KARNATAKA

THE ELEVATED LAND

“LAND OF FRAGRANCE”

INTRODUCTION Karnataka is a state in southern India. It was

created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act.

Originally known as the State of Mysore,renamed Karnataka in 1973.

Governor :Hansraj Bhardwaj Chief Minister :B. S. Yeddyurappa Legislature (seats) :

Bicameral (224 + 75) Population• Density: 275.6 /km2,

52,850,562 in number.

CONTD…. the Arabian Sea to the west,

Goa to the northwest, Maharashtra to the north, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast, and Kerala to the southwest.

The state covers an area of 191,976 km², 5.83% of the total geographical area of India.

It is the 8th largest Indian state by area, the ninth largest by population and comp

rises 29 districts.

History….. Karnataka derived from Karu

nadu ,Karu (black) and nadu (region), the black cotton soil found in the Bayaluseeme region of Karnataka.

It has been home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient and medieval India.

Karnataka has contributed significantly to both forms of Indian classical music, the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions.

Writers in the Kannada language have received the most number of Jnanpith awards in India.

Bengalooru/Bangalore is the capital city of the state.

Contd… Badamichalukyas,t

heCholas,hoysala with capital as vijayanagar ruled by krishnadevaraya and Tippu Sultan of Mysore Kingdom were the most powerful rulers of karnataka.

Why Karnataka….

BADAMI Archaeological Musuem:

established in 1982. It is a treasure trove of pre-historic stone implements, sculptures, architectural parts, inscriptions, hero stones etc. dating from 6th to 16th century AD.

Badami Fort: The fort, whose chief attraction is the 16th century Tipu's cannon. The fort encloses a large granary, an underground chamber which could have been used as a treasury or private audience hall and many other architectural marvels.

Bhuthanatha Temples: The two Shiva temples which are together called Bhutanatha Temples are located on the bank of the ancient Bhutanatha Lake.

Durga Temple: The early 8th century Durga Temple at Aihole .

Galaganatha Temple: One of the nearly thirty temples on the bank of the river Malaprabha, this is an incomplete temple. Built of sandstone, the temple tower is in the northern "Rekhanagara" style.

Ladkhan Temple: The Ladkhan Temple is an interesting experiment in temple building by the Chalukyas in the late 7th or early 8th century.

Papanatha Temple: The only temple that has been designed on both north and south Indian styles of architecture, the construction of Papanatha Temple dates back to 680 AD. This 9th century Jain temple was built by the Rashtrakutas whose reign followed that of the Chalukyas.

Ravanaphadi Cave: One of the highlights of an Aihole tour, the Ravanaphadi Cave Temple has been scooped out of rocks. This temple dates back to the second half of the 7th century.

Sangameshvara Temple: Perhaps the oldest temple in Pattadakal, the Sangamesvara Temple was built by King Vijayaditya during the 8 century AD.

Bangalore Attara Kacheri: The Karnataka High Court

(Attara Kacheri). It is a breathtaking red brick and stone building and employs the Greco-Roman (neo-classical) architecture style. Its construction was supervised by Mudaliar and completed by 1868.

Bangalore Turf Club: For all those who love horses or are interested in watching some horse races, the city has Bangalore Turf Club.

Brigade Road: for shopping or window shopping .

Bugle Rock : which is an interesting natural massive rock formation spread over 16 acres and over 3000 million years.

Bull temple/Nandi temple: dedicated to Nandi Cubbon Park: Serving as the lungs of the city

of Bangalore. HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum:

India’s second largest public aerospace museum, situated on the Airport Road of Bangalore

Jumma Masjid: is the oldest mosque of Bangalore and is in the K.R. Market

Karnatak Chitrakala Parishath: very few institutions working actively for the promotion of Arts and providing support and giving a platform to artists to showcase their works.

