1.
India
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and it is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, in the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a border with Thailand. The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE, in the following millennium, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed. Social stratification, based on caste, emerged in the first millennium BCE, early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires, the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia. In the medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate, the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal empire, in the mid-18th century, the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule, and in the mid-19th under British crown rule. A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century, which later, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolent resistance, in 2015, the Indian economy was the worlds seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity. Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks sixth in military expenditure among nations. India is a constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system. It is a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, the latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as The people of the Indus, the geographical term Bharat, which is recognised by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in its variations. Scholars believe it to be named after the Vedic tribe of Bharatas in the second millennium B. C. E and it is also traditionally associated with the rule of the legendary emperor Bharata. Gaṇarājya is the Sanskrit/Hindi term for republic dating back to the ancient times, hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century B. C. E. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then and its meaning varied, referring to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan or India in its entirety
2.
States and union territories of India
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India is a federal union comprising twenty-nine states and seven union territories. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and further into smaller administrative divisions, the Constitution of India distributes the sovereign executive and legislative powers exercisable with respect to the territory of any State between the Union and that State. The Indian subcontinent has been ruled by different ethnic groups throughout its history. Between 1947 and 1950, the territories of the states were politically integrated into the Indian Union. The new Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950, the new republic was also declared to be a Union of States. The nine Part A states were Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Orissa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The eight Part B states were former princely states or groups of states, governed by a rajpramukh, who was usually the ruler of a constituent state. The rajpramukh was appointed by the President of India, the Part B states were Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Rajasthan, Saurashtra, and Travancore-Cochin. The ten Part C states included both the former chief commissioners provinces and some states, and each was governed by a chief commissioner appointed by the President of India. The Part C states were Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Cutch, Manipur, Tripura, the only Part D state was the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were administered by a lieutenant governor appointed by the central government. The Union Territory of Puducherry was created in 1954 comprising the previous French enclaves of Pondichéry, Karaikal, Yanam, Andhra State was created on 1 October 1953 from the Telugu-speaking northern districts of Madras State. The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 reorganised the states based on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states, as a result of this act, Madras State retained its name with Kanyakumari district added to from Travancore-Cochin. Andhra Pradesh was created with the merger of Andhra State with the Telugu-speaking districts of Hyderabad State in 1956, kerala was created with the merger of Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara districts of Madras State with Travancore-Cochin. The Laccadive Islands which were divided between South Canara and Malabar districts of Madras State were united and organised into the territory of Lakshadweep. Bombay State was enlarged by the addition of Saurashtra State and Kutch State, Rajasthan and Punjab gained territories from Ajmer and Patiala and East Punjab States Union respectively and certain territories of Bihar was transferred to West Bengal. Bombay State was split into the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra on 1 May 1960 by the Bombay Reorganisation Act. Nagaland was formed on 1 December 1963, the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 resulted in the creation of Haryana on 1 November and the transfer of the northern districts of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh. The act also designated Chandigarh as a territory and the shared capital of Punjab
3.
Karnataka
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Karnataka is a state in south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest city is Bangalore, the state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres, or 5.83 percent of the total geographical area of India. It is the seventh largest Indian state by area, with 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30 districts. Kannada, one of the languages of India, is the most widely spoken. Most of these rivers flow out of Karnataka eastward into the Bay of Bengal, though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is that Karnataka is derived from the Kannada words karu and nādu, meaning elevated land. Karu nadu may also be read as karu, meaning black, the British used the word Carnatic, sometimes Karnatak, to describe both sides of peninsular India, south of the Krishna. With an antiquity that dates to the paleolithic, Karnataka has been home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient, the philosophers and musical bards patronised by these empires launched socio-religious and literary movements which have endured to the present day. Karnataka has contributed significantly to both forms of Indian classical music, the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, Karnatakas pre-history goes back to a paleolithic hand-axe culture evidenced by discoveries of, among other things, hand axes and cleavers in the region. Evidence of neolithic and megalithic cultures have also found in the state. Gold discovered in Harappa was found to be imported from mines in Karnataka, prior to the third century BCE, most of Karnataka formed part of the Nanda Empire before coming under the Mauryan empire of Emperor Ashoka. Four centuries of Satavahana rule followed, allowing them to large areas of Karnataka. The decline of Satavahana power led to the rise of the earliest native kingdoms, the Kadambas, the Kadamba Dynasty, founded by Mayurasharma, had its capital at Banavasi, the Western Ganga Dynasty was formed with Talakad as its capital. These were also the first kingdoms to use Kannada in administration, as evidenced by the Halmidi inscription, the Western Chalukyas patronised a unique style of architecture and Kannada literature which became a precursor to the Hoysala art of 12th century. Parts of modern-day Southern Karnataka were occupied by the Chola Empire at the turn of 11th century, the Cholas and the Hoysalas fought over the region in the early 12th century before it eventually came under Hoysala rule. At the turn of the first millennium, the Hoysalas gained power in the region, literature flourished during this time, which led to the emergence of distinctive Kannada literary metres, and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to the Vesara style of architecture. The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought minor parts of modern Andhra Pradesh, in the early 14th century, Harihara and Bukka Raya established the Vijayanagara empire with its capital, Hosapattana, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the modern Bellary district. The empire rose as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India, in 1565, Karnataka and the rest of South India experienced a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire fell to a confederation of Islamic sultanates in the Battle of Talikota
4.
