Kadri Manjunatha Temple is a historic temple in Mangalore. It is said to be built during the 10th or 11th century and Buddhism was practised here till the 10th century AD. The idol of Lord Manjunathaswamy of the temple is called as oldest of the South Indian Temples. There is a natural spring at an elevated location at the back of the temple. It is called Gomukha. The water from this spring is let into 9 ponds of different sizes adjacent to it.

The location of the temple is overwhelming with the presence of the deity of the temple, and the marvelous hillocks of the Kadri hills, which has many caves cut into the hills. The caves contain many pre-historic pieces of evidence too which adds to the impeccable holy spirit of the valley.  The overall location is extremely spiritual and calm. The temple belongs to the category of Tulunadu temples in the Dakshina Kannada region. The Kadri hill also has the biggest Natha Pantha (idolization) in the south of India.

The name Kadri was derived from Kadari which meant plantain and Kadri is filled with plantain trees all over. In Buddhism, the word Kadarika meant a ridge side pasture land. The Kadri mountain has been mentioned in the earlier epigraphs which are dated back to A.D.968 on the pedestal of the Lokeshwara picture installed in the Kadrika Vihara which was installed by the King Kundravarma of Alupa dynasty. Hence the inscriptions confirmed the former name of the Kadri hills was Kadrika.