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Nature's bounty, resident's pride
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From history to religion, from adventure sports to traditional folk arts, Udupi is Karnataka's own treasure trove, but its potential is being left hugely untapped
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NESTLING BETWEEN the rolling Western Ghats and the turbulent Arabian Sea is Udupi; a tourist's dream come true.
While its coastline, dotted with bays and estuaries, is breathtakingly beautiful, the Western Ghats with their scenic aura also cast a magic spell on tourists.
Divided by the National Highway 17, which passes from the north to the south of the district, and well connected by the Konkan Railway, Udupi's easy accessibility coupled with its many temples and maths has made pilgrim tourism the mainstay of the district.
Tourism boom
Udupi has been made famous by the 700-year-old Krishna Temple built by the exponent of the Dwaita philosophy, Sri Madhwacharya. Other well-known temples include the Sri Ananteshwara Temple and the Chandramouleshwara Temple, situated near the Sri Krishna Math. The Ashta Maths established by Sri Madhwacharya, are located at the Car Street in Udupi. Another important pilgrim centre is the Pajaka Kshetra, about nine kilometres from Udupi, where Sri Madhwacharya was born. The Mookambika Temple at Kollur, the Sri Annegudde Vinayaka Temple at Kumbashi, the Sri Durgaparmeshwari Temple at Kamalashile, the St. Lawrence Church at Attur, the 42-feet statue of Bahubali, the Chaturmukha Basadi and the 52-feet Manasthamba in front of the Neminatha Basadi at Karkala, are other famous pilgrim centres.
Despite the abundance of pilgrimage centres, and the recent tourist boom, there are few hotels in Udupi, which can boast a star-category.
Evergreen forests
Udupi also has evergreen forests. Small rivers and rivulets running through these forests enhance its beauty. Few other parts of Karnataka have forests as lush as those found in Udupi. The district is home to the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary (you could explore them from the Mookambika Nature Camp) and the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctury. The Kodachadri hills (rising to an impressive 4411 feet) fall in the Mookambika Nature Reserve, and Kollur is an ideal base from which to explore these hills. A part of the Kudremukh National Park also falls in the district.
Trekkers and adventure lovers are thrown another challenge by the River Sita, which plunges from a height of about 150 feet at the Kudlu Tirtha, about 50 kilometres from Udupi. The rapids here have spawned adventure sports such as river rafting activities and the banks of the river have become popular picnic spots. For the less adventurous, who prefer to lie back when on holiday, Ottinane in Kundapur taluk is an ideal spot from which to view sunsets.
Some of the finest beaches in the country can be found in Udupi, with its over 100 kilometres of coastline. The narrow strip of land, where the National Highway 17 passes between the Arabian Sea and the Souparnika River at Maravanthe is beautiful. Kaup in Udupi taluk has a particularly lovely beach and a 100-feet lighthouse. St. Mary's Island near Malpe is another tourist attraction worth visiting.
This island, formed from the lava, which erupted in the Arabian Sea thousands of years ago, is identified by its distinctive basalt rock formations. It is believed that the Portuguese traveller, Vasco-da-Gama first landed here in India.
Paryaya festival
But despite its long and significant history, many people are unaware of Udupi's traditional festivals. The State Government could promote the biennial Paryaya Festival at Udupi, along the lines of the Heritage Village in Manipal (an ingenious project by the Hasta Shilpa Trust, to restore and preserve rare buildings constructed in the past centuries).
Along with safeguarding its history and architecture, the Government could also safeguard the district's traditional sports such as Kambala (buffalo race) and the Jodukere Kambala also known as the Lava Kusha Kambala, which takes place on the fields of Karkala taluk, on the first Sunday of February, every year. Yakshagana, the folk art of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Uttara Kannada can also be promoted. Though the tourism industry has seen a boom in the recent years, there is still much scope for development. Package tours to temples, historical places, and beaches could be organised. With aggressive marketing, the tourism industry in the district could become a treasure trove, providing tremendous benefits to the local economy.
GANESH PRABHU
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