Hubli
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Hubli, officially known as Hubballi is the second largest city in Karnataka. It forms continuous urban area with the city of Dharwad, Hubli-Dharwad is the largest conurbation in the state after capital Bangalore and is located 85 kilometres south of Maharashtra-Karnataka border. The name Hubballi literally means Flowering creeper in Kannada, while Dharwad is the administrative headquarters, the city of Hubballi, situated about 20 km south-east of Dharwad, is the commercial centre and business hub of North Karnataka region. Crops including cotton, chili pepper and peanuts are grown aplenty in the rural agricultural areas. It is also an important city for the Indian Railways, as it is the headquarters for South Western Railway Zone, Hubli is a major railway junction in North Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, Hubli also houses the largest number of government offices outside Bangalore. In 2016, Hubli-Dharwad was selected for Solar City / Green City Master Plans, recently, Hubli was selected for a Smart city project. Hoovina Balli became Hubballi Rayara Hubli, also called Eleya Purvada Halli or Purballi was the old Hubli, under Vijayanagara Rayas, Rayara Hubli grew as a commercial centre, famous for trade in cotton, saltpetre and iron. Under the rule of the Adilshahis, the British opened a factory here, the factory was looted by Shivaji in 1673. The Mughals conquered Rayara Hubli and it was placed under the governance of the Nawab of Savanur. Later, trader Basappa Shettar built new Hubli around the Durgadabail part of Rayara Hubli, hublis famous Moorusavira Matha is claimed to have been established by a Sharana of Basaveshwaras period. Hubli was conquered by the Marathas from the Nawab of Savanur in 1755-56, in the following years, Hubli was conquered by Hyder Ali, only to be recaptured by the Marathas in 1790. At this point in time the old town was administered by a person named Phadke under the Peshwas, the British took Old Hubli from the Peshwas in 1817. The new town, with 47 other villages, was handed over to the British by the Sangli Patwardhan in lieu of subsidy in 1820. Later in 1880, the British started the Railway workshop and with this, the impressive Chandramauleshwara/ Chaturlinga temple in Unkal are of Chalukyan times. The population of Hubli-Dharwad, as per provisional census 2011 figures, is 1,349,563, hubli-Dharwads population increased 22. 99% between 1981 and 1991, from 527,108 to 648,298, and by 21. 2% between 1991 and 2001. It is the second largest and second most populated city in the state of Karnataka and it has a large floating population of over 2 lakh which stands second after Bangalore in Karnataka. Kannada is the major language spoken in the city. According to the 2011 census,184,745 people reside in slums in Hubli-Dharwad, Hubli-Dharwad has a tropical wet and dry climate
5.
Gulbarga
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Gulbarga is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka, India. It is the headquarters of the Gulbarga District and a major city of the North Karnataka region. Kalaburgi is 623 km north of the capital of Bangalore and 220 km from Hyderabad. Previously it was the part of Hyderabad State, it was incorporated into a newly formed Mysore State through the States Reorganisation Act in 1956, kalaburgi is famous for toordal or Pigeon pea and the limestone deposits. As per data released by Govt. of India for Census 2011, Gulbarga city is governed by Municipal Corporation and is in Gulbarga Urban Region. It is a rapidly urbanising city which comes under Gulbarga Metropolitan area, the city is well known for its many places of architectural, historical and religious importance. It is called one of the Sufi cities having famous religious places, like Khwaja Banda Nawaz Dargah and it also has a fort built during Bahmani rule. Has many domes like Hafth Gumbad and Chor Gumbad, the history of Gulbarga dates to the 6th century. The Rashtrakutas gained control over the area, but the Chalukyas regained their domain within a short period, the Kalaharis who succeeded them ruled until the 12th century. Around the end of the 12th century, the Yadavas of Devagiri, around the same period, the Kakatiya kings of Warangal came into prominence and the present Gulbarga and Raichur districts formed part of their domain. The Kakatiya power was subdued in 1321 AD and the entire Deccan, including the district of Gulbarga, the revolt of the officers appointed from Delhi resulted in the founding of the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 CE by Zafar Khan ], who chose Gulbarga to be the capital. When the Bahmani dynasty came to an end in 1428, the broke up into five independent Sultanates, Bijapur, Bidar, Berar, Ahmednager. The present Gulbarga/Gulbarga district came partly under Bidar and partly under Bijapur, the last of these sultanates, Golconda, finally fell to Aurangzeb in 1687. With the conquest of the Deccan by Aurangezeb in the 17th century, in 1948, Hyderabad State became a part of the Indian Union, and in 1956, excluding two talukas which were annexed to Andhra Pradesh, Gulbarga district became part of new Mysore State. Gulbarga was renamed Kalaburagi ) effective 1 November 2014, a small tomb beside the said Sufi’s has an excellent work painted flower plants on ceiling. Another vacant Shore Gumbad outside the city has delicate designs on its ceiling is superb. The most notable building, however, of period is Jama Masjid of Gulbarga fort. The glory of the towns in north Karnataka really waned with the decline of Bahmani dynasty, although Barid Shahi and it suffers from pollution through nickel and lead
6.
