PM Modi Pays Homage to Kanakadasa at Udupi Before Leading Massive Gita Chant with 1 Lakh Devotees
PM Modi visits Udupi’s Sri Krishna Matha, participates in grand Gita recitation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Udupi on November 28, 2025, landing at Mangaluru Airport and proceeding by helicopter to pay floral tributes at the historic Kanaka Mantap dedicated to 15th-century saint-poet Kanakadasa. Revered for his devotion and the legendary miracle where Lord Krishna's idol turned westward at Udupi Sri Krishna Temple to grant him darshan through the Kanaka Kindi window, Kanakadasa embodies Dvaita philosophy founded by Sri Madhvacharya over 800 years ago. This marked Modi's first Karnataka visit since his third term inauguration.
Modi then entered the Sri Krishna Matha complex, receiving a traditional Poorna Kumbh swagatham from Paryaya Puthige Math seer Sugunendra Thirtha, the same swamiji who hosted him during his 2008 Gujarat CM visit. He offered prayers in the sanctum, received blessings, and was presented a silver-clad Tulasi Japa mala along with sacred mudras of Shankha, Chakra, Gada, and Padma used in South Indian Madhwa rituals. The temple, established in the 13th century, holds profound cultural significance in serving society through spiritual traditions.
The highlight was Modi's participation in the Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana, a grand devotional event uniting 100,000 participants—including students, monks, scholars, and citizens—for a unified recitation of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Ahead of the visit, Modi expressed honor on X, noting the matha's role in cultural life and its inspiration from Madhvacharya. He also inaugurated the Suvarna Teertha Mantapa near the Krishna sanctum and dedicated the Kanaka Kavacha, a golden cover for the sacred Kanaka Kindi window.
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A vibrant roadshow followed from Bannanje to Kalasank Junction, with Modi waving from his vehicle amid saffron festoons, BJP flags, and flower showers from enthusiastic crowds. Cultural troupes performed coastal Karnataka traditions, elevating the celebratory mood under tight security with 3,000 personnel deployed. The event underscored Modi's engagement with regional heritage and spiritual unity.
This visit reinforces the Sri Krishna Matha's global stature, drawing pilgrims worldwide and promoting Gita discourses across Karnataka. Modi's actions highlight ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate India's philosophical legacy through public participation in sacred recitals.
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