Lakes: Presently, only 17 remain, considering the healthy and good ones, out of the previous 51 lakes. Some of the notable lakes are The Ulsoor Lake (near MG Road at Halasuru), Madiwala Lake (among the largest lakes), the Sankey Tank (recently renovated); Hebbal Lake, Lalbagh Lake (at Lalbagh garden), Agara Lake, Puttenahalli Lake, Jarganhalli Lake, Kamakshipalya Lake, Vengaihnakere and Nagavara Lake.

Lal Bagh: Botanical Gardens St. Marys Basilica: is the only church

among all the churches of Bangalore and the sixth in India to be recognized as a Basilica

Tipu Sultan Palace: The construction of the palace was started by Haider Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan himself in 1791.

Venkatappa Art Gallery: Venkataramanaswamy Temple: It is a

300 year old temple built by Maharaja Chikka Devaraya Wodeyar, displaying some of the best features of Dravidian temple art.

Vidhana Soudha: considered to be among the most imposing building of India as a whole. It is a mixture of modern and neo-Dravidian architectural

Bheemeshwari Doddamkkali: The Camp has 10

luxurious tented cottages with attached bath and since there is no electricity there, they provide a few solar lamps, which only go to add further to the closer to nature experience that the place chooses to emulate.

Galibore: The Galibore Fishing and Nature Camp, 95 Km away from Bangalore and 16 Km away from Bheemeshwari, is tucked away from the maddening crowd, deep in the deciduous forests, on the banks of the River Kaveri.

Chikmagalur Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary: About 275 km

north of Bangalore, the Sanctuary covers an area of around 490 sq. This sanctuary are home to a large variety of flora and fauna and are regarded as one of the best Wildlife Sanctuaries in India.

Inam Dattatreya Peetha: Both the Muslims, as well as the Hindus venerate the Inam Dattatreya Peetha, situated on the Baba Budan Giri in the Chikmagalur district.

Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple: is a state-protected monument. This temple is a structure in the Hoysala style, so far as the Garbhagriha and Sukanasi are concerned, the remaining portions being subsequent additions in the Dravidian style.

Mahatama Gandhi Park.: A small hillock, locally called 'Rathnagiri Bore' located on the northern side of Chikmagalur town

Manikyadhara Falls: Manikyadhara Falls is located near Kemmangundi of Chikmagalur district on the Baba Budan Giri.

Coorg Abbi Falls: Abbi Falls, around 8 km

from Madikeri, the capital of Coorg, is Nestled amidst private coffee plantations

Brahmagiri peak: is situated at the convergence of the underground river, Sujyoti, Cauvery and Kanike.

Iruppu Falls: The Iruppu Falls is a sacred spot in South Kodagu on the Brahmagiri range of hills, with the river Lakshmana-tirtha flowing nearby

Nisargadhama: River Kaveri splits forming a beautiful island measuring 65 acres.

Madikeri Fort: Mudduraja first built the Madikeri Fort as a mud fort in the last quarter of the 17th century. He also built a palace inside the fort. Tipu Sultan, who named the site as Jaffarabad, eventually rebuilt it in granite.

Nagarhole Park: a 247 square-mile park in Karnataka

Namdroling Monastery (Little Tibet): His Holiness, Pema Norbu Rinpoche, established Namdroling Monastery shortly after he came to India from Tibet.Today the monastery is home to nearly 5000 monks

Omkareshwara Temple: was built by Lingarajendra in 1820

Padi Iggutappa Temple: In 1810 Lingarajendra captured eight tigers and killed thirty four elephants in the surroundings of this temple. To symbolise this culture he donated a silver elephant to this temple situated in kakkabe.

Talakaveri: Located on the slopes of the Brahmagiri hills at an altitude of around 4000 ft above sea level, the spot can be reached by a 2 km journey from Bhagamandala up the Ghats.

Dandeli

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: Kavala Caves:The Kavala

Caves are limestone caves situated at a distance of 25 Km from Dandeli. River kali flows near by.