Belgaum
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Belgaum is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the eponymous Belgaum division and Belgaum district. The Government of Karnataka has proposed making Belgaum the second capital of Karnataka, Belgaum has selected in first phase out of 20 cities, as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modis flagship Smart Cities Mission. The Vadgoan and Madhavpur suburbs of Belgaum were important urban centres between 400 BC and 300 AD, the present city was built in the 12th century AD by the Ratta dynasty, who were based at nearby Saundatti. The fort of Belgaum was built in 1204 by a Ratta officer named Bichiraja, Belgaum served as the capital of that dynasty between 1210 and 1250, before the Rattas were defeated by the Yadava dynasty of Devagiri. Belgaum then briefly came under the sway of the Yadavas of Devagiri and this lacuna was supplied by the Vijayanagara Empire, which became the established power of the area by 1336. A century later, the became a bustling trading hub for diamonds and wood. In 1474, the Bahmani Sultanate, then ruling from Bidar, shortly afterwards, in 1518, the Bahamani sultanate splintered into five small states and Belgaum became part of the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur. The Adilshahis reinforced the fort of Belgaum, much of the structure dates from 1519. In 1686, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb overthrew the Bijapur sultanate, however, the Mughal empire went into decline after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, and his principal detractors, the Maratha confederacy, took control of the area during the rule of the Peshwas. In 1776, the country was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore, in 1818, the British deposed the last Peshwa and annexed his kingdom, which included Belgaum. Kitturu Chennamma was the queen of the state of Kittur in Karnataka. In 1824,33 years before the 1857 War of Independence in Murree, the resistance ended in her martyrdom and she is remembered today as one of the earliest Indian and the First Indian Queen to have fought for independence. Belgaum was chosen as the venue of the 39th session of the Indian National Congress in December 1924 under the presidency of Mahatma Gandhiji. The city served as a military installation for the British Raj, primarily due to its proximity to Goa. Once the British left India, the Indian government continued and still continues to have armed forces installations in Belgaum, in 1961, the Indian government, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, used forces from Belgaum to end Portuguese rule of Goa. When India became independent in 1947, Belgaum and its district were part of Bombay State, in 1956, the Indian states were reorganised along linguistic lines by the States Reorganisation Act and Belgaum District was transferred to Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka in 1972. Earlier known as venugram, from the Sanskrit Velugrama, for Venugrama, of late, the city has carved itself a new name as Kunda nagari because of its famous sweet dish, Kunda, made with milk, sugar and spices
7.
Kannada
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The language has roughly 40 million native speakers who are called Kannadigas, and a total of 50.8 million speakers according to a 2001 census. It is one of the languages of India and the official. The Kannada language is written using the Kannada script, which evolved from the 5th-century Kadamba script, Kannada is attested epigraphically for about one and a half millennia, and literary Old Kannada flourished in the 6th-century Ganga dynasty and during the 9th-century Rashtrakuta Dynasty. Kannada has a literary history of over a thousand years. Based on the recommendations of the Committee of Linguistic Experts, appointed by the ministry of culture, in July 2011, a centre for the study of classical Kannada was established as part of the Central Institute of Indian Languages at Mysore to facilitate research related to the language. Kannada is a Southern Dravidian language, and according to Dravidian scholar Sanford B, steever, its history can be conventionally divided into three periods, Old Kannada from 450–1200 CE, Middle Kannada from 1200–1700, and Modern Kannada from 1700 to the present. Kannada is influenced to an extent by Sanskrit. Influences of other such as Prakrit and Pali can also be found in the Kannada language. Literary Prakrit seems to have prevailed in Karnataka since ancient times, the vernacular Prakrit-speaking people may have come into contact with Kannada speakers, thus influencing their language, even before Kannada was used for administrative or liturgical purposes. Kannada phonetics, morphology, vocabulary, grammar and syntax show significant influence from these languages, some examples of naturalised words of Prakrit origin in Kannada are, baṇṇa derived from vaṇṇa, hunnime from puṇṇivā. Examples of naturalized Sanskrit words in Kannada are, varṇa, arasu from rajan, paurṇimā, Kannada has numerous borrowed words such as dina, kopa, surya, mukha, nimiṣa and anna. Pre-old Kannada was the language of Banavasi in the early Common Era, the Ashoka rock edict found at Brahmagiri has been suggested to contain words in identifiable Kannada. According to Jain tradition, Brahmi, the daughter of Rishabhadeva, the first Tirthankara of Jainism, invented 18 alphabets, including Kannada, which points to the antiquity of the language. Supporting this tradition, an inscription of about the 9th century CE, containing specimens of different alphabets and it has been claimed that the Greek dramatists of the 5th–4th century BCE were familiar with the Kannada country and language. This would show a far more intimate contact of the Greeks with Kannada culture than with Indian culture elsewhere, the palm manuscripts contained texts written not only in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, but also in Sanskrit and Kannada. In the 150 CE Prakrit book Gaathaa Saptashati, written by Haala Raja, Kannada words like tIr, tuppa, on the Pallava Prakrit inscription of 250 CE of Hire Hadagalis Shivaskandavarman, the Kannada word kOTe transforms into koTTa. In the 350 CE Chandravalli Prakrit inscription, words of Kannada origin like punaaTa, in one more Prakrit inscription of 250 CE found in Malavalli, Kannada towns like vEgooraM, kundamuchchaMDi find a reference. Pliny the Elder was a naval and army commander in the early Roman Empire and he writes about pirates between Muziris and Nitrias
8.
