December 28, 2016 at 12:26 am

India is a very ancient land and civilization having a lot of history, social, cultural, ethnic, regional and linguistic diversity to mention a few important aspects. There are various other aspects which will be covered in this “Know Your Nation Series”.  Here is the set of first ten interesting facts.

1) Kakkabe: is in Karnataka, the important Igguthappa Temple of rain God is two and half kilometers from Kakkabe. It was built by Doddaveeraraja in the the year 1792. The Nalknad Palace served as the summer home of the Kodava Kings and it was also used as the royal hunting lodge. The Location is three and half kilometers from Kakkabe on the road to Virajpet.

2) Mysore: It is the second most populous and also the second largest city in Karnataka. It was the previous capital city of the State of Karnataka. The palace of Mysore is a historical place and is the seat of the Wodeyar rulers. It is also home to the centuries old Devaraja market which is famous among other things for spices, sandal wood, silk. It is a interesting all through the year but especially during the Dasara. Mysore Dasara and its festivities are famous all over the world.

3) Kabini: The Kapila river also called Kabini is one of the many rivers in South India which originates by the confluence of Mananthavady and Panamaram rivers in the Wayanad district of the neighboring Kerala state. Kabini wildlife santuary is one of the best wildlife santuaries in Karnataka and is a popular haunt for wildlife enthusiasts and others who would want to be near  nature. It has a number of wildlife and flora. It was at one time a favorite hunting area for the British during the Raj times.

4) Hubli: It too is one of the big cities of Karnataka and forms a continuous urban area along with the city of Dharwad.  It is now officially known as Hubballi. It was established under the Government of India Act 1850 and its Municipal Council was established on 15th of August 1855. Now Hubballi and Dharwad are referred to as the twin cities and a new municipal corporation has been formed. Some of the point of interest are Unkal Lake, ISKCON Temple, Chandra Temple to name a few.

5) Bellary: It is one of the historic cities in the state of Karnataka. It is a city which is rich in natural resources which have to be tapped for the development of the city. For those interested in history, sightseeing and monuments it is a important city to visit. It has now been renamed as Ballari. The Bellary fort was originally known as “Ballari Gudda” or the fort hill. It is a pilgrimage place and a well developed city worth a visit.

6) Coorg: Anyone who hears the name of the city identifies it with coffee plantations. Before 1956 it was a separately administered state. It is famous for hill stations and is one of the popular ones in South India. It is also rich in history and some of the places to visit are Brahmagiri Hills, Chettali, Abbey and Iruppu falls and a lot more. It is also famous for trekking and camping. People who like nature would like nature would want to visit Kodagu another name by which it is called.

7) Kolar: It is a city which is located about 68 kms from Bengaluru. This city is also the  Kolar district headquarters. It is located in southern part and is the eastern most district of Karnataka. It is world famous and is identified by its gold mines. It was earlier called as Kuvalala and was the first capital of the Gangas till about the 4th century AD.  It has many temples and lakes. Sri Mahaganapathi Temple, Chikka Balaji and Kolaramma are some of them. Its weather is semiarid and has seen many droughts. It is a city which is growing and is worth visiting for its history, culture and traditions.

8) Hassan: It is the district headquarters and Hassan is one of the important districts of South India. It has transformed into a city and is growing at a rapid pace. When we hear this name we are reminded of Belur Math and Sravanabelagola which are world famous places of religious and tourist interest.  The temples at Belur –  Halebeed  stand as a silent testimony for the glorious period gone by. It has many other temples and places of interest to visit and people who are interested in history, architecture and historical places of interest do need to place it in their itinerary.

9) Bengaluru : It was earlier named by the Britisher’s as  Bangalore which was changed to the present name. It one of the metros and is the capital city of Karnataka. There are umpteen number of places of tourist interest for all kinds of tourists and visitors. It is one of the bustling metro which continues to grow at a rapid pace and is also known as the Silicon Valley of India. Known for its Vidhan Soudha, Cubbon park and the unending list of places it is also called the garden city. A must visit for its happening night life, parks, history, iconic structures.

10) Mandya: It is a city which is the district headquarters of Mandya District. It is located at around 100 kms from Bengaluru. Again a right place for tourists and nature lovers. The city has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. One of the major sources which drives the economy is the sugar factories situated there. It has many temples  like the Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangapattnam,  Cheluvanarayanaswamy Temple to name a few. You can also visit Ranganathittu Bird Santuary, Shivanasamudra Falls, Daria Daulat Bagh and much much more. Surely an ideal tourist attraction with nature and history.

Karnataka is a big and an important state of India and there are many more places which need to be mentioned for the prospective tourists and visitors. I have tried to cover a few through this article hope you find this useful. There are many websites which give detailed information which can be referred or you can contact tourism offices or authorized travel agents for bookings. Wish you a pleasant and comfortable stay during your tour whenever you decide to visit the place. Make sure all arrangements are confirmed and reconfirmed before departure with the authorized travel agent.