Udupi

Udupi is a religious centre on the coast of Karnataka, renowned for its Krishna temple and the monasteries that surround it. The philosopher Madhvacharya, founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta, established the Krishna Matha in the thirteenth century. Tradition tells that he recovered the image of Krishna from a vessel arriving near the coast and installed it at Udupi. Eight monasteries, founded for his disciples, shared responsibility for worship.

In 1522 Vadiraja Tirtha of the Sode monastery reformed the rotation of temple service, extending each monastery’s term from two months to two years. The ceremonial transfer of responsibility, called Paryaya, gave each community a turn to maintain worship and receive pilgrims. The temple and its monasteries became an enduring centre for the teaching of Madhva’s philosophy and devotion to Krishna, linking the coastal town with followers across southern India.