Male
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A male organism is the physiological sex that produces sperm. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a female gamete, or ovum. A male cannot reproduce sexually without access to at least one ovum from a female, most male mammals, including male humans, have a Y chromosome, which codes for the production of larger amounts of testosterone to develop male reproductive organs. Not all species share a common sex-determination system, in most animals, including humans, sex is determined genetically, but in some species it can be determined due to social, environmental, or other factors. For example, Cymothoa exigua changes sex depending on the number of females present in the vicinity, the existence of two sexes seems to have been selected independently across different evolutionary lineages. There is an argument that this pattern was driven by the physical constraints on the mechanisms by which two gametes get together as required for sexual reproduction. Accordingly, sex is defined operationally across species by the type of gametes produced, male/female dimorphism between organisms or reproductive organs of different sexes is not limited to animals, male gametes are produced by chytrids, diatoms and land plants, among others. In land plants, female and male designate not only the female and male gamete-producing organisms and structures, as of the year 2012, the United Arab Emirates has the highest ratio of human males in the world, followed by Qatar. A common symbol used to represent the male sex is the Mars symbol, the symbol is identical to the planetary symbol of Mars. It was first used to sex by Carl Linnaeus in 1751. The symbol is called a stylized representation of the Roman god Mars shield. According to Stearn, however, all the historical evidence favours that it is derived from θρ, the sex of a particular organism may be determined by a number of factors. These may be genetic or environmental, or may change during the course of an organisms life. Although most species with male and female sexes have individuals that are male or female, hermaphroditic animals. Most mammals, including humans, are determined as such by the XY sex-determination system where males have an XY sex chromosome. During reproduction, a male can give either an X sperm or a Y sperm, a Y sperm and an X egg produce a male, while an X sperm and an X egg produce a female. The part of the Y-chromosome which is responsible for maleness is the region of the Y-chromosome. The ZW sex-determination system, where males have a ZZ sex chromosome may be found in birds and some insects and other organisms
9.
Female
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Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, that produces non-mobile ova. Most female mammals, including humans, have two X chromosomes. The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, a female individual cannot reproduce sexually without access to the gametes of a male. Some organisms can reproduce sexually and asexually. There is no single genetic mechanism behind sex differences in different species, oogamy is a form of anisogamy. There is an argument that this pattern was driven by the constraints on the mechanisms by which two gametes get together as required for sexual reproduction. Other than the difference in the type of gamete produced. The concept is not limited to animals, egg cells are produced by chytrids, diatoms, water moulds and land plants, among others. In land plants, female and male designate not only the egg- and sperm-producing organisms and structures, the word female comes from the Latin femella, the diminutive form of femina, meaning woman. It is not etymologically related to the male, but in the late 14th century the spelling was altered in English to parallel the spelling of male. A distinguishing characteristic of the class Mammalia is the presence of mammary glands, the mammary glands are modified sweat glands that produce milk, which is used to feed the young for some time after birth. Mammary glands are most obvious in humans, as the human body stores large amounts of fatty tissue near the nipples. Mammary glands are present in all mammals, although they are vestigial in the male of the species, most mammalian females have two copies of the X chromosome as opposed to the male which carries only one X and one smaller Y chromosome. To compensate for the difference in size, one of the females X chromosomes is inactivated in each cell of placental mammals while the paternally derived X is inactivated in marsupials. In birds and some reptiles, by contrast, it is the female which is heterozygous and carries a Z and a W chromosome whilst the male carries two Z chromosomes. Intersex conditions can give rise to other combinations, such as XO or XXX in mammals. However, these conditions result in sterility. A common symbol used to represent the female sex is ♀, according to Schott, the most established view is that the male and female symbols are derived from contractions in Greek script of the Greek names of these planets, namely Thouros and Phosphoros
10.
Pattadakal
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Pattadakal, also spelled Paṭṭadakallu, is a UNESCO inscribed World Heritage site featuring 7th and 8th-century Hindu and Jain temples. It is a village and an important tourist centre in the state of Karnataka and is located on the bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote. It is 22 km from Badami, and about 10 km from Aihole and it is 514 km from Bengaluru. The Pre-Chalukya historical and archaeological site Bachinagudda is also near Pattadakal, Pattadakal is the historical location where Badami Chalukya kings were crowned as it was considered a holy place. Vijayaditya was the first ruler to be crowned here at Pattadakisuvolal at the start of the 7th century AD and it was the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Karnataka in Southern India between the 6th and 8th centuries. The Chalukyas built many temples here between the 7th and 8th centuries, there are ten temples at Pattadakal, mostly Hindu and a Jain one, surrounded by numerous small shrines and plinths in fusion of various Indian architectural styles of north India and south India. These temples reflect the religious sects that existed here. Four temples were built in the Chalukya Dravida style, four in the Nagara style of Northern India, in all, nine Shiva temples and a Jaina basadi, are situated along the northern course of a river. The oldest of these temples is Sangameshwara built during the reign of Vijayaditya Satyashraya during the period 697-733 AD and they also built the Mallikarjuna temple. Ptolemy referred to this place as Petrigal, according to inscriptions, the place was known by the names Kisuvolalu, Raktapura, Pattadakal, and Pattada Kisuvolalu. Pattadakal also denotes as the place of coronation for the kings of Chalukyan family, according to the literary work Hammira Kavya of 1540, the place was known as Pattashilapura and Hammirapura. It has been mentioned in the 11th and 12th century inscriptions, as well as in the literary work Singirajapurana of 1500, Pattadakal continued to be an important centre under the Rashtrakutas and the Kalyani Chalukyas. It became a city for a small region called Kisukadu-70. The Sindhas of Yaramabarige also ruled it for some time, the Chalukya architecture style originated during the 5th – 8th centuries at Aihole in the Malaprabha river basin, in present-day Bagalkot district of Karnataka state. Architects experimented with different architectural styles, blended the Nagara and Dravidian styles, in the middle of the 7th century, temple building activity shifted from Badami to Pattadakal. There are numerous Kannada language inscriptions at Pattadakal, UNESCO in 1987 included Pattadakal in its list of World Heritage sites. The group of 8th century monuments in Pattadakal are the culmination of the earliest experiments in the style of Hindu temple architecture. The town displays both Dravidian and the Nagara styles of temple architecture, Jain Narayana temple located on the Pattadakal-Badami Road, was built in the Dravidian style by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta
11.
