Indian Century - Karnataka

KARNATAKA: PLACES TO VISIT

Karnataka is now most well-known for its capital city, Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), widely regarded as the silicon valley of India. The state is in the southwest part of India bordering Maharashtra in the north, Kerala in the south, and both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the east.

KARNATAKA STATS:

TOTAL AREA: 191,791 sq. km (74,051 sq. mi)	Rank: 7th
POPULATION (2011): 61,130,704	Rank: 8th
CAPITAL CITY: BENGALURU
LITERACY RATE: 75.6%	Rank: 16th
HDI: 0.519	Rank: 12th
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Kannada
Official Website: www.karunadu.gov.in

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NORTH: Pattadakal

Badami: Chalukya's Capital, 6-8th centuries

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SOUTHWEST: Mangalore

SOUTH: MYSORE

Mysore Palace:

Powder Market, Mysore

Sravanabelagola: This monolithic statue of Lord Gomateshwara (a Jain saint) is 18 m high. It is an important pilgrimage spot for Jains.

SOUTH EAST: Bangalore: (State Capital)

Vidhan Soudh, State Legislative House: This elaborate
granite building is the home of Karnataka state
legislature and the Secretariat.

Bangalore Palace: This palace was built in 1887
in the style of Windsor Castle and is famous for
the carvings and paintings inside.

Nandi bull: This 15 feet tall stone carving of a bull is a major attraction for tourists to Karnataka.

Somnathpur: Hoysala Dynasty

Hoysala Temple

Virupaksha Temple

EAST: Hampi:

Kukke Subramanya Temple

Bijapur
Konark Sun Temple, inside view

BENGALURU

FESTIVALS

Kambala Festival:

(November to March)

This is an annual buffalo race held for two days, organized in southern Karnataka and Udipi districts by the farming communities. More than a hundred buffaloes are specially groomed, decorated, and exhibited before the festivals and are made to race on tracks in the paddy fields and guided by the farmers. Kamba means muddy and kala means field. The event has become an organized rural sport, with elaborate planning and scheduling as the competition is held in many places. There are many types of Kambalas and the winning buffaloes are rewarded. In recent years, there have been protests from animal lovers and cases have been filed and fought even in the Supreme court.

Hampi Utsav:

(November)

The Vijaya Utsav, more commonly known as the Hampi Utsav, is a cultural extravaganza, held during the first week of November, for 3 days. The celebrations are usually packed with a grand finale pomp procession, fireworks, dance puppet shows, and music shows. The festival is a celebration of the cultural richness of the region. Recently, a lot of adventure sports have been included in the schedule like rural sports, water sports, and rock climbing. Entry is free and the state sponsors all programs. An otherwise low profile town, the festival makes it a center of attraction for thousands of tourists who visit every year to experience the festivities.

Since the Vijayanagar reign, the festival has been a part of the life of Hampi’s locals. With a colorful and lively ambiance, the festival is conducive to an overflow of happiness and joy. The festival is celebrated in the ruins of the ancient city of Hampi. The region relives the past of the Vijayanagar Empire and its ancient and medieval grandeur during these three days of celebration.

STATE SYMBOLS: (COURTESY WIKIPEDIA)

State flag	Kannada flag
State animal	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
State bird	Indian Roller (Coracias indica)
State flower	Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
State tree	Sandalwood (Santalum album)
State dance	Yakshagana
State Song	Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate
State Seal	Gandaberunda