What comes to your mind when you hear the word Udupi? Idli, Dosa, rather Udupi restaurants, where people flock in every morning to relish delicious and affordable South Indian breakfast, isn’t it? And what if I mention Udupi as a city? Temples right? Well, even I thought of Udupi as a city that houses many temples, though it is my hometown. But when I could finally explore it, I saw it in a completely different lens, and here’s what I saw! This is because a destination actually remains someone else’s perception until you explore it on your own.
Udupi: Hub Of Tulu Nadu Region In Karnataka
Before diving right into which of my experiences led to the title of this article, let me tell you a bit about this beautiful city in Karnataka.
Udupi is rightly known as the hub of the Tulunadu region in Karnataka due to its central position within the Tulu-speaking heartland. It encompasses the Udupi district alongside Dakshina Kannada, where Tulu culture, language, and traditions dominate.
And I am privileged to call this beautiful city my hometown! When I was a child, my grandpa Appaji (as I called him) used to take us to the temples in Udupi. From Udupi Shri Krishna Matta temple, Ambalpadi Shri Janardana to Shri Anantheswara, I have visited them all. Thanks to Appaji! Every summer trip to the city meant visiting these and more temples in and around Udupi.
But soon after I grew up, I began exploring the city, and every nook and corner of the city surprised me. The city has more than mesmerising temples to offer. So,here are the places I explored, and which I feel you too must!
Best Places To Visit In Udupi
Udupi Shri Krishna Matha
There is no way that you are in the temple town and you do not visit this ancient and famous temple. Udupi Shri Krishna Matha is dedicated to lord Krishna in his childhood avatar. The most unique thing about this temple is that the devotees have to see the idol through a small window known as ‘Kanada Kindi.’ It also serves sattvic Udupi cuisine to thousands of people for free every single day.
Malpe Beach
Malpe beach is a white sand beach haven located just 6 km west of Udupi. The beach is super clean, has some amazing food shacks, and offers many water activities, making it the perfect place for adventure lovers. You can go parasailing, jet skiing, banana boat rides, and speed boating here. You can also go on the Sea Walk promenade and witness the lovely sunset with your loved one by your side.
St. Mary’s Island
Yes, an island! It is actually a cluster of four islands. It captivates with rare hexagonal basalt rock formations from ancient volcanic activity linking India to Madagascar. According to much geological research, this island was formed about 60 million years ago. The island is very clean, and you get 2-3 hours to explore it as you like. There are regular ferries from the beach to the main island that take about 20–30 minutes to reach.
Kaup Beach
Kaup Beach, located in the north of Udupi, will surely enchant you with its dramatic rock cliffs, golden sand, and the iconic lighthouse. If you wish to witness the best sunset of your life, go ahead and climb the lighthouse as it offers 360-degree views of the entire vicinity from 27-meter height. The beach also has a lagoon, which is simply cute.
Ambalpady Temple
Ambalpady temple, also known as Ambalpady Mahakali temple, is a beautiful temple complex housing Lord Janardhana (Vishnu/Krishna) and Goddess Mahakali as co-deities. It showcases the beauty of Kerala-Dravidian architecture, as it features Mahakali’s stone and wooden idols.
Summing Up
The best way to explore a destination is by doing it yourself. I explored Udupi, and it only gave me a huge smile and a lot of pride to call it my hometown. At first, I thought to keep it a secret, but then nature’s secret is better shared, but only when people make sure to respect it by keeping it clean and natural.
