Synopsis
- All you need to know about Udupi and Manipal
- Educational Institutions in Udupi and Manipal
- Interesting facts you must know when visiting Udupi District
The warm summer breeze, the cool splashes from the sea and the picturesque setting sun is an everyday scene in the coastal town of Udupi.
Comfortably nestled between the picturesque western ghats and the pristine waters of the Arabian Sea, Udupi is an enchanting town, attracting thousands of visitors every year.
The town of Udupi is almost synonymously used with its neighbouring town of Manipal. Both Udupi and Manipal are important towns in the District of Udupi.
Udupi and Manipal are home to many educational institutions. Some of the top colleges in Manipal are known to provide world class education and attract hundreds of students from all over the world every year.
There is something about Udupi that makes you keep coming back for more. Is it the cuisine, the cosmopolitan crowd, or the simplicity of the town?
Before we enumerate the interesting facts about Udupi, let’s look into a bit of Udupi history.
How Did Udupi Get Its Name?
One of the interesting facts about Udupi is how the town got its name. Legends have it that the name Udupi is derived from the Sanskrit words Udu and Pa, which mean “stars” and “lord.”
It is believed that once the moon’s light was diminished because of a curse by the King Daksha. The King’s 27 daughters (27 stars) were married to the moon.
The moon then prayed to Lord Shiva, the destroyer of evil, to get back its original shine. The story goes on to mention that the moon and his wives prayed at the Chandramouleshwara temple at the town we now call Udupi.
Lord Shiva was pleased with the moon’s prayer and restored its shine. Therefore, the name Udupi which means land of the “lord of the stars.”
Another theory about the etymology of Udupi is that it is derived from the tulu word Odipu which is associated with the Vadabhandeshwara temple in the town.
Legends About the Formation of Udupi
Udupi is also known as Parashrama Kshetra owing to the belief that Parushurama, the avatar of Lord Vishnu, threw his axe into the waters thus reclaiming the land from where the axe fell. This was the formation of the konkan and malabar coastlines.
A Bit More About Udupi and Manipal
The weather in Udupi is more or less moderate with hot summers and pleasant winters. Being a coastal town, Udupi has humid weather conditions throughout most of the year.
Udupi has a well planned transport system that allows you to travel within the town. The buses are run by the private sector and have convenient bus stops at various locations. The most common modes of public transport in Udupi are buses, taxis and auto rickshaws.
Udupi and Manipal- Where the Roots of Education Begins
Udupi and Manipal are home to several top class educational institutions. One of the interestings facts about Udupi is that the average literacy rate in Udupi was 83% which is much higher than the average literacy rate of 59.5% of the country. This high literacy rate is the direct result of the presence of top colleges in Udupi and Manipal.
From Pre University colleges to a number of professional colleges, Udupi and Manipal are one India’s top educational destinations.
Top Pre University Colleges in Udupi:
- Vidyodaya PU College
- Poornaprajna Pre University College
- MGM PU COllege
- St Cecilys Pre University College
- Trisha PU College
- Jnanasudha PU College
- Jnanaganga Pre University College
- Vedavith PU College
- AnanadaTeertha PU College
Apart from Pre university colleges, Udupi and Manipal are known world over for professional colleges.
Quality education coupled with state of the art infrastructure and facilities have made this city an educational hubspot for students from all over the country and the world.
Infact, Manipal is known as the “campus town” because the entire town is brimming with students who attend the various courses offered by educational institutions in the town.
Some of the top professional colleges in Manipal are:
- Manipal Institute of Technology
- Manipal Academy of Higher education
- Dr TMA Pai Polytechnic
- International Centre for applied sciences
- Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration
- Manipal School of Architecture and Planning
- Manipal Institute of Communication
- Kasturba Medical College
- T.A. Pai Management Institute
- Muniyal Institute of Ayurveda Medical Science
- Manipal College of Health Professions.
- Manipal College of Dental Sciences
- Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (deemed to be university) located in Manipal is a well known university offering numerous undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and research courses in Manipal.
It has been granted the status of “Institute of Eminence” by the Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India.
Institutes of Eminence is a recognition by the University Grants commission in India. These recognised institutes are granted autonomy with regard to administration and academics.
These institutes are allowed to open offshore campuses and be able to collaborate with foreign universities easily.
Not far behind this campus town is Udupi, with an increasing number of top colleges in Udupi, this town is also emerging as an educational city, next to Manipal.
Udupi and Manipal are known for their quality professional educational institutions. Be it engineering , medical, management of dental colleges, Udupi and Manipal are India’s finest destinations for top class education in any field.
Top Colleges in Udupi:
- Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College
- Bhandarkars Art and Science College
- Sri Bhuvanendra College
- NMAM Institute of Technology (Nitte)
- Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management
- Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College
- Justice KS Hegde Institute of Management
- ECR Group of institutions
- Poornaprajna Institute of Management
- SDM College of Ayurveda and Hospital
Udupi District is easily accessible by road and rail. The nearest airport is the Mangalore International Airport which is situated at a distance of around 45 kilometres from Udupi. This makes it convenient for students from all over the world to make Manipal their educational destination.
These are some of the distinguished personalities who have graduated from educational Institutions in Manipal and earned a name internationally.
