What are the best places to visit in Karnataka, India?

 

One state Many Worlds

Karnataka might not be as developed as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa , Telangana, North East states Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh but it is a beautiful state with very rich biodiversity and ecosystem and natural vegetation.

In my opinion Karnataka is the most beautiful state in Southern India and one of the most beautiful in entire India after Kashmir, Jammu, Uttarakhand and other North East states.

Places to visit

Mandya is the capital of Karnataka and cultural capital of Karnataka.

Hassana

• Hubballi Dharwada
• Davangere
• Chikkamagaluru

• Gadaga
• Gulbarga
• Raichuru
• Western Ghats

Hence Karnataka is called one state many worlds.

What are some unique things that only happen in Karnataka?

 Karnataka is unique in many things. I will share few points which I know. List would be definitely longer than this.

• Biggest Coffee producer in India

Coffee in India is grown mainly in South Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu with Karnataka alone accounting for 70% of the total coffee production. It is grown in Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts.

Coffee estate

• Hub of Sandalwood

Karnataka has abundance of Sandalwood tress in India. It is for this reason Kannada film industry is also named as Sandalwood. Many sandal products are manufactured and exported all over the world like Sandal soap and oil.

• Highest producer of silk in India.

Karnataka produces 9,000 metric tons of mulberry silk of a total of 14,000 metric tons produced in the country, thus contributing to nearly 70% of the country's total mulberry silk. In Karnataka, silk is mainly grown in the Mysore district.

• The Oriental Research Institute

The oldest surviving manuscript of the Arthashastra is in the Oriental Research Institute, originally set up as the Mysore Oriental Library in 18th century.

It has around 50,000 palm leaf manuscripts.

• Highest number of Tigers in India

Karnataka has the highest number of tigers with more than 408. Other states with significant populations included Uttarakhand (340), Madhya Pradesh (308), Tamil Nadu (229), Maharashtra (190), Assam (167), Kerala (136) and Uttar Pradesh (117).

• Only state where election ink is manufactured.

Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited located in Mysore is the only authorised centres having rights to manufacture the indelible black ink used to cast vote during Elections in India. So when you vote next time and see the ink on your finger, remember Karnataka :P.

• Only state to have an official permission to manufacture and supply Indian flags.

Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukhta Sangha in Hubli is the only unit in India that has an official permission to manufacture and supply Indian flags. It is in Bengeri in Hubli, is the only unit in India that is authorised to manufacture and supply the Flag of India.

official flag manufacturer in India

• Only state which celebrates state formation day in a very grand manner.

Karnataka is the only state which celebrates it’s state formation day in a very grand manner compared to other states with official holiday and numerous cultural activities. It is also called as Karnataka Rajyotsava which literally means festival of state. It is celebrated on Nov 1st every year.

We can see Karnataka flags on almost every vehicle and so many activities.

Karnataka Rajyotsava - Wikipedia

• Only state where a state flag is used.

Karnataka has unofficial state flag and it is used and respected by all. It is very common to see the flag on vehicles, flag polls in many streets.

• Only state where state anthem has the word Bharata.

Karnataka is one of the few states in India to have it’s own state anthem and it is the only state anthem to have the word Bharata (India). The anthem invokes Mother India first and then invokes Mother Karnataka.

ಜಯ ಭಾರತ ಜನನಿಯ ತನುಜಾತೆ,
ಜಯ ಹೇ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಮಾತೆ!

Jaya bharata jananiya tanujate
Jai he Karnataka mate

Victory to you Mother Karnataka, the daughter of Mother India! is the meaning.

• Sanskrit speaking villages

There are two villages in Karnataka, Matturu and hosahalli, where Sanskrit is used for speaking.

• Sanskrit newspaper

Mysore in Karnataka is the only place in India where Sanskrit newspaper is published.

• Has the best quality buses run by the government.

KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) is the best when it comes to quality of buses in India. It is praised by non Karnataka people also. It has one of the best ticket booking websites.

• IT capital

Karnataka with Bangalore is the IT capital and has the maximum software exports.

• Rave Idli.

Karnataka is the only state where idly is made from both rice and rave. During the world war 2 when there was a lack of rice to prepare the idlis, MTR used Semolina(rave) instead of rice and in that experiment we got this delicious breakfast item called Rave Idli.

What are the contributions of the cholas to Karnataka?

 Cholas have the habit of building temples wherever they go because they were hard core spiritual people who were continously engaging in religious activities and all.

The even dig lakes in the regions they go and hence in their rule of the regions of than Karnataka, they have built many temples and also have constructed many lakes in Karnataka especially in Southern Karnataka where they had ruled for a longer period of time( 987 to 1118CE) by overthrowing the western Gangas.

Bhoga Nandishwara Temple,Chikkabalapura

They even contributed donations to the temples built by other Kings and they were patrons of Shaivism

Most of these temple have been built during the time of Arulmozhi Varman aka Raja Raja Chola, Rajendra Chola and Rajadhiraja Chola cause we get this information from the Tamil inscriptions that are found in the temples in Karnataka.

Cholas are said to have left inscriptions by recording everything from place names to the contributions made in all the places they ruled unlike other kingdoms and this gives us a clear view on what all they did.

Pancha Lingeshwara Temple,Begur.

We can find Chola temple mainly in Southern Karnataka in districts such as Bangalore Urban, rural Bangalore, Ramanagara, Kolar,Mysore, Chamrajanagar,Tumkur,Dakshina Kannada and in Mandya and they even created temple towns in Karnataka region just like in Tamil region.

