Chandramouleshwara Temple

Chandramouleshwara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located on Car Street in the heart of Udupi, Karnataka. Situated adjacent to the Anantheshwara Temple, it forms a twin-temple complex predating the famous Sri Krishna Temple. Notable for its traditional stone architecture, Shiva linga shrine, and historical association with the Alupa dynasty, it remains an important religious and heritage site for visitors to Udupi.

Visitors can expect a compact, historic stone temple complex in central Udupi, adjacent to Anantheshwara Temple. The temple features a sanctum with Shiva linga, pillared halls, sloping tiled roofs and carved stone elements typical of coastal Karnataka temple architecture. The surroundings are urban and busy, close to Car Street and the Sri Krishna Temple area. Visitors can observe daily rituals, offer prayers, and view the heritage architecture in a quiet devotional atmosphere.

Chandramouleshwara Temple is considered one of the oldest temples in Udupi, traditionally dated to around the 8th-9th century during the Alupa dynasty period and later renovated. It predates the 13th-century Sri Krishna Temple established by Madhvacharya. Together with the adjacent Anantheshwara Temple, it represents the early Shaiva heritage of the region before Udupi became a major Vaishnava centre.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Chandramouleshwara and holds religious significance for Shaivite devotees. It forms part of the twin-temple tradition of Udupi and is closely associated with local festivals, especially Maha Shivaratri. It reflects the coastal Karnataka temple culture and remains an active place of worship alongside the nearby Krishna Temple complex.