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Karnataka photos


Mysore

Avadhoota Datta Peetham      Chamundi temple      Nandi bull statue

Amba Vilas ("Divine Mother palace") or Maharaja palace      Zoo


Shrirangapatna


Sai Amrita


Bylakuppe

Ganagapur & Gulbarga

Gokarna


Adi Gokarna & Mahabaleshwar temple      Ganapati temple      Gokarna city beach

Kudli beach      Om beach      Half-moon beach & Paradise beach


Murudeshwar (Murdeshwar, statue of Shiva)

Jog falls (292 metres waterfall)

Bangalore


Whitefield ("Brindavanam")      Shiva & Ganesha statues in 'Kemp Fort'


Hampi

   Karnataka came under the British rule in 1799, after the fall of Tippu Sultan. The Kingdom of Mysore was restored to the Wodeyars maharajas and Mysore remained a princely state under the British Raj. After Independence in 1947, Mysore state was created in 1956 and was renamed as Karnataka in 1973. The pleasant hill resorts, sandy beaches, forts, handicrafts made of sandalwood, ancient temples, gardens and the piquant Udupi cuisine together with the refreshing climate make Karnataka a tourist’s delight.

   The Kannada language serves as the official language of the state of Karnataka, as the native language of approximately 65% of its population and as one of the classical languages of India. Kannada played a crucial role in the creation of Karnataka: linguistic demographics played a major role in defining the new state in 1956. Tulu, Konkani and Kodava are other minor native languages that share a long history in the state. Urdu is spoken widely by the Muslim population.

   Bangalore, the capital of state, has many names — Silicon Valley of India, the garden city, and little England (on account of its weather). Its legislature — Vidhana Soudha, its gardens — Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh, Tipu’s Fort, Wodeyar’s Palace, the monolithic Bull in Basavanagudi are worth a visit. Boating on Ulsoor Lake or picnic at the Lion Safari in Bannerghatta are typical pleasures.

   Karnataka has numerous forts, palaces, temples, monuments. The more spectacular sites are Brahmagiri and Maski with Ashokan edicts; Aivalli, Patadkal, and Badami of ‘Chalukya’ Kings; Bidar, capital of ‘Baridi’ Kings; Bijapur, capital of ‘Adilshahi’ dynasty; Chitradurga, a formidable fort; Gulbarga, capital of ‘Bahmanis’; Halebidu, the ‘Hoysala’ capital, and Belur with their extremely ornate monuments of star shaped temple complex; Hampi, capital of Vijayanagar Empire; Madikeri, seat of the ‘Kodavas’; Raichur, Srirangapatna, island town on River Kaveri and Mysore, capital of the ‘Wadiyar’ kingdom with beautiful royal palace Amba Vilas.

   Hindu sites include Gokarna’s Mahakaleswara temple; Dharmastala’s Manjunatha temple; Kollur’s Mookambika temple; Nanjangud’s Nanjundeshwara temple; Somnathpur temple of grey-green schist; Udupi — Krishna temple. Sringeri’s Sankara Matha established by Adi Sankara; Melkote, the temple and seat of Sanskrit Studies established by the Ramanuja; and Talakaveri, source of River Kaveri. Jain sites are Shravanabelagola — with the tallest monolithic statue of Thirthankara Bahubali, where ‘Mahamastakabhisheka’ is held once in 12 years, Mudabidri, and Karkala. Mangalore has many churches, Jami Mosque of Jihad Baksh, and Manjunatha Temple housing a Linga and as well as Buddhist deities (Shiva linga and Bodhisattva were worshiped together for centuries at this place until it was converted completely to a Saivite temple). Famous 1000 year old Mekekattu Nandikeshwara Temple, also known as wooden temple, is supposedly the only temple in South India, consisting mainly of big wooden statues with no regular prayer (pooja) protocol dedicated to the army of Lord Shiva.

   Nature of Karnataka is really beautiful. Waterfalls of Jog, Sivasamudram, and Gokak; the beaches of Gokarna, Karwar, Surathkal, Ullal, Parambula, Malpe and Maravanthe on the Arabian Sea with facilities for boating, surfing etc.; hill stations of Nandi hills and Madikeri; and dam-sites of Tungabhadra and Ghataprabha, Brindavan Gardens at Krishna Raja Sagara are the best sights.

   Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are Bandipur, Nagarahole, Bannerghatta, Dandeli. The bird reserves of Ranganathittu and Kokrebellur Pelicanry are the other sanctuaries.

Along with Bengaluru (Bangalore), the names of 11 other important towns and cities in the State would be simultaneously changed.
Other cities:
They are Mangalore as Mangaluru; Bellary as Ballary; Bijapur as Vijayapura or Vijapura; Belgaum as Belagavi; Chikmagalur as
Chikkamagaluru; Gulbarga as Kalburgi; Mysore as Mysooru; Hospet as Hosapete; Shimoga as Shivamogga; Hubli as Hubbali and Tumkur as Tumakuru.


     Manjunatha temple in Mangalore: