Udupi 60 Kms north of Mangalore is the seat of Lord Krishna, considered to be one of the holiest places for pilgrimage in southern India. Here there is a holy temple of Sri Krishna and this is the birthplace of Sri Madhwacharya, founder of Dwaita Philosophy and one of the three great Acharyas, he is reputed to have discovered the idol of Shri Krishna from a ship, which he saved miraculously from the clutches of fatal storm breeding on the sea at Malpe. One day when he was performing his morning prayers on the Malpe shore, he found that a ship sailing in the sea, was in danger owing to rough weather, Sri Madhwacharya with his divine power was able to control the rough weather. Miraculously and to the utter astonishment of the captain and the crew of the ship, the weather became calm, and the ship, that was a few minutes before, found to be on the verge of destruction, unknowingly reached the Malpe shore on its own accord. The captain of the ship saw Sri Madhwacharya standing and holding his loincloth in the direction of the wind, in deep meditations. The captain, considering his greatness offered all the cargo, in return for the help rendered. Sri Madhwacharya refused to accept anything, except two big pieces of Gopichandan, which he knew, contained the images of Lord Krishna and Sri Balarama. The images of Lord Krishna is the same that can be seen in the Sri Krishna Temple at Udupi and the image of Sri Balarama can be seen at Vadabhandeshwara Malpe. Sri Madhwacharya, who is considered as an incarnation of Vayu Devata, organized eight mutts at Udupi for the worship of Lord. Once in two years the Pariyaya festival will be held in the middle of January when the worship of Krishna passes from one mutt to another when disciples of the Madhwa seat congregate from all parts of India. 
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