South India
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The region occupies 19. 31% of Indias land area. Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau, South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari River, Krishna River, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas. Majority of the people in South India speak one of the four major Dravidian languages, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. During its history, a number of kingdoms ruled over parts of South India whose invasions across southern and southeastern Asia impacted the history. Major dynasties that were established in South India include the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, european countries entered India through Kerala and the region was colonised by Britain and other nations. HDI in the states is high and the economy has undergone growth at a faster rate than most northern states. Literacy rates in the states are higher than the national average with approximately 80% of the population capable of reading and writing. The fertility rate in South India is 1.9, the lowest of all regions in India, South India also known as Peninsular India has been known by several other names. Carnatic derived from Karnād or Karunād meaning high country has also associated with South India. Carbon dating on ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE, artefacts such as ground stone axes, and minor copper objects have been found in the region. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region, however, the region was in the middle of a trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean and East Asia. Trade with Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Syrians, Jews, the region was part of the ancient Silk Road connecting the Asian continent in the East and the West. C. to 14th century A. D. The Vijayanagara Empire, founded in 14th century A. D. was the last Indian dynasty that ruled over the region. The Europeans arrived in the 15th century and by the middle of the 18th century, the French, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. During the British colonial rule, the region was divided into the Madras Presidency, Hyderabad state, Mysore, Travancore, Kochi, Vizianagaram and a number of other minor princely states. After the independence of India in 1947, the region was organised into four states, Madras State, Mysore State, Hyderabad State and Travancore-Cochin
12.
Krishna River
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The Krishna River is the fourth-biggest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Godavari and Brahmaputra. The river is almost 1,300 kilometres long, the river is also called Krishnaveni. It is a source of irrigation for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana. Krishna river originates in the western ghats near Mahabaleshwar at an elevation of about 1,300 metres and it is one of the longest rivers in India. The Krishna river is around 1,400 km in length and it flows through the state of Karnataka before entering Telangana State. The delta of river is one of the most fertile regions in India and was the home to ancient Satavahana. Vijayawada is the largest city on the River Krishna and it causes heavy soil erosion during the monsoon floods. It flows fast and furious, often reaching depths of over 75 feet, ironically, there is a saying in Marathi Shant vaahate Krishnamaai which means quiet flows Krishna. This term is used to describe that a person should be as quiet as Krishna, there are four rivers that join the Krishna at a confluence known as Preeti Sangam, or Lovers Meeting Point in the Satara District. These are Venna River, Urmodi River, Tarli River and Koyna River, three tributaries meet Krishna river near Sangli. These places are considered very holy and it is said that Lord Dattatreya spent some of his days at Audumber on the banks of river Krishna. Sangameswaram of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh is a pilgrim center for Hindus where Tungabhadra. The Sangameswaram temple is now drowned in the Srisailam reservoir, Krishna Basin extends over an area of 258,948 km2 which is nearly 8% of the total geographical area of the country. This large basin lies in the states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, the Krishna river rises in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of about 1,337 m just north of Mahabaleshwar, about 64 km from the Arabian Sea. It flows for about 1,400 km and outfalls into the Bay of Bengal, the principal tributaries joining Krishna are the Ghataprabha River, Malaprabha River, Bhima River, Tungabhadra River and Musi River. Most of this basin comprises rolling and undulating country, except for the western border, the important soil types found in the basin are black soils, red soils, laterite and lateritic soils, alluvium, mixed soils, red and black soils and saline and alkaline soils. An average annual surface water potential of 78.1 km3 has been assessed in this basin, out of this,58.0 km3 is utilizable water. Culturable area in the basin is about 203,000 km2, the irrigation canals of Prakasam Barrage form part of National Waterway 4
13.
