Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: Gunvante · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Kadri Manjunath Temple stands at the foot of Kadri hill in Mangaluru and is dedicated to Manjunatha, a form of Shiva worshipped here as a linga. It is generally described as the oldest Shiva temple in the city, traced to around the 10th-11th century and rebuilt in stone in the 14th; the site was earlier a Buddhist monastic settlement known as Kadarika Vihara, and that older layer is still visible in the shrine. Its single most remarkable object is a bronze image of Lokeshwara, roughly 1.5 metres tall with three faces and six arms, which an inscription connects to the Alupa king Kundavarma and dates to 968 CE (some readings give 1068 CE) — it is counted among the finest and oldest bronzes in South India. Spring-fed stone tanks fed by a gomukha spout stand in the compound, and the Natha-sect Jogi Mutt and the laterite Pandava Caves sit higher up the hill behind the temple.
October to February is the comfortable window, once the heavy coastal monsoon has passed and the humidity eases. The big draw is the annual Jatra Mahotsava around Makara Sankranti in mid-January, with the Maha Rathotsava chariot procession — expect large crowds and slow-moving queues on those days, so elders may prefer a quieter weekday. Deepotsava in Karthika masa (usually around October-November) is the other festive time. Avoid June to August, when Mangaluru gets very heavy rain.
The nearest airport is Mangaluru International Airport at Bajpe, roughly 13-15 km away, about 30-40 minutes by taxi. Mangaluru Central railway station is the closest railhead at about 4 km, with Mangaluru Junction a little further; both are on the Konkan and West Coast lines with direct trains from Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Kochi and Chennai. By road the temple is around 5 km from the city centre in the Kadri area, easily reached by auto, city bus or taxi; Bengaluru is roughly 350 km away and Udupi about 60 km.
The main shrine is at ground level and is easy for elders — there is no hill climb to reach Manjunatha. However, the Jogi Mutt and the Pandava Caves on top of Kadri hill involve a long flight of steps and a short walk, which many older pilgrims skip. As at most Dakshina Kannada temples, traditional and modest dress is expected inside, and photography inside the sanctum is generally not permitted; confirm both, and the darshan and pooja timings, with the temple office before you travel.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Kadri Manjunath Temple in Mangalore for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
Is Kadri Manjunath Temple the same as Dharmasthala Manjunatha?
No. They are two separate Shiva temples in Dakshina Kannada that share the name Manjunatha. Kadri is inside Mangaluru city; Dharmasthala is about 75 km inland and is a different temple with its own administration. Many families visit both on the same Karnataka coastal trip.
Why does a Shiva temple have Buddhist statues?
The site was a Buddhist monastic centre called Kadarika Vihara before it became a Shiva temple, and images associated with that period — including the famous bronze Lokeshwara and figures linked to Buddha and Manjushri — remained in worship. The hill later became an important centre of the Natha sect. The layering of the three traditions is what historians find notable about Kadri.
How much time should we keep for the temple?
An unhurried darshan plus a look at the tanks and the bronze image usually fits into an hour or so on an ordinary day, longer during the January Jatra. If you also want to walk up to the Jogi Mutt and Pandava Caves, allow extra time and easy footwear. Timings can change, so check with the temple before planning your day around it.
Plan your Kadri Manjunath Temple yatra
Family & group yatras · Free expert callback
Enquiry received!
Our travel expert will call you back soon (during Mon–Sat · 9–6 IST).
Ref: —Couldn’t send right now
No problem — reach us instantly on WhatsApp or call and we’ll take your enquiry directly.