Sri Krishna Temple Thousands of devotees throng this temple town to offer prayers to Lord Krishna. It is said that the Krishna idol here is the most beautiful idol of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is depicted here as a small boy (Balakrishna).
The idol is not seen directly, but through a 9 holed window called the Navagraha Kitiki. Another interesting attraction at this temple is the ‘Kanakana Kindi’ – a small window through which Lord Krishna is believed to have given darshan to his ardent devotee, saint Kanakadasa.
According to legend, Kanakadasa was of a low caste and was not allowed entry to the temple. Undaunted, he went behind the temple and prayed to the Lord through a small crack in the wall. Pleased, the statue of Lord Krishna turned around and gave him darshan. Just adjacent is the Kanakadasa Mantapa, which houses a statue of the saint.
There is a beautiful water tank nearby called Madhwa Sarovara with a little mantapa in the centre. The image of Lord Krishna is taken on a float during festivals. Udupi is a great centre of Sanskrit learning and the language is imparted through the Ashta Mathas (Eight Maths): Puttige, Pejavara, Palimaru, Adamaru, Shirur, Sodhe, Krishnapura and Kaniyuru, which are located around the temple.
