History

Sri Krishna Mutt. Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to god Krishna located in the town of Udupi in Karnataka, India. Udupi is first among the seven places of pilgrimages. Thousands of pious devotees throng the Krishna temple all round the year to catch a glimpse of Lord Krishna.

The matha area resembles a living ashram, a holy place for daily devotion and living. Surrounding the Sri Krishna Matha are several temples namely the Udupi Anantheshwara Temple which is over a 1,000 years old.
The Krishna Matha was founded by the Vaishnavite saint Jagadguru Shri Madhwacharya in the 13th century. He was the founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. It is believed that Madhwacharya found the murti of Sri Krishna in a large ball of gopichandana.  As told by Sri Madhwacharya, in his Tantrasara Sangraha, the murti is placed Pashchimabhimukha(facing West). All the other murtis in other Ashta mutts face west as well. Devotees always have darshan of Lord Krishna through the inner window, known as Navagraha kindi & the outer window known as Kanakana kindi, which is decorated by an arch named after him. A statue has also been erected. A similar window covers the immediate front of the murti and is called Navagraha kindi. It is often mistaken to be Kanakana kindi.

The temple opens by 5.30 in the morning. The unique feature of the temple is that the deity is worshipped through the silver-plated window with nine holes (Navagraha kindi). The temple also offers prasadam (lunch) in the noon.
The daily sevas (offerings to god) and administration of the Krishna Mutt are managed by the Ashta Mathas (eight monasteries). Each of the Ashta Mathas performs temple management activities for two years in a cyclical order. They are collectively known as the Ashta Mathagalu in Kannada language.

The Krishna Matha is known throughout the world for its religious customs, traditions, and learning in Dvaita or Tatvavaada philosophy. It is also the centre of Daasa Sahitya, a form of literature that originated in Udupi.

These eight Mathas are Pejavara, Puttige, Palimaru, Adamaru, Sodhe, Kaniyooru, Shirur and Krishnapura.

The expenses of Udupi Krishna Matha are borne by the voluntary contribution of devotees and by Ashta matha’s which manage the Krishna mutt. The contribution may be in cash or kind. The Krishna matha which owned large tracts of land lost all land due to the implementation of Land reforms act 1975 by the Government of Karnataka.

The Pauli of Krishna Matha was renovated and Brahmakalashotsava ceremony was held on the 18 May 2017.
During the Paryaya festival, held every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Matha. 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 like 2008, 2010 and 2012. Festivals like Makara Sankranthi, Ratha Sapthami, Madhva Navami, Hanuman Jayanthi, Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Navarathi Mahotsava, Madhva Jayanti (Vijaya Dashami), Naraka Chathurdashi, Deepavali, Geetha Jayanthi etc. are celebrated very grandly by Paryaya Mutt every year.