Bhima River
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The Bhima River is a major river in South India. It flows southeast for 861 kilometres through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana states, after the first sixty-five kilometers in a narrow valley through rugged terrain, the banks open up and form a fertile agricultural area which is densely populated. The river is prone to flooding due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, in 2005 there was severe flooding in Solapur, Bijapur and Gulbarga districts. The river is referred to as Chandrabhaga River, especially at Pandharpur. The Bhima River flows southeast for a journey of 861 kilometres. It flows through Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary where it enters Khed Taluka and is joined by its tributary. Upstream on the Aria is the Rajgurunagar-Kalmodi Dam impounding the Kalmodi Reservoir, the Chas Kaman Reservoir is impounded by the Chas Kaman Dam, the most upstream dam on the Bhima River proper. The village of Chas is on the left bank some 16 km below the dam, some 5 km along the river below the bridge on the Bhirma at Chas, the Kumandala River enters from the right. From there it is 8 km along the river to the bridge at the town of Rajgurunagar on the left bank. In 18 km further along the river, the Bhima River enters from the right just above the village of Pimpalgaon on the left bank, from there to Siddhegavhan along the river is 10 km. Siddhegavhan is the last village in Khed Taluka on the left, after leaving Khed Taluka, the Bhima forms the boundary between Havali Taluka on the right and Shirur Taluka on the left. From the Bhimas intersection to the Indrayani River, which enters from the right, is 14 km along the river. At the confluence is the town of Tulapur on the bank in Havali Taluka. The Bhima River, the Indrayani River and the Mula-Mutha River are the tributaries of the Bhima that drain western Pune. After the Indrayani, in about 4 km down stream the Dhomal River enters from the right, shortly thereafter the Bhima passes under the SH60 bridge at the town of Koregaon Bhima. From Koregaon going east, downstream 16 km, is the confluence with the Vel River from the left, the Vel River also arises in Ambegaon Taluka, east of the Bhima, and flows through Khed Taluka and into Shirur Taluka before flowing into the Bhima. With Vittalwadi on the left, the side of the river leaves Haveli Taluka. From Vittalwadi the Bhima meanders northwest and 14 km after the Vel River enters from the left, after the Kamania River enters, the river meanders back southeast for 23 km to the confluence with the Mula-Mutha River from the right at the village of Ranjangaon Sandas
14.
Ghataprabha River
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The Ghataprabha river is an important right-bank tributary of the Krishna River and flows eastward for a distance of 283 kilometers before its confluence with the Krishna River at Almatti. The river basin is 8,829 square kilometers wide and stretches across Karnataka, Ghataprabha River originates in the Western Ghats near chaukul village, tehsil sawantwadi in the Sindhudurg district of Maharahtra. It arises about 12 km away from the well-known hill-station of Amboli forming at the east-face of the hills which give birth to the Hiranyakeshi river. From hereon, the river eastward into the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra forming the Phatakwadi lake. It is the dam built on this river within the jurisdiction of Maharashtra. The river ends its course within Maharashtra near the town Daddi. The river provides a boundary between the adjoining states of Maharashtra and Karnataka for a short length of about 10 km. It then collects into the Hidkal reservoir providing water through the man-made canals, the river is then joined by the Hiranyakeshi river, its most important left-bank tributary. It then runs through hills near Gokak before running over a cliff to form the Gokak Falls. Less than a kilometer from the falls, the Markandeya river, the river takes a north-easterly course towards the town of Mudhol and thereafter turns south-easterly untl it reaches Bagalkot. Hiranyakeshi river and Markandeya river are tributaries of Ghataprabha, the river is crossed by a suspension bridge near the Gokak Falls. The bridge was constructed in the late 1800s/early 1900s
15.
Malaprabha River
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The Malaprabha River is a tributary of the Krishna River and flows through the state of Karnataka in India. It rises in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 792.4 m in the states Belgaum district, the river joins Krishna River at Kudalasangama in Bagalkot district. Malaprabha River originates in the Sahyadri mountains at an altitude of 792.4 metres at Kanakumbi village 16 km west of Jamboti village, Khanapur taluka, Belgaum District, at the origin of the Malaprabha is an ancient temple dedicated to Shree Mauli Devi. Malaprabha birthplace is a center with mythological origins. A symbol in rock carved by hand near the source of the river Malaprabha depicts the origin of the river for the purpose of safety showered for the well being of humankind and it is a source of highly stable mineral water. Presence of discontinuities has major effects on properties of contours at source of river, permeability is dependent on orientation of the region. It revealed from the RTC maintained by the Tahasildar, Khanapur Revenue Dept, Government of Karnataka, India that Yuvaraj Kurtkoti has legal ownership, no.127 of Kankumbi, Jamboti Circle, Khanapur Taluka, Belgaum Dist. Bennihalla, Hirehalla and Tuparihalla are the tributaries to Malaprabha of Dharwad district. Navilatirtha Dam is between Saundatti and Munavalli in Belgaum District, the reservoir created by the dam is called Renukasagara, its catchment area is 11,549 km3. This reservoir irrigates more than 2,000 km2 of agricultural land, there is an ancient temple of the deity Yellamma on a nearby hill. This is a centre for thousands of devotees. Also the temples of Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami are on the banks of the Malaprabha and these are listed as World Heritage sites by UNESCO. Aihole Badami Cave Temples Badami Chalukya Architecture The Kalasa-Banduri Nala project Mahakuta
16.