Hampi Hazara Rama Temple: Dating from

the early 15th century, the hall of the Hazara Rama Temple has finely carved basalt pillars depicting the incarnations of Vishnu

Lotus Palace: It is believed that the women of the royal family, who lived in the nearby Queens' Palace, disported themselves in the water pavilion within their protected enclosure and met in the Lotus Palace.

Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy: Built and constructed in accordance to the Dravidian style of architecture. 3 Km down the road from Kamalapur to Hampi, has peculiar and interesting motifs of fish and marine creatures adorning its inner walls.

Underground Temple:This large Underground Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Prasanna Virupaksha and was built many meters below the ground level

  Hassan Gorur Dam: Hasanamba Temple: came into

operation in the 12th century, during the period of Krishnappa Nayaka. Hasanamba 

Siddeshvara Temple: built by Venkatappa Nayaka, one of the Nayaka Rulers, is a quintessential and typical example of the Hoysala style of architecture

Veeranarayana Temple: It is an important Vaishnava temple and it is claimed that this was an ancient Jain temple later converted to a Hindu temple. An ancient temple built around 1104 AD, is a highly revered and venerated temple. It is situated to the west of Chennakesava Temple, at Belur, in Hassan District

Karwar

Sadashivgad Hill Fort: The Durga Bhavani temple located inside the fort is a major attraction of Uttara Kannada district.

Malpe Daria Bahadurgad Fort:

is an island famous for its fort built by Basavappa Naik of Bidanur. This island is about a square mile in area and not more than 250 yards in width

Vadabhandeshwara: This temple enshrines the idol of Lord Balarama and is visited by hundreds of pilgrims. It is also known as the Anantheshwara temple.

Mangalore Kudroli Mosque: mosque of Kudroli is

not only a religious site but also an educational centre of the city. Two mosques were built at this part of the city. These two mosques were together known as the 'Jode Masjid', 'Jode Mosque' or 'Jode Palli'. The Jode Mosque was built in the pre-independence era, about 150 years ago.

Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple: This temple has to its credit the fact that it is the only temple in Karnataka built by Shree Narayana Guru.

Mangaladevi Temple: The word “Mangalore” is derived from Goddess Mangaladevi, the main deity in this temple.

St. Aloysious Chapel: This place of worship is well placed in the campus of St. Aloysious College in the heart of Mangalore city.

Mysore

Brindavan Gardens: The garden has been a shooting spots for many songs of the yesteryears and even today 

Chamundeswari Temple: This temple is as famous as the Dussera of Mysore! Located atop Chamundi Hills

Datta Peetham: is an ashram and the spiritual dwelling of Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda, among Mysore’s ardently worshipped gurus.

GRS Fantasy Park: If you are into water games then this is the place for you.

Jaganmohan Palace: Like the Mysore Palace, it is also an attractive mansion built by the Mysore rulers

Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery: it possession of great paintings from the brush of world famous artists such as Rembrandt, the like of makes it note worthy.

Karanji Kere Lake: It is an immersion place for the Ganesha idols after the festival.

Kesava temple: Somnathpur, about 40 km from Mysore, named after the Hoysala Army’s Chief Commander and founder, Somnath. It is known for the Hoysala period temples .

Lakshmiramana Swamy Temple: is one of the oldest temples in the city. In an inscription found at the Banni Mantapa in Mysore there is a mention of a grant for God Lakshminarayana in 1499 by the Vijayanagara King Narasa Nayaka, the father of the famous Vijayanagar emperor Krishnadevaraya.

Lalita Mahal Palace: It was commissioned by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in 1921 for the exclusive stay of the Viceroy of India.

Mahabaleshwar Temple:

Mysore Palace: built by Tipu Sultan and is among the most splendid buildings of Mysore. It has employed a blend and mixture of the Indo-Saracen architecture .

Mysore Zoo:This zoo was built by His Highness Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar

National Museum on Natural History: Prasanna Krishnaswamy Temple:

dedicated to Lord Krishna, Rail Museum:The Chamundi Gallery

showcases the development and progress of the railways.

