: next 2028), Makara Sankranti (14–16 January) and Krishna Janmashtami (Aug/Sep) are the great festival days but very crowded. Weekday mornings before 7 AM are the calmest.
How to reach
- air: Mangaluru International Airport (IXE) is about 60 km south, roughly 1.5 hours by taxi. Goa and Bengaluru are farther options.
- rail: Udupi station on the Konkan Railway is about 3–4 km from Car Street. It has direct trains from Mumbai, Goa, Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram and some Bengaluru trains. Auto-rickshaws wait outside.
- road: On NH 66. KSRTC and private overnight buses run from Bengaluru (about 400 km, 8–9 hours), Mysuru, Mangaluru (1.5 hours) and Goa. The city and service bus stands are about 1 km from the matha. Parking near Car Street is limited, so use the paid lots and walk.
Festivals
- Paryaya Mahotsava – 18 January, every even year (next: January 2028, Sode Matha)
- Makara Sankranti and Saptotsava – Mid-January (around 14–16 January)
- Madhva Navami – Magha month (Jan/Feb)
- Ratha Saptami – Magha Shukla Saptami (Jan/Feb)
- Hanuman Jayanti – Chaitra (Mar/Apr)
- Sri Krishna Janmashtami and Vittala Pindi – Shravana/Bhadrapada (Aug/Sep)
- Navaratri and Vijayadashami – Ashvayuja (Sep/Oct)
- Naraka Chaturdashi and Deepavali – Oct/Nov
- Laksha Deepotsava – Kartika month (Nov)
- Gita Jayanti – Margashira (Dec)