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Bangalore
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Mysore |
Coorg |
Mangalore |
Dharmastala
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Udipi |
Hospet |
Belgaum |
Bijapur
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Area : 192,000
sq.kms.
Language : Kannada
Season : September to February
The enchanting perfume of sandal and agarbathis the aroma of fresh
roasted coffee beans the heady fragrance of the ‘Mysore Malligo’.
Yes! Karnataka is a land of fragrance. A land that has all the
ingredients for a great holiday.
A relaxed length on the Arabian Sea coast it’s dotted with some of
the most breathtaking beaches. There’s veritable feast on offer for
enthusiastic holidaymakers. Right from the Karwar Malpe the majestic
rocky landscapes of the Deccan Plateau the thick lush green tropical
forests of Nagarhole and Bandipur along with an unimaginable variety
of rare flora and fauna the terraced coffee plantations of
Chikmagalur and Coorg the richly carved temples of Belur and Halebid
the grand palaces and mahals with ornate interiors eloquent ruins
that pay testimony to an illustrious past impregnable forts that
have been witnesses to many a gory battles monolithic statues awe
inspiring waterfalls elaborate churches mosques and tombs… the list
goes on . Karnataka a whole world of enchantment capsuled in one
single State in Southern India provides an extraordinary experience
for all kinds of tourists. It represents almost all the charms of
India.
Karnataka’s art culture and architecture reflects the creative
influence of its five neighbouring states.Karnataka is a state of
charming contrasts where South and North most truly meet. The open
plateau inland of the Ghats have witnessed a constant succession of
influences from the North. Its northern districts saw the rise of
architectural styles which shaped the distinctive traditions of
Chalukyan and Hoysala temples seen at sites around Pattadakal Belur
and Halebid along with the Vijaynagara’s Kingdom of Hampi. Islam too
spread its powerful influence to the southernmost towns and cities
leaving its own trove of Muslim architectural treasures.
The state offers a terrific balance of natural attractions and
magnificent historic architecture. It appeals equally to temple
lovers wildlife enthusiast’s trekkers and beach bums yet Karnataka
receives few travellers compared to Goa Kerala and Tamilnadu.
The state consists of a narrow coastal strip backed by the
monsoon-drenched Western Ghats and a drier cooler interior plateau
that runs semi-arid in the far north. The capital boomtown Bangalore
is a centre of India’s software and technology industries and is one
of Asia’s fastest growing cities.Bangalore the capital city is the
gateway to the wonders of this enchanting land. The Garden City
presents a beautiful example of a rich past co-existing with a
vibrant future.
Shopping in Bangalore is a tourists dream come true with shop after
shop displaying shimmering skills and exquisite handicrafts
beautifully designed ethnic jewellery in gold and silver. The
cuisine includes specialities like Pandhi curry (Pork curry)
Kadumbuttu (Rice Dumplings) Koli Curry ( Chikken Curry) Nool Puttu (
Rice Noodles) Bembla Curry (Bamboo Shoot Curry) Votti (Rice Rotti)
Patholi (Sweetened coconut filled rice dumplings made in fragnant
leaves) Nutli ( rice dumplings) Valcha Bhaji (green vegetable) Kori
roti ( Rice Chappati dried in sun) Pathrade ( Mixture of rice and
vegetable cubes). The warm friendly and open-minded people for whom
hospitality is a lifestyle are proud of their heritage and make the
best of their location. A holiday in Karnataka is culturally
enriching. The colourful folk dances and art forms the age-old
traditions and rituals the literature and the music… substantiate
its claim to be ‘The Showcase of South India’ Come and you’ll be
pleasantly surprised.
History
The region between the Tungabhadra and Krishna Rivers was home to
some of the earliest settlements in peninsula India some over
500,000 years old. By the middle stone age there was already a
regional by division between the black cotton soil area of north and
the granite quartzite plateau of the south – now modern districts of
Raichur and Bellary. The first agricultural communities and
settlements date back to 3,000 BC. Millet and gram were already
widely grown by 1st millennium BC.Karnataka achieved its glory
however when India’s first emperor Chandragupta Maurya renounced the
worldly possessions and retired to Sravanbelagola. It is the birth
place of Jainism.
Since then the state has been ruled by the western Gahgas ( 3rd to
11th century) the Banas ( under the Pallavas) from 4th to 9th
centuries the Chalukyas who built several fabulous temples the
Rashtrakutas the Hoysalas (11th-14th ) century before it fell into
the hands of the Moguls.
The Moguls came into rule with Muhammad bin Tuglaq in 13th century
during the Vijaynagar. The Muslim rulers continued to flex their
power and annexed the country as far as Gujrat Malwa in the west and
Orissa in the north-east.
Muhammad Gawan the Wajir of the Bahamani Sultanate seized Karnataka
in 1446 and annexed it as far as Goa.
By 1530 the kingdom was divided into mini Sultanates-Adil Shahis of
Bijapur Qutb Shahi of Golkonda Imad Shahi of Ahmednagar Barid Shahi
of Bidar and the Imad Shahi of Berar. Briefly the Wodeyar rulers of
Mysore took Srirangapatnam but Hyder Ali and then his son Tipu
reinstated the Mogul rule. In 1799 the British defeated Tipu and
re-established the Wodeyar’s rule till the 1950. |
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