- Deity
- Goddess Durgaparameshwari
- Distance from Mangaluru
- About 30 km (around 45 minutes)
- Distance from Udupi
- About 45 km (around 1 hour)
- Main festivals
- April annual festival, Navaratri, Laksha Deepotsava
About the temple
The name is explained locally as a joining of two words: kati (centre) and ila (land), a reference to the temple's position midway along the river that rises at Kanakagiri. The buildings follow the Kerala style, with sloping tiled roofs, and carved pillars surround the main sanctum. Five smaller shrines stand within the complex, and a footbridge links the islet with the riverbank.
In the rains the swollen Nandini winds around the islet in wide curves that devotees compare to the coils of a python, and the whole setting turns deep green.
Festivals
Kateel is closely linked with Yakshagana, the coastal dance-drama, and performances in honour of the goddess are a long tradition here.
- Annual festival in April, eight days with different rituals each day
- Laksha Deepotsava, the festival of lamps, in the month of Karthika
- Navaratri, nine days with special Ranga Pooja offerings
- Yakshagana performances dedicated to the goddess
Tips for your visit
Dress modestly, as at all temples in the region, and expect queues on festival days and weekends. Allow an hour or two for darshan and a walk around the complex, and more on festival days, when the crowds and processions slow everything down. Monsoon visits are rewarding for the river views, but carry rain gear. Many visitors pair Kateel with a day of temple visits around Mangaluru and Udupi.
How to reach
Kateel is about 30 km from Mangaluru, a drive of roughly 45 minutes, and around 45 km from Udupi, about an hour by road. Mangaluru has the nearest major railway station and airport. Buses run regularly from Mangaluru, and we can arrange a car for a coastal temple circuit.
Also nearby
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