Udupi/Mangaluru: The Christmas holidays, school vacations, pilgrimages by Ayyappa devotees, and annual trips by professionals have significantly increased the footfall at temples, beaches, and tourist attractions across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

The influx of vehicles caused frequent traffic jams in areas such as Kalladka, Pumpwell, Nanthoor, Kuloor, Panambur, Kalsanka, and Santhekatte.

Prominent temples like Kukke Sri Subrahmanya, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, Southadka Sri Mahaganapathi, Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari, Kadri Temple, Mangala Devi Temple, Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, and Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple witnessed a sea of devotees. Beaches like Panambur and Malpe were also crowded with visitors.

Devotee Surge at Kukke Sri Subrahmanya

Subrahmanya: Thousands of devotees visited Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple during the Christmas holidays to seek blessings. Over the past four days, there has been a consistent increase in the number of devotees. Devotees stood in long queues at eight designated lines to have darshan and received prasadam. Meals were arranged at the Shanmukha Prasada Bhojanalaya and Adi Subrahmanya Bhojanalaya.

Crowds Gather at Udupi Temples and Beaches

In Udupi district, temples, beaches, and tourist spots were bustling with activity on Wednesday.

Key religious sites like Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple, Mandarthi Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple, and Uchila Sri Mahalaxmi Temple saw a surge in devotees, especially from other districts and states. Similarly, beaches like Malpe, Maravanthe, Kaup, Padubidri, Byndoor, and Someshwara attracted large crowds.

Long queues of devotees were observed at temples, and parking areas were congested with vehicles, leading to occasional traffic issues. Overall, the year-end has brought a noticeable increase in the number of devotees and tourists visiting Udupi’s temples and tourist spots.