Best things to do in Mangalore
From sandy beaches to temples and churches, here are the best things to do in Mangalore.
#1 Seek out Manjunatha temple in Mangalore
Atop the Kadri Hill, 3 km north of the centre, Mangaluru’s tenth-century Manjunatha temple is believed to be the oldest Shiva temple in the city and an important centre of the tantric Nathapanthi cult, a divergent form of Hinduism and similar to cults in Nepal.
Enshrined in the sanctuary are a number of superb bronzes, including a 1.5m-high seated Matsyendranatha, made in 958 AD. To see it up close, visit at darshan times (6am–1pm & 4–8pm), although the bronzes can be glimpsed through the wooden slats on the side of the sanctuary.
If possible, time your visit to coincide with mahapuja (8am, noon & 8pm) when the priests give a fire blessing to the accompaniment of raucous music.
Opposite the east entrance, steps lead via a reddish-coloured path to a curious group of minor shrines. Beyond this complex stands the Shri Yogishwar Math, a hermitage set round two courtyards.
#2 Head to the beaches at Ullal
To escape the city for a few hours, head to the suburb of Ullal , where a long sandy beach stretches for kilometres, backed by wispy casuarina trees.
It’s a popular place for a stroll, particularly in the evening when Mangaloreans come out to watch the sunset, but a strong undertow makes swimming difficult, and at times unsafe.
You might be better off using the pool at the Summer Sands Beach Resort immediately behind the beach.
#3 Visit the tomb of a saint said to have floated across the sea on a handkerchief
Towards the centre of Ullal, and around 700m from the main bus stand, is the dargah of Seyyid Mohammad Shareeful Madani, a sixteenth-century saint who is said to have come from Medina in Arabia, floating across the sea on a handkerchief.
The extraordinary nineteenth-century building with garish onion domes houses the saint’s tomb, which is one of the most important Sufi shrines in southern India. Visitors are advised to follow custom and cover their heads and limbs and wash their feet before entering.
#4 Visit one of south India’s holiest Vaishnavite centres at Udupi
Udupi (also spelt Udipi), on the west coast, 60km north of Mangaluru, is one of south India’s holiest Vaishnavite centres.
The Hindu saint Madhva (1238–1317) was born here, and the Krishna temple and mathas (monasteries) he founded are visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year.
The largest numbers congregate during the late winter, when the town hosts a series of spectacular car festivals and gigantic, bulbous-domed chariots are hauled through the streets around the temple.
Even if your visit doesn’t coincide with a festival, Udupi is a good place to break the journey along the Karavali coast. Thronging with pujaris and pilgrims, its small sacred enclave is wonderfully atmospheric.
#5 Watch some Kambla (buffalo) racing
If you’re anywhere between Mangaluru and Bhatkal from October to April and come across a crowd gathering around a waterlogged paddy field, chances are they’re there to watch the spectacular rural sport of Kambla, or buffalo racing.
It’s a centuries-old tradition unique to Dakshina Kannada, the southernmost district of coastal Karnataka.
Two contestants, usually local rice farmers, take part in the race, riding on a wooden ploughboard tethered to a pair of buffaloes.
The object is to reach the opposite end of the field first, but points are also awarded for style, and riders gain extra marks – and roars of approval from the crowd – if the muddy spray kicked up from the plough-board splashes the special white banners, or thorana, strung across the course at a height of 6–8m.
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