KARNATAKA

THE ELEVATED LAND

LAND OF FRAGRANCE

INTRODUCTION

Karnataka is a state in southern India.

It was
created on November 1, 1956, with the passi
ng 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,

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
191,976km, 5.83% of the total geograph
cal area of
India.
It is the 8th largest Indian state by area,

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 th
e most number of
Jnanpith awards in India.

Contd

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

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:

Bhuthanatha Temples:

Durga Temple:

Galaganatha Temple:

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.
The two
Shiva temples which are together called
Bhutanatha Temples are located on the
bank of the ancient Bhutanatha Lake.
The early 8th century
Durga Temple at Aihole .
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 GrecoRoman (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:
Indias 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 neoDravidian 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 stateprotected 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 the12th 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

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 preindependence 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 Mysores
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
ofmakes 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 Armys
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

Chandramauleshvar
a
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 MiniNiagara 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 newlyaffiliated 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

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
palacewas built by Keladi
ruler, Shivappa Nayaka
during the 16th century.
Tavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Sa
fari
:

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 PattadakalBadami 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