What to expect
Highlights
- The 10th–11th-century bronze idols, especially the Lokeshvara.
- The nine-spring stepped tank (Gomukha).
- The Hindu–Buddhist heritage of Kadri hill.
Kadri Manjunath Temple
The Kadri Manjunath Temple sits on Kadri hill in Mangaluru and is dedicated to Manjunatha, a form of Shiva. It is famous for its bronze idols cast in the 10th–11th centuries — above all a celebrated seated Lokeshvara — among the finest early bronzes in South India.
Practical guide
Plan Kadri Manjunath Temple
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Before you go to Kadri Manjunath Temple
Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.
Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.
Typetemple
Nearest baseMangaluru
DistrictDakshina Kannada
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed45 minutes to an hour
EntryFree
Places to visit11→The temple has a stepped tank complex fed by nine springs (the Gomukha), and its history bridges Hindu and Buddhist traditions, with the Jogimatt caves and a Natha-sect monastery on the hill above.
Getting there
How to visit
- On Kadri hill within Mangaluru, a short auto or taxi ride from the centre.
- A living temple — footwear off and modest dress; go early to avoid the midday heat and crowds.
Distance by road
- Udupi60 km
- Kasaragod50 km
- Madikeri (Coorg)135 km
- Mysuru250 km
- Bengaluru350 km
Road km to Dakshina Kannada; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; mornings for rituals. The temple’s festival days are lively.
Weather in Kadri Manjunath TempleSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Kadri Manjunath Temple
Sunrise6:20 am
Sunset6:29 pm
Golden hour best light5:29 pm–6:29 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:29 pm–6:54 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 271°
Moon tonight🌔 Waxing gibbous · 63%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Karnataka. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A living temple — footwear off, dress modestly, and mind the wet steps around the tank.
Photos
Kadri Manjunath Temple in pictures
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Top experiences around Mangaluru
10 more places around Mangaluru. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
templeKudroli Gokarnath Temple
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The Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli, consecrated in 1912 at the initiative of Narayana Guru for the Billava community — a bright, ornate temple famous for its grand Mangaluru Dasara celebrations.
templeMangaladevi Temple
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The temple to the goddess Mangaladevi that gives Mangaluru its name — a 9th-century Shakti shrine in a Kerala–Tulu style, central to the city’s Dasara festivities.
templeKateel Durgaparameshwari Temple
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A revered temple to the goddess Durgaparameshwari set on an islet in the Nandini river about 29 km north of Mangaluru, reached across a bridge, famed for its Yakshagana tradition and annual festivals.
churchSt Aloysius Chapel
1.7 km · 22 min walk
A chapel in Mangaluru whose walls and ceilings are covered in vivid frescoes painted by the Italian Jesuit Antonio Moscheni in 1899–1900, often likened to a miniature Sistine Chapel.
churchRosario Cathedral, Mangaluru
3.9 km · ~10 min by auto
The Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary at Bunder, seat of the Mangalore diocese — a domed church rebuilt in the early 20th century in a Roman style, on a site dating to the 16th century.
heritageSultan Battery, Mangaluru
3.0 km · ~7 min by auto
A black-stone watchtower built by Tipu Sultan in 1784 at Boloor on the Gurupura river to guard the approach to Mangaluru harbour; a short climb up gives views over the backwater.
beachPanambur Beach
7.6 km · ~19 min by auto
Mangaluru's most popular beach beside the New Mangalore Port — a wide sandy stretch with lifeguards, camel and boat rides and an annual kite festival.
beachTannirbhavi Beach
4.5 km · ~11 min by auto
A quieter beach across the Gurupura river from the city, reached by ferry or road and backed by a tree park — a favourite for sunsets.
beachSasihithlu Beach
7.5 km · ~19 min by auto
A scenic beach where the Shambhavi and Nandini rivers meet the sea near Mulki, north of Mangaluru, known as one of the coast’s surfing spots.
wildlifePilikula Nisarga Dhama
5.2 km · ~13 min by auto
A large nature park on the edge of Mangaluru with a biological park (zoo), a lake, a heritage village, a botanical garden and a science centre and planetarium.
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Kadri Manjunath Temple — at a glance
Timings~6:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 4:00 - 8:00 PM (confirm)
Best timeOctober to February; mornings
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Kadri Manjunath Temple
Kadri hill, Mangaluru; short auto/taxi from the centre
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- KSRTC— the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries.Online booking.