Tungabhadra River
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In the epic Ramayana, the Tungabhadra River was known by the name of Pampa. The Tungabhadra River is formed by the confluence of the Tunga River, the Bhadra river flows through the industrial city Bhadravathi. More than 100 tributaries, streams, creeks, rivulets and the like contribute to the two rivers and it is a confluence of both the Dwaitha and the Adwaitha philosophies. Many rivulets and streams join these tributaries, there are many holy places all along the rivers, primarily temples of Saiva Cult on the banks of the Bhadra and all the cults on the banks of the Tunga. Sringeri, Sarada Petham established by the Adi Shankaracharya is the most famous one on the bank of the Tunga. There is a cluster of Nava Brahma temples constructed by the early Chalukyas, an important feature of the river banks is the flood protection walls all along the rivers, constructed by Sri Krishna Devaraya between 1525 and 1527 AD. You find them there is a possibility of land erosion during the floods. It starts at Sringeri and ends at Kurnool, just few kilometers from its mouth and they are stone constructions and still intact. Huge boulders of 3 x 4 x 5 are also used in its construction and it then takes a northeasterly direction through rugged ridges formed by boulders piled on ancient granite outcroppings over the elevated plateau that dominates peninsular India, the Deccan Plateau. Piles of granite in varying shades of grey, ochre and pink dominate the landscape, the river has cut through weaker rocky substrata of the Hampi landscape and created a narrow gorge where granite hills confine the river in a deep ravine. The Tungabhadra Dam was constructed at Hosapete in the middle of the 20th century to harness the water, aiding the growth of agriculture. The Tungabhadra River then flows east, joining the Krishna along the border of Andhra Pradesh, from here the Krishna continues east to empty into the Bay of Bengal. The wedge of land that lies north of the Tungabhadra River, shringeri Sharadamba Temple is on the banks of the Tunga River in Chikmagalur District, Karnataka. There are a number of ancient and holy sites on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, at Harihara there is a temple dedicated to Harihareshwara. Surrounding the modern town of Hampi are the ruins of Vijayanagara, the site, including the Vijayanagara temple complex ruins, are being restored. The Nava Brahma Temples complex is one of the earliest models of architecture in India. The Moola Brindavana of Guru Raghavendra is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra at Mantralayam, about 15 km upstream from Shimoga at Gajanur across the River Tunga, a dam was constructed. At Lakkavalli about 15 km upstream of Bhadravati across the Bhadra a dam was constructed and they are multipurpose dams and irrigate lands in Shimoga, Chikkamagalur, Davanagere and Haveri
17.
Deccan thorn scrub forests
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The Deccan thorn scrub forests are a xeric shrubland ecoregion of India and southernmost Sri Lanka. Historically this area was covered by dry deciduous forest. The vegetation now consists of mainly of southern tropical thorn scrub type forests and these consist of open woodland with thorny trees with short trunks and low, branching crowns, spiny and xerophytic shrubs, and dry grassland. This is the habitat of the great Indian bustard and blackbuck, though these and other animals are declining in numbers, almost 350 species of bird have been recorded here. The remaining natural habitat is threatened by overgrazing and invasive weeds and this ecoregion covers the arid portions of the Deccan Plateau, extending across the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Only small patches of habitat remain, as most of the region has been cleared for grazing. The annual rainfall is less than 750 mm, all falling during the rainy season. Temperatures can exceed 40 °C during the hotter months, today the remaining forest is mostly southern tropical thorn scrub, and also includes patches of the original vegetation, tropical dry deciduous forests. The southern tropical thorn scrub forests consist of open, low vegetation with thorny trees with trunks and low. The trees grow up to 6–9 m, typical grasses of the ecoregion include Chrysopogon fulvus, Heteropogon contortus, Eremopogon foveolatus, Aristida setacea, and Dactyloctenium species. The second storey of the scrub forests in Maharashtra is poorly developed and mainly consists spiny and xerophytic species. An ill-defined lower storey can also be seen during the wet season. The plant species dominate the vegetation in these forests are Acacia species, Balanites roxburghii, Cordia myxa. Azadirachta indica, Cassia fistula, Diospyros chloroxylon, Carissa carandas, there are also several other habitat types found in these forests. The driest, rockiest areas of the ecoregion are covered with a scrub dominated by species of Euphorbia, the soil is usually bare in these areas, however, some grassy growth may also appear during the short monsoon season. The remaining patches of forest are home to a large number of plants, some of medicinal and botanical interest, including an endemic cycad. A small patch of the tree Shorea talura also exists within the Chittoor forest division, finally, the area between the Nallamala and Seshachalam Hills is well known for the red sanders, a rare, endemic tree species that is harvested for the medicinal value of its wood. The dry grasslands that predominate do provide habitat for the native fauna remaining scattered amid the thorn scrub, the grasslands of southern Andhra Pradesh support a good population of the great Indian bustard and blackbuck, although these and other species are declining in number
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Maharashtra