Actually much research isn't done on the Chola temples in Karnataka and I got many information shared by people in Facebook through the pages I follow rather than in Google.

A ruined Chola Temple and Mantapa in Mysore.(Name unknown)

Bangalore region alone has nearly 25 temples built by Cholas and two of such temples are very near to my place Indiranagar- The Chokkanathawamy Temple dedicated to Perumal( The Shila is brought from the Nepal) of Domlur and the Someshwara Temple in Ulsoor dedicated to Lord Shiva which houses the 68 Nayanmars of Tamil country- Both these temples are just near 2 kms from my house which I usually visit. Even the Madiwala lake is constructed during Chola era as per the inscription in the Madiwala Shiva Temple.

Mukthinateshwara Temple, Binnamangala

Nearly 100+ temples are there in Southern Karnataka which has been built Cholas in their brief period of rule which is really astonishing. Even in Northern Karnataka here and there we can Chola temples like below one.

Kalleshwara Temple,Davangere,North Karnataka

From one of the inscription we can also get to know that the Bangalore region was called as “Illaippakka Nadu” .

Southern Karnataka was called as “Thadikaipaadi" by Cholas and they had renamed it to Raja Raja Chola Valanaadu and still some names of places named by Cholas are still is use in Karnataka!

Someshwara Temple, Halasuru

I will share some links of the temples constructed by Cholas in the region.

Sources:-

Top 25 List of chola temples in Bangalore With Detailed information 2021

1,000-year-old Chola temple in K’taka ‘missing’: Ex-TN police officer

Locals and tourists rue sorry state of Chola temples in Karnataka, urge authorities to preserve them

Karnataka: Archaeologists confirm remnants of Chola temple near Kunigal Lake | Bengaluru News - Times of India

Puratattva

Chola Temples in Karnataka - Department of Archaeology

Roots up south: Kadugodi got its name from temple cholas helped build

Why is Bangalore cooler than other places in Karnataka?

 There are other places in Karnataka and other parts of Southern India which are also cooler like Coorg, Ooty,Munnar,Araku Valley,etc but these places are hill stations and Bangalore isn’t,then why still Bangalore is cooler than other parts of India?

Its due to various reasons that make Bengaluru way more cooler than other places.

1.Bengaluru’s Elevation- Bengaluru elevation is at 900 meters or 3000 ft from the sea level and higher the elevation of a place its cooler also- One can experience this change in elevation when one travels from Vellore or Salem to Bengaluru. From Vaniyambadi(a town in Tamil Nadu), as one travels through car/bike/bus he can notice that the elevation keeps on gradually increasing as one comes by Hosur 90% elevation is achieved(that’s why even Hosur has similar climate like Bengaluru).

2.Lot of trees and water bodies- Its told that Bengaluru was once a dense forest with many snakes and wild animals likes leopards and elephants. Slowly it turned to village then to a city. It lost its forest cover, water bodies(lakes) . The surrounding areas like Bannerghatta is a elephant corridor and the areas like Hosakote and Malur now also leopards are spotted.

3. Surrounded by hills-Bangalore is surrounded by hills- Eastern ghats towards south and east. Other mountain ranges on its west and north(like the Nandi hills).

4.Rains - Bangalore is at a position and the only place that receives both the South west and north east monsoons and no other places enjoys both the monsoon rains so equally. Even Summer rains make the city cool as soon the city gets hot(Thanks to the green cover of the city).

5.Soil- Bangalore’s soil is very fertile and the soil type is lake soil which is very rich in minerals and has a capacity to retain water even during summers. Dig anywhere in Bengaluru and within 1 to 2 metre’s you will get fresh water (nowadays it has turned salty in some parts) making the soil/land to remain cooler.

All these factors are perfect for the city to remain cooler.

Which is the longest distance covering train within Karnataka?

 17307/Mysore-Bagalkot Basava Express is the longest distance covering train within Karnataka which takes 1020 km, by 21hr 30 min time

It is a South Western Railway Zone train, interesting fact is it passes through 2 state (Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (Solapur) to reach Bagalkot in Karnataka.

I think so no train can make this much record covering 1000 km plus distance within Karnataka

Next 2nd long distance train is 16566/Mangalore Central-Yesvantpur Weekly Express which takes 833 km when shorter route is 363 km

Travel Duration:- 16 hr 53 min

This train acts as a alternative train because of its route, its goes via Palakkad, Salem, Krishnarajapuram instead of Ghat section route via Subramanya Road, Hassan Route.

Very less popular train among Mangalore to Bangalore section.

3rd Train is 16592/Mysore Hubli Hampi Express via Guntakal

Travel Duration:- 15 hr 30 min and 679 km via Bangalore, Guntakal, Hospete when shorter route is 473 km.

Very useful train for Hampi going tourist destination from Mysore and also Ballary, Gadag.

4th long distance train is 16227/Mysore-Talguppa Express via Ksr Bengaluru

It takes 12 hours approx, and covers 508 km when shorter route is 373 km

It's a overnight train between Mysore and Talguppa, slow journey, but peacefully able to sleep.

What if the Indian state of Karnataka never existed?

 

• Kannada language wouldn't even exist.
• Tamilians, Telugites and Malayalis would be very happy if Kannadigas and Karnataka didn't exist
• India would lose more than 500 wild tigers and a rich diversity and ecosystem would be lost, especially the Western Ghats belt.
• Great Legendary personalities like Rajkumar, Srinath, Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh would not be there.

• Important cities like Mandya (capital), Hassana, Chikkamagaluru, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad, Gadaga, Davangere would not be there.