karnataka
Area: 191,791 sq km
Capital: Bangalore
Language: Kannada
Districts: 27
Karnataka is the eighth largest state in India both in area and population. It was formerly known as My-sore. On Nov. 1, 1973 the name Mysore was changed to Karnataka.
Physiography:
Karnataka is situated on the western edge of the Deccan plateau and has for its neighbours Maharashtra and Goa on the north, Andhra Pradesh on the east and T. Nadu and Kerala on the south. On the west, it opens out on the Arabian Sea.
The two important river systems of the State are the Krishna and its tributaries (Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra and Vedavati) in the north, and the Cauvery and its tributaries (Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati, Lakshmana Thirtha and Kabini) in the south.
Both these rivers flow eastward and fall into the Bay of Bengal, the Krishna passing through Andhra Pradesh and the Cauvery traversing Tamil Nadu.History: The name Karnataka is derived from Karunadu, literally, lofty land. As much of Karnataka is high plateau land, the name is fully justified.
The history of Karnataka goes back to the period of the epics. The capital of Bali and Sugreeva, 'monkey kings' of the Ramayana, is said to have been Hampi in Bellary district. Vatapi, associated with the Sage Agastya, is obviously Badami in Bijapur district.In the 4th century B.C. Karnataka was part of the great Mauryan Empire. Siwamagiri (Kanakagiri in Raichur district) is said to have been the southern capital of the Mauryas. About 30 B.C. a local dynasty, Satavahana, came to power. The Satavahana Empire lasted nearly 300 years.
With the disintegration of the Satavahana dynasty, the Kadambas came to power in the north, and the Gangas in the south. The gigantic monolithic statue of Goma-teswara at Sravanabelagola is considered to be a monument of the Ganga period.By the beginning of the sixth century A.D., the Chalukyas established a new empire. After the Chalukyan empire, the Yadavas of Devagiri and the Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra divided Karnataka between them.In the 14th century, the great Vijayanagar empire was established. It was an age of glory and prosperity.
A confederation of the Muslim sultans of the Deccan destroyed the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 (Battle of Talikota). The vast ruins at Hampi, near Hospet, remain today as sombre reminders of Vijayangar glory.In A.D. 1399 Yaduraya, the ruler of a small principality, Mysore, founded the Wodeyar dynasty. Raja Wodeyar (A.D. 1578–1612) enlarged the pri-ncipality into a mighty kingdom, with Sriranga-patanam as his capital. The Wodeyars were over-thrown by Hyder Ali, the intrepid Muslim general of Mysore. With the defeat of Tippu, the son of Hyder Ali, by the British, the Wodeyars were restored to power as a feudatory of the British.
During British rule, the Karnataka area was distributed among the Princely States of Mysore, Hyderabad, and the British provinces of Bombay and Madras and the small principality of Coorg.
The formation of the present State represented the fulfilment of the age- old aspirations of Kannada-speaking people to come together in a single state. The old Kingdom of Mysore formed the nucleus of the new state.
Under the States Reorganization Act, the Kingdom of Mysore gathered around the districts of Kanara, Bijapur, Dharwar and the major portion of Belgaum district in the Gulbarga, Raichur and Bidar districts, from the princely State of Hyderabad, Dakshina Kannada district (excluding Kasargod Taluk) from the old Madras Presidency and the whole of the 'Part C' State of Coorg.
Administration:
The Legislature has two houses, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative .
The state is divided into 27 districts. The last seven were announced in Apr. '97: (Bagalkote, Devanagre, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal, Udupi and Chamarajanagara).
Districts
- Bangalore
- Bangalore Rural
- Belgaum
- Bellary
- Bijapur
- Bidar
- Chickmagalur
- Chitradurga
- Dakshina Kannada
- Dharwad
- Gulbarga
- Hassan
- Kodagu
- Kolar
- Mandya
- Mysore
- Raichur
- Shimoga
- Tumkur
- Uttara Kannada
Seven new districts:
- Bagalkot (from Bijapur dist.),
- Chamarajanagar (from Mysore dist.),
- Davangere (from Chitraguda dist.),
- Gadag and Haveri (from Dharwad dist.),
- Koppal (from Raichur dist.) and
- Udupi (from Dakshina Kannada dist.).