- Satya Nadella – Chairman and CEO of Microsoft
- Vikas Khanna – Internationally acclaimed chef, restauranter, cookbook writer
- Arun Shenoy – Grammy Award nominated musician
- M. G George Muthoot – Chairman of Muthoot Finance
- Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Malaysian Orthopedic Surgeon and astronaut
- Ishita Malaviya – India’s first professional surfer
The development of top class educational institutions in Udupi and Manipal have also given rise to the establishments of companies and MNC companies in Udupi. Many global companies have established offices in the town of Udupi.
Udupi and Manipal Top Companies:
- Robosoft Technologies
- Suzlon International Limited
- Armor Kartons
- Waterways Shipyard Private Limited
- Softizo Technologies
- Pentouch Digital
- Wrist code Technologies Private Limited
- Niveus Solutions Private Limited
- Prueba India Software Private Limited
- Inspirante Technologies Private Limited
Udupi and Manipal are also known for their medical tourism. The Kasturba Medical College, one of India’s premiere hospitals and institutions for medical education is located in Udupi. The medical college was started in 1953 by the great visioniory Dr. T.M.A Pai.
The Gosval Punarvasa Ayurveda is another world famous institution in Udupi. The Gosval Panchakarma and Health resort in udupi is known for its world class treatment in Ayurveda.
The New Indian Express featured an article about the health resort in udupi in 2017. The centre is acclaimed worldwide.
People from far and wide visit the health resort to treat various health issues, yoga, meditation and panchakarma treatment.
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Interesting Snippets and Facts About Udupi
1. Udupi -The Temple Town of India
The city of Udupi is also known as the temple city of India because of the numerous and ancient temples that developed in and around the city over time.
The city is the birthplace of Saint Madhava in the 12th century who set up eight sanyasi mutts in the town. Udupi is regarded as one of Karnataka’s most important pilgrimage locations. It is also an important Vaishnavite town of the india.
Some famous temples visited by pilgrims throughout the year are:
- Sri Chandramouleshwara Temple
- Sri Indrani Panchadurga Parmeshwari temple
- Anantha Padmanabha Temple
- Sri Krishna Mutt
- Siddhivinayak Temple Anegundi
- Batte Vinayaka Temple
- Sri Brahmalingeshwara Temple
- Sri Vishweshwara temple
- Sri Kalikamba Temple
- Sri Anantheshwara Temple
- Varanga Jain Temple
2. Water Sports and Fun Packed Weekends
One of the interesting facts of Udupi and Manipal is that it is a paradise for tourists from all over the country. The town has numerous tourist friendly spots all around the district. From divine temples to pristine beaches, Udupi has more to offer than what meets the eye.
The beaches of Udupi district offer fun filled activities like jet skiing, water zorbing, speed boat and banana boat ride. The beaches attract fun lovers all through the week.
The Kodi beach is famous for surfing activities. In fact India’s first woman pro surfer, Ishita Malaviya, has started surfing classes in a small village called Kodi Bengre in Udupi district.
Padubidri Beach in Udupi district has been awarded the blue flag recognition. It is one of the eight beaches in India to be awarded this recognition.
The tag has been given by Denmark based Foundation for Environment Education. The recognition is based on certain criteria like safety, services, accessibility and environment.
Some of the other beautiful beaches in Udupi district are:
- Malpe Beach
- Kaup Beach
- Mattu Beach
- Pithrody Udyavar Beach
3. St Marys Island
The St. Marys Island, a hidden pristine island, off the Malpe Beach, in Udupi District, is known for its geological formation of columnar rhyolitic lava.
Scientific research has shown that the rock formation was due to volcanic activity millions of years ago. In 2016, the St. Marys Island was declared as one of India’s National Geological Monuments.
4. The Who’s who of Udupi
Udupi District is the birthplace of many illustrious personalities like:
- Oscar Fernandez, Indian Politician
- Veerendra Heggade, Indian Philanthropist and Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala temple
- Prakash Padukone, eminent sports personality
- B.R Shetty, Internationally acclaimed businessman
- Rakshith Shetty, film actor
5. Did You Know?
- An article published in the Deccan Herald in 2014, stated that Manipal is one of the towns in India that indicated the highest mobile data penetration.
- Udupi District, the land of flavours, is the home to the world famous chicken ghee roast
6. Medical Tourism in Udupi
Udupi is not only known for its professional colleges but also for its top class medical facilities. The town is known for its private and Government run medical health care centres. These hospitals provide super speciality services to patients.
Some Hospitals in Udupi Are:
- Kasturba Hosiptal
- Dr TMA Pai Hospital
- Adarsha Multi Speciality Hopital
- Chinmayi Hospital among other multi speciality hospitals
7. Mangalore- a Drive Away from Udupi
Close to Udupi, is the city of Mangalore. Mangalore is the capital of the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Mangalore is also known for its beautiful beaches, shopping locales and cuisine specialities.
The city is a hub of education and is known for its medical and engineering colleges. The city of Mangalore is often visited along with the District of Udupi because of its close proximity to Udupi district.
Conclusion
Udupi and Manipal are considered the top destinations for education in Karnataka. Some of the top colleges of Udupi and Manipal have churned out top graduates in every field.
Udupi District is not only known for its top colleges in Manipal and Udupi, but also its rich cultural heritage, diverse and cosmopolitan crowd and international and Indian cuisine.
Udupi and Manipal are emerging as one of the most preferred destinations for students as well as entrepreneurs.
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