Shweta Varahaswamy Temple: Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar was the benefactor for the temple.

Srikanteswara temple:Dravidian style temple

St. Philomena's Church: over 200 years old, is one of the oldest churches in India

Talakad: Every 12 years the temples buried under the sand dunes of Cauvery are excavated for worshiP.

Tombs of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali,: Trinesvaraswamy Temple: dedicated to

the three-eyed Lord Shiva

Srirangapatnam Daria Daulat Bagh: contain

some beautiful historic paintings. Hyder Ali commenced the construction of this place and it was completed by his son Tipu Sultan.

Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary: a very small sanctuary, being only 0.67 km sq.

Sangama: is the confluence of two rivers – Arkavathi and Cauvery.

Sri Ranganatha Temple: Lord Ranganatha reseides in the hearts of those who live in Srirangapatna.

Srirangapatnam Fort: Believed to be the second strongest fortification in India, by tipu sultan

Surathkal

Krishnapura Matha: This is one of the eight mathas ie. Monastery (Astha Matha) established by Dvaita philosopher Madhavacharya.

Sadashiva Temple: Suratkal, 15 Km from Mangalore, is an excellent beach with a wide shore to stroll on

Udupi

Chandramauleshvara Temple: The temple dedicated to Shiva

Sri Anathesvara Temple: dedicated to Vishnu.

Sri Krishna Temple: statue of Lord Krishna was set up by the great sage Madhavacharya about 700 years ago.

Gokarna

udle Beach:

Mahabaleshvara Temple: One of the seven Mukti Sthalas of Karnataka, Gokarna is also known for its idyllic beaches and serene landscape.

Taamragowri: Gokarana, a celebrated pilgrim centre of Karnataka is famous for the 'Atmalingam' in the ancient temple located here.

  Sakleshpur

Manjarabad Fort:Manjarabad Fort served as a strategic defensive location during Tipu Sultan's rule as it commands the approach to the plateau beyond Sakleshpur from the coast.

Sakaleswara Temple:was constructed between the 11th and 14th century AD during the period when the Hoysala Empire was at its peak.

Kollur Arishina Gundi Falls: It requires

quite a bit of effort to visit the  Arishina Gundi Waterfalls, which is deep inside the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mookambika Temple: The Mookambika Devi Temple stands on the spur of the lush green Kodachadri peak overlooking the Sauparnika river.

Mookambika WildlifeThe Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary which is spread over 247 sq kms is best visited from November to March. Sanctuary:

Bijapur Gol Gumbaz: is second in size only to St. Peter's Basilica,

Rome. It was built by Muhammad Adil Shah in the year 1656 for the singular purpose of burying his mortal remains. Gol Gumbaz contains tombs of Muhammad Adil Shah, his two wives, his mistress, his daughter and grandson.

  Aihole

Jain Meguti Temple: The Meguti Temple has the distinction of being the only temple in Aihole which can clearly be traced back to 634 AD.

Yellapurx Magod Falls: where the Bedti River cascades

from a height of 650 ft into a rocky abyss. Satoddi Falls: also known as the Mini-

Niagara of Karnataka,

Belgaum Belgaum Fort: One of the oldest

forts in Karnataka, the Belgaum fort served as a fortification against the attacks of invading armies. It steadfastly held fort as Belgaum played host to a multitude of dynasties, from the Rattas, the Vijayanagar emperors, the Bijapur Sultans, the Marathas and finally the British. Eventually, during the freedom movement of India, it was here that Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned.

Ramkrishna Ashrama: In November 2000, Swami Purushottamanandji took over as the president of newly-affiliated Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Belgaum.

Varapoha Falls: located in Jamboti is 20 km south-west of Belgaum and 18 km west of Khanapur in the Belgaum District of Karnataka. Jamboti is primarily well-known because the Mandovi River, which is the longest river in Goa.

Yana Cave Temple: The temple is known as the

shrine of Bhairaveshvara

Shimoga Bird Sanctuary: the

Mandagadde and the Gudavi bird sanctuaries are definitely destinations worth visiting.

