Udupi, Mangalore, Temples, Eateries, Beach, Sun and Fun: Travelogue of Unusual Places

I often keep getting questions on places to visit in and around Dakshina Kannada, i.e. undivided Udupi & Mangalore other than well-known places like Krishna Temple, Kollur Temple, Kapu Beach, Kudroli, Manipal End-point or Malpe Beach. I had to visit my homeown thrice, i.e, Udupi to come up with the unique travelogue which is compilation of not-so-popular places but really worth to visit. I have also included couple of places which are on the way in Bangalore- Mangalore highway where you should definitely stop over next time you drive!

#Manjarabad Fort is just after Sakleshpur town and it is really hard to figure out the location since there exists no welcome or sign board. After a steep climb, exploring this star-shaped fort built by one and only Tippu Sultan is just out of the world experience with amazing visuals!

Manjarabad Fort

#Hotel Laxmi Nivas, Kalladka has special KT or Kalladka Tea with goli baje and tuppa dosa- Go for it! 3kms from B.C Road. Old set-up with wooden furniture and unbelievably spacious! If you are not a chai-party, go for coffee- Rhimjim!

#Pabba’s icecream located at the heart of Mangalore serves various delicious ice creams of Ideal, I highly recommend you to try tiramusu and double decker sandwich!

#Neelavara Mahishamardinee Temple is a beautiful, calmness personified riverside old temple and adjacent to it is Panchami Kaanana which is a place dedicated to snake god. Also visited a Go-shala(place where over 1000 cows are nurtured) run by Pejavara Mutt of Udupi and was very heartwarming to see the infrastructure, productizing the medicines derived from cow and whole wide-spread set up.

#Guddattu Mahaganapathi Temple’s history runs back for about 700 years. It is said that the three feet idol of Lord Vinayaka was emerged by itself here in a rock. This Ganesh is always under water and is uncovered only twice a day!

KT

#Mandarathi is place where Sri Durgaparameshwari resides and boosts 4 yakshagana teams which have a history of 600 years. Interestingly, during the times where art-forms like yakshagana are on a back-seat, Mandarthi Melas(teams) next vacant slot to perform is in 2040 now!

#Kamalashile is noted for its temple of Brahmi-Durga Parameshwari and also a small cave on a hill about one km from the temple. Again a riverside in midst of dense western ghats and many stories told of the place. Serene!

#Ambalpady, Indrali, Kadiyali, Bailur, Alevoor & Kannarpady Temples- Known as Shaktipeethas of Udupi.

Ambalpady Temple

At Ambalpady, on every Friday evening after a special puja and collective prayer offered at Mahakali Shrine, Goddess Mahakali is consulted by devotees through a functionary called pathri, who as a medium gets possessed by the Deity, and offers effective solutions to the numerous personal problems presented by the devotees. The Mahakali Temple also covers nine beautiful statues of Navadurga. Why special mention for Ambalpady- I come from here!

Indrali Temple, built in eleventh century, is situated about 2 km east from Udupi near railway station.

Kadiyali Mahishamardini Temple is again one of the oldest temples in the district of South Kanara and has a history of more than 1200 years.

Rest of the Shaktipeethas, I leave them for you to explore!

#Paajaka Kshetra & Kunjarugiri
Parashuram, incarnation of Vishnu, choose Pajaka, a place 16 Kms away from Udupi for his penance, and established "Durgamatha" on the top of Vimanagiri, now known as Kunjargiri. Parashurama created four Thirthas, a pond of holy water. They are called Gadathirtha, Banathirtha, Parashuthirtha and Dhanusthirtha, in the four sides of Durga bette. It is believed that Parashurama is in deep penance in the cave in eastern side below the Durgabetta even today.

The Kunjarugiri Temple is situated 100 feet above from the ground level and devotees have to climb 257 footsteps to have the Darshana of Goddess Durga.

Pajaka has the birth place of Sri Madhwacharya, founder of Dwaitha philosophy, bears many marks associated with the child-hood incidents of Sri Acharya.

Delta Riverside

#Diana Gudbud, 30 Percent and Idly Roast- Try all of them!

#Railway Bridge & Sri Siddivinayaka Temple, End Point, Manipal- Again scenic place with river Swarna flowing calmly and couple of eateries close-by. Temple also has significant history of over 1000 years and on the day of Krishnangaraka Chaturdashi(don’t ask me when!), it is believed that the holy Ganga arrives at this place and if you have a holy dip in this place, you will hear the sounds of the burning evils you have performed all these day. Anything you hear?!

#Delta Beach & Hanging Bridge, will be the most cherished place of my engineering life at Manipal. Imagine you riding your bike with buddies on a narrow road decorated with coconut trees, left hand side you see the roaring sea, right hand you see the calm river, and the road ends- Life begins! This is Delta for you!