Udupi
About the city
Udupi is one of the seven Mokshapuris highly revered in the land of Parasurama. The sacred idol of Lord Balagopala installed by Sri Madhwacharya (1238-1317 AD) was originally worshipped by Devi Rukmini in Dwaraka in the Dwapara Yuga.The advent of Lord Krishna to this divine land is dramatic. Long ago, once when Sri Madhwa was meditating near the Malpe Beach (5 km from Udupi), he saw a ship in danger due to severe storm. He saved the ship by his yogic power. As the Swamiji knew beforehand that the ship carried the idols of Krishna and Balarama, he accepted Gopi Chandana pieces that the ship,s captain offered. He installed the Balarama idol in Vada Pandeshwara village near the shores and the Krishna idol at Udupi near the Chandramouleeswara shrine. The idol of Krishna holding the churning rod in one hand and the rope in the other with a smile on his lips envisages the childhood pranks of the Lord in His Gokul days. Krishna is believed to have asked Viswakarma to make this idol for Rukmini, who adored it till the end of Krishna avatar.Arjuna had later hidden the image in the gardens of Dwaraka. It reached Udupi in course of time along with Gopi Chandana. In ancient times, Udupi was known as Sivalli and Rajathapeetaouram. According to a legend, Chandra, the Moon God, who did penance in a forest here, was redeemed from the curse by Daksha Prajapati. In Sankskrit, Udu means star and Pa means leader. As Chandra was the head of the stars, the place came to be known as Udupi. Lord Siva is worshipped as Chandramouleeswara. The shrine opposite to Krishna temple enshrines the Swayambu Lingam. The Lingam changes colour thrice during the day-black in the morning, blue at noon and white at night. The temple tank is known as Chandra Pushkarni or Madhwa Sarovar.
There is another shrine for Lord Ananteswara. When Parasurama redeemed the land from sea, he crowned his devotee Ramabhoja as a king of this land. He performed Ashwamedha Yaga on this holy soil. While ploughing the land prior to the Yaga, he killed a snake accidentally. To redeem himself from Sarpa dosha, he made a silver peetam (Rajatha Peetam) with images of snake carved on it. Hence the name of the place Sivalli or Siva-belli. In the sanctum, Parasurama is worshipped in Linga swaroopa on this silver peetam as Ananteswara. There is a 40-foot-high Deepa sthamba outside the shrine.