- Indian Railways— live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Kadri Manjunath Temple
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Kadri Manjunath Temple
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Kadri Manjunath Temple
churchSt Aloysius Chapel
A chapel in Mangaluru whose walls and ceilings are covered in vivid frescoes painted by the Italian Jesuit Antonio Moscheni in 1899–1900, often likened to a miniature Sistine Chapel.
1.7 km · 22 min walk · straight linetempleKudroli Gokarnath Temple
The Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli, consecrated in 1912 at the initiative of Narayana Guru for the Billava community — a bright, ornate temple famous for its grand Mangaluru Dasara celebrations.
2.8 km · ~7 min by auto · straight lineheritageSultan Battery, Mangaluru
A black-stone watchtower built by Tipu Sultan in 1784 at Boloor on the Gurupura river to guard the approach to Mangaluru harbour; a short climb up gives views over the backwater.
3.0 km · ~7 min by auto · straight linechurchRosario Cathedral, Mangaluru
The Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary at Bunder, seat of the Mangalore diocese — a domed church rebuilt in the early 20th century in a Roman style, on a site dating to the 16th century.
3.9 km · ~10 min by auto · straight linetempleMangaladevi Temple
The temple to the goddess Mangaladevi that gives Mangaluru its name — a 9th-century Shakti shrine in a Kerala–Tulu style, central to the city’s Dasara festivities.
4.3 km · ~11 min by auto · straight linebeachTannirbhavi Beach
A quieter beach across the Gurupura river from the city, reached by ferry or road and backed by a tree park — a favourite for sunsets.
4.5 km · ~11 min by auto · straight linewildlifePilikula Nisarga Dhama
A large nature park on the edge of Mangaluru with a biological park (zoo), a lake, a heritage village, a botanical garden and a science centre and planetarium.
5.2 km · ~13 min by auto · straight linebeachSasihithlu Beach
A scenic beach where the Shambhavi and Nandini rivers meet the sea near Mulki, north of Mangaluru, known as one of the coast’s surfing spots.
7.5 km · ~19 min by auto · straight linebeachPanambur Beach
Mangaluru's most popular beach beside the New Mangalore Port — a wide sandy stretch with lifeguards, camel and boat rides and an annual kite festival.
7.6 km · ~19 min by auto · straight linetempleKateel Durgaparameshwari Temple
A revered temple to the goddess Durgaparameshwari set on an islet in the Nandini river about 29 km north of Mangaluru, reached across a bridge, famed for its Yakshagana tradition and annual festivals.
17.6 km · ~29 min by cab · straight line
heritageBahubali Statue, Dharmasthala
A ~39-foot monolithic granite statue of the Jain saint Bahubali (Gommateshwara) on Ratnagiri hill at Dharmasthala, installed in 1973 and anointed at the periodic Mastakabhisheka.
57.2 km · ~95 min by cab · straight line
templeDharmasthala Manjunatha Temple
One of the most visited temples in Karnataka — a unique shrine where a Shiva (Manjunatha) temple is administered by a Jain Heggade family with Vaishnava priests, famed for its free meals, mass weddings and the Laksha Deepotsava.
57.3 km · ~95 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Kadri Manjunath Temple is
Good to know
Kadri Manjunath Temple — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Kadri Manjunath Temple?
October to February; mornings for rituals. The temple’s festival days are lively.
What are the entry fee and timings at Kadri Manjunath Temple?
Entry: Free. Timings: ~6:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 4:00 - 8:00 PM (confirm).
How do I reach Kadri Manjunath Temple?
On Kadri hill within Mangaluru, a short auto or taxi ride from the centre. A living temple — footwear off and modest dress; go early to avoid the midday heat and crowds.
How much time do I need for Kadri Manjunath Temple?
45 minutes to an hour.
What else is near Kadri Manjunath Temple?
Nearby you can pair St Aloysius Chapel (1.7 km), Kudroli Gokarnath Temple (2.8 km), Sultan Battery, Mangaluru (3.0 km), Rosario Cathedral, Mangaluru (3.9 km).
Read before you go
Kadri Manjunath Temple guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Kadri Manjunath Temple itself yet. These cover Mangaluru and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Around Mangaluru
These guides explore Mangaluru and the surrounding area. Choose a visit that fits your interests, allowing separately for travel between stops.
Image credits
Photographs: Gunvante, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), Laxminarasimh (CC BY-SA 4.0), Surfmaster23 (CC BY 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.