Sacred Heart Church:

Shivappanaika Palace Museum: The Shivappanaika Palace Museum is located in the very hub of Shimoga City, on the banks of Tunga River. The palace was built by Keladi ruler, Shivappa Nayaka during the 16th century.

Tavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari:

Nandi-Hills Bhoga Nandishwara Temple: At

the base of the Nandi Hills in the Nandi Village is the Bhoga Nandishwara Temple that follows the Dravidian style of architecture.

Muddenahalli Museum: Muddenahali is the birthplace of the most renowned engineer and Dewar of the former Mysore state, Sir M. Vishveshwaraya.

Tipu Sultan's Fort: Nandi Hills, 65 Kms from Bangalore and 1,478 meters above sea level is Bangalore's own hill station. It has been named after the bull of the Hindu deity Shiva.

Murudeshwara Murudeshwara Temple: The sea is an intrinsic part of

the temple landscape at Murudeshwar. The sea on three sides surrounds the temple towering on the small hill called Kanduka Giri on three sides.

Kundapur Holy Rosary Church:

Kundeswara Temple

Mekekattu Nadhikeshwara Temple: The Mekekattu Nadhikeshwara Temple is at a distance of about 20 km from Kundapura and is considered to be the creation of Sage Parashurama.

Kemmanagundi Hebbe Falls: Kalahhati Falls Shanti Falls

Jog-Falls Tunga Anicut Dam:

Kudremukh Annapurneshwari Temple: Jamalabad Fort: Kudremukh national park:

Bidar Bidar Fort: The origins of this magnificent fort can be traced to the

flourishing Sultanate Empire which ruled Bidar after it changed hands from the Chalukyas to the Yadavas and then the Kakatiyas.

Solah Khamba Mosque: The Solah Khamba Mosque or sixteen columned prayer hall is the oldest Muslim building in Bidar and one of the  largest in India.

Dharmasthala

Lord Manjunatha: situated on the banks of the river Nethravathi attracts followers of all caste and creed; Jains, Hindus, Christians and Muslims too visit this temple to offer their prayers

Halebid-and-Belur Chennakeshava Temple:

Dedicated to  Lord Chennakeshava meaning 'handsome Vishnu', this temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture.

Hoysaleswara Temple: Hoysaleswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is among the largest of its kind in South India.Named after Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleswara.

Jain Temples: The three Jain temples at Basadi Halli, situated near the Hoysaleshwara temple, are famous for their highly polished blackstone pillars and carved ceilings.

Chitradurga

Kallina Kote: Kallina Kote which means the Palace of Stone is the  majestic Chitradurga fort.

This massive fort, regarded by many as a marvel of military architecture, was built in parts by the Palegar Nayakas, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

Pattadakal

Jain Temple: Located on the Pattadakal-Badami Road, the Jain Temple is estimated to have been built in the 9th century during the reign of Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta. Constructed in Dravidian architectural style

Hubli Bhavanishankara Temple:

Built in the Chalukya architectural style, the Bhavani Shankara  temple of Hubli is a fine representation of the sculptural prowess prevalent during those times.

Nrupatunga Betta: Nrupatunga Betta is a beautiful picinic spot on the Unkal Hill in Hubli.

Siddharoodha Math: Siddharoodha Math is an important religious institution located just 2 km from Hubli. It is a centre of Advaita philosophy as preached by Swami Siddharoodha.

Gulbarga Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah: The Khwaja Bande Nawaz

Dargah is the tomb of the great Sufi saint, Khwaza Syed Mohammad Gesu Daraz, popularly known as Khwaza Bande Nawaz. The venue of an annual 'Urs', over thousands of people from all faiths visit the dargah to offer their respects.

Bhatkal Kethapayya Narayan Temple: Located at Mudbhatkal,

Kethapayya Narayan Temple represents the Vijayanagara style of architecture resplendent with intricately carved sculptures.

Thank you