Udupi Sri Krishna Matha: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

• 5:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
• 3:30 PM – 9:00 PM
• 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
• 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
• 4:00 AM - 4:30 AM
• 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
• 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

These timings are taken from the official website. They change on festivals, so confirm before you go.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

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 Mathas 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.

Festivals & Rituals at Udupi Sri Krishna Matha

Various Daily Pujas performed in the sacred presence of Lord Sri Krishna.Timings of all pooje and seva's are approximate and may vary.

All above pujas are personally performed by the Pontiffs (Swamiji's) of the Ashta Mathas (Eight Mathas). The Krishna Matha at Ratha beedi (Car street), Udupi is open for Darshana from 5 O'clock in the morning to 9 O'clock in the night. For devotee's entering Krishna Temple dress code has been implemented from 19 January 2026.

During the Paryaya festival, held once every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Ashta Matha, which has been entrusted the responsibility of running the temple turn by turn. Each of the Mathas is headed by a swami, who will be in charge of the temple during his Paryaya. The Paryaya is held on even years The Paryaya tradition has completed 500 years as of 2021. Presently, Puttige Matha is administering the temple with Junior Pontiff Shri Sushreendra Teertha Swamiji ascending the post of Sarvajna or Paryaya Peetha. Festivals like Makara Sankranthi, Ratha Sapthami, Madhva Navami, Hanuman Jayanthi, Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Navarathi Mahotsava, Madhva Jayanti, Vijaya Dashami, Naraka Chathurdashi, Deepavali, and Geetha Jayanthi are celebrated by Paryaya Mutt every year.