A rare structural temple attributed to the Alupa Dynasty has been identified in a remote coastal village near Udupi. The temple features a distinctive Gajaprishta (elephant-back) apsidal roof, a rare architectural form in Southern India. The sanctuary is dedicated to a local form of Vishnu and remains remarkably intact despite being partially buried under alluvial soil for centuries.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) notes that the discovery provides critical links to the maritime religious traditions of the Tulu Nadu region. Inside the sanctum, a monolithic stone idol was found alongside several copper votive plates that mention trade guilds operating between the Malabar Coast and Southeast Asia during the 9th century.