- Haveri
Economy:
Karnataka is predominantly rural and agrarian. About 76 % of its population lives in rural areas while about 71% of its working force is engaged in agriculture and allied activities which generate 49% of the state income. Among the agriculture crops, Karnataka accounts for 59% of the country's coffee production and 47% of the country's ragi production. Rice, jowar, ragi, millet, groundnut and sesame are other crops. The state is fifth in oilseed production.
There are a number of big industries. Machine tools, aircraft, electronic products, watches and telecommunication equipment are some of the items produced. Important public sector units are Hindustan Aeronautics, Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat Earth Movers, Bharat Electronics, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Indian Telephone Industries and National Aeronautical Laboratory.
The state-owned Viswesvaraya Iron & Steel Ltd., Bhadravati, produces special steel and alloy steel.Peenya, the biggest industrial estate in Karnataka, is one of the largest in the country. Kudremukh Iron Ore company is another major development project. Karnataka accounts for 85 per cent (467 tonnes) of the raw silk produced in the country. Karnataka's sandal soap and sandal oil are well known in world markets.
The third naval base in India with an outlay of Rs. 2000 crore is being set up at Karwar. Karnataka is a pioneer in generation of hydro-electric power.
The first hydro electric power plant in Asia was commissioned in 1902 at Shivanasamudhram.
The state Electricity Board has a total power availability of 4271 MW. 683 MW is being added to the grid this year, and 1200 MW will be added next year. The controversial 1000-MW Mangalore power project promoted by Cogentrix of USA and China Light and Power International got Centre's clearance in Oct. '96.
The Konkan Railway, the new rail link between Mumbai and Mangalore was dedicated to the nation on May 1, 1998.
Karnataka has plans to set up a Rs. 45 crore - institute of information technology in Bangalore to train IT professionals. Bangalore ('India's Silicon Valley') enjoys supremacy in the IT sector. It is reported that software exports from Bangalore are growing at 100% a year. In '97-'98, Bangalore's software exports (Rs. 2000 cr.) accounted for 57% of national exports. The city has 230 infotech companies employing nearly 25,000 professionals.
Construction of a joint venture international airport at Devenhalli near Bangalore is to take off soon. It will be owned 13% by GOI, 13% by State Govt., and the rest by others and an international consortium.
Universities:
- Bangalore University, Bangalore, Pin: 560 056
- Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Pin:585 106
- Indian Inst. of Science, Bangalore, Pin: 560 012
- Kannada University, Kamalapura, Pin: 583 221
- Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, Pin: 570 006
- Karnataka University Dharwad, Pin: 580 003
- Kuvempu University, Shimoga, Pin: 260 001
- Mangalore University, Mangalore, Pin: 574 199
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Pin: 576 119
- University of Mysore, Mysore, Pin: 570 005
- National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Pin: 560 029
- National Law School of India University, Bangalore, Pin: 560 072
- Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Pin: 560 041
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Pin: 560 065
- University of Agl. Sciences, Dharwad,Pin: 580 005
- Visveswariah Technnological University, Belgaum, Pin: 590 010.
Tourist Centres:
The 'garden city' of Bangalore has been adjudged the cleanest city in India more than once. A trip from Bangalore to Mysore, the capital of the Wodeyars via Sriranga-patnam, the capital of Tipu Sultan, is quite rewarding.Mysore city is famous for the Dasara festival during September-October.
The famous Krishnaraja Sagar dam and Brindavan gardens are nearby.Among the national parks is Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary, 80 km south of Mysore. Belur, on the bank of river Yagachi, was once the flourishing capital of Hoysala Empire.
Sravanabelagola where the 18-metre statue of Gomateswara stands is a Jain pilgrim centre. Gersoppa (Jog Falls) is world famous. Banglore's attractions include Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park and Lalbhag.
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