Shri Kaniyooru Matha is one among the eight Mathas (which are popularly known as Ashta Matha) established by Shri Madhwacharya. Shri Rama Theertha, a direct disciple of Shri Madhwacharya is  the first pontiff of Kaniyooru matha. Since then, there were 29 pontiffs who ably led Kaniyooru Matha and added to the glory of Matha. Shri Rama Theertha, the first pontiff of Kaniyooru Matha was given with idol of Shri Yoganarasimha, which is being worshipped with atmost respect and divotion as the main deity of Kaniyooru matha. At present Shri Vidyavallabha Theertha Swamiji is heading Kaniyooru Matha.

Brief History of Kaniyooru matha:

Due to the impact of Kali, in the Kaliyuga, Satiwika people were either ignorant or were diverged from the real essence of Tatvajnaana. As per the order of Lord Vishnu, Shri Vayudevaru took third incarnation as Vasudeva at holy village called Pajaka near Udupi. He has been ordained to Sanyasa by Shri Achyuthapreksha theertha Swamiji, a saint of that time at Udupi and renamed Vasudeva as Anandatheertha who then popularly known as Madhwacharya. Shri Madhwacharya propagated Dwaitha philosophy across India. He composed 32 scholarly books on Dwaitha philosophy. He also installed Lord Krishna Idol (which was carved by Vishwakarma and worshiped by Goddess Rukmini in Dwapara yuga) at Udupi. For the uninterrupted Puja of Shri Krishna, Acharya Madhwa identified eight disciples and ordained them into Sanyasa and named them as Shri Hrishikesha Theertha, Shri Narasimha Theertha, Shri Janardhana Theertha, Shri Upendra Theertha, Shri Vamana Theertha, Shri Vishnu Theertha, Shri Rama Theertha, and Shri Adhokshaja Theertha who became the first pontiff of Palimaru Matha, Adamaru Matha, Krishnapura Matha, Puttige Matha, Shirooru Matha, Sode Matha, kaniyooru Matha and Pejavara Matha respectively which are well known as ashtha mathas of Udupi.

Shri Ramatheertha, a direct disciple of Shri Madhwacharya is the first pontiff of Kaniyooru Matha. Acharya Madhwa had blessed each of eight disciples with one idol of Lord Vishnu. Shri Ramatheertha was blessed with the idol of “Shri Yoganarasimha” as the main deity(“Pattada devaru”) to Kaniyooru Matha. In addition to this, another Narasimha idol known as “Karala Narasimha”, worshipped by Shri Madhwacharya and given to Trivikrama Pandithaacharya which later came to Shri Kaniyooru matha is also being worshipped as “Pattada devaru” in Kaniyooru Matha. Apart from these two main deities, Garudavaahana Lakshminarasimha and Acharya Madhwa kararchita Shri Gopalakrishna idols are being worshipped as “Pattada devaru”. Along with these deities known as “Pattada Devaru”, Shri Vedavyasa, Shri Vittala, Shri Ramachandra, Shri Kadagolu Krishna, are also being worshipped.

It is a matter of pride and honor for Kaniyooru Matha that, a holy place near Udupi, Pajaka Kshetra, where shri Madhwacharya was born, is managed by Kaniyooru Matha. There are a few historical monuments at Pajaka Kshetra, like foot prints of Shri Madhwacharya, the place where Acharya Madhwa killed Manimantha who had disguised in the form of a snake, the big slabs of stones which Acharya Madhwa had kept over vessels of milk and curd in his childhood days and the like are preserved and being worshipped with due respect. During the tenure of Shri Varijaksha Theertha, a Contemporary of Shri Vadiraja Theertha of Shri Sode Vadiraja Matha, the idol of Shri Madhwacharya was installed by Shri Vadiraja Theertha, at Pajaka beside the footprint of Shri Madhwacharya.

Under the able leadership of Shri Vidyavallabha Theertha Swamiji, Matha has seen developments in many aspects in the recent past, adding to the glory of Kaniyooru Matha. Shri Swamiji has shown keen interest to develop the birth place of Acharya Madhwa with the generous help extended by devotees of Shri Madhwacharya. Also Shri Swamiji has developed Udupi branch of Matha. There are many more plans in the mind of Shri Swamiji which are aimed at benefitting the society.