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Four Maharashtra is a state in the western region of India and is Indias second-most populous state and third-largest state by area. It is the wealthiest Indian state and it is also the worlds second-most populous sub-national entity. It has over 112 million inhabitants and its capital, Mumbai, has a population of approximately 18 million, Nagpur is Maharashtras second capital as well as its winter capital. Maharashtras business opportunities along with its potential to offer a standard of living attract migrants from all over India. Ancient and medieval Maharashtra included the empires of the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Mughals, the major rivers of the state are Godavari, and Krishna. The Narmada and Tapti Rivers flow near the border between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Maharashtra is the second most urbanised state in India. The state has several popular Hindu places of pilgrimage including Pandharpur, Dehu and Alandi, other places that attract pilgrims from other parts of India and beyond include Hazur Sahib Gurudwara at Nanded, Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi and Dikshabhumi at Nagpur. Maharashtra is the wealthiest and one of the most developed states in India, as of 2011, the state had a per capita income of ₹1.0035 lakh, more than the national average of ₹0.73 lakh. Its GDP per capita crossed the ₹1.20 lakh threshold for the first time in 2013, however, as of 2014, the GDP per capita reduced to ₹1.03 lakh Agriculture and industries are the largest parts of the states economy. Major industries include chemical products, electrical and non-electrical machinery, textiles, petroleum, Jai Maharashtra The modern Marathi language developed from the Maharashtri Prakrit, and the word Mahratta is found in the Jain Maharashtri literature. The terms Maharashtra, Maharashtri, Marathi and Maratha may have derived from the same root, however, their exact etymology is uncertain. But the Marathas as a people do not seem to be mentioned before the thirteenth or fourteenth century, the most widely accepted theory among the linguistic scholars is that the words Maratha and Maharashtra ultimately derived from a combination of Maha and rashtrika. The word rashtrika is a Sanskritized form of Ratta, the name of a tribe or dynasty of petty chiefs ruling in the Deccan region. Another theory is that the term is derived from Maha and ratha / rathi, an alternative theory states that the term derives from the word Maha and Rashtra. However, this theory has not found acceptance among scholars who believe it to be the Sanskritised interpretation of later writers. Maharashtra was ruled by the Maurya Empire in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, around 230 BCE Maharashtra came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty for 400 years. The greatest ruler of the Satavahana Dynasty was Gautamiputra Satakarni, in 90 CE Vedishri, son of the Satavahana king Satakarni, the Lord of Dakshinapatha, wielder of the unchecked wheel of Sovereignty, made Junnar, thirty miles north of Pune, the capital of his kingdom. The state was ruled by Western Satraps, Gupta Empire, Gurjara-Pratihara, Vakataka, Kadambas, Chalukya Empire, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, and Western Chalukya before finally
19.
Belgaum district
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Belgaum is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. The city of Belgaum is the headquarters in North Karnataka. It is also called as the capital of Karnataka state, as it houses the second legislative building. According to the 2011 Census of India, it has a population of 4,778,439 of which 24. 03% live in areas, making it the second most populous district in Karnataka. Belgaum is the Divisional Headquarters of North Karnataka The ancient name of the town of Belgaum was Venugrama and it is also called as Malnad Pradesh. The most ancient place in the district is Halsi, and this and it appears that from the middle of the 6th century to about 760 the area was held by the Chalukyas, who were succeeded by the Rashtrakutas. After the break-up of the Rashtrakuta power a portion of it survived in the Rattas, inscriptions give evidence of a long struggle between the Rattas and the Kadambas of Goa, who succeeded in the latter years of the 12th century in acquiring and holding part of the district. By 1208, however, the Kadambas had been overthrown by the Rattas, in 1347 the northern part was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate, which in 1473 took the town of Belgaum and conquered the southern part also. When Aurangzeb overthrew the Bijapura sultans in 1686, Belgaum passed to the Mughals, in 1776 the country was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore, but was taken by the Madhavrao Peshwa with British assistance. In 1818 it was handed over to the British East India Company, in 1836 this was divided into two parts, the northern district becoming Belgaum. Yadur is situated beside Krishna river, there is famous veerbhadra temple, many devotees visit this place from Karnataka and Maharashtra. Hooli is one of the oldest villages in Belgaum district, there are many Chalukya temples in the village and the Panchaligeswara temple is very famous. Kittur in Belgaum district is a place of historical importance, Rani Chennamma of Kittur is known for her resistance to British rule. The British had an infantry post here, having realised the military importance of its geographic location. It is one of the reasons for Belgaums sobriquet The Cradle of Infantry, development of a rail network for the movement of resources and later troops was one of the means employed by both the British East India Company and the British to exert control over India. Belgaums railway station, the Mahatma Gandhi Railway Station was established by the British, a signboard declaring the sobriquet can be seen hung on Platform 1 at the station. Because of that linguistic disparity, the case is now in the Supreme Court of India, administration of Belgaum District has been divided into 14 taluks. Athani taluk is the largest with an area of 1,997.70 km², the district comprises three revenue sub-divisions and six police sub-divisions
20.
Bijapur
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For namesakes, see Vijaypur Bijapur officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur District of Karnataka state. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluka, Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of the Adil Shahi dynasty. Bijapur is located 530 km northwest of the State Capital Bengaluru and about 550 km from Mumbai, Bijapur urban population as per 2011 census is 326,000, perhaps the 9th biggest city in Karnataka. Vijayapura Mahanagara Palike is the newest Municipal Corporation formed under the KMC act along with Shivamogga, the other existing city corporations in Karnataka state in descending order of population are Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharawada, Mysuru, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Mangaluru, Davangere and Ballari. Administratively, Bijapur district comes under Belgaum division along with Bagalkote, Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Bijapur, the land of five rivers and the domain of different cultures, is an ancient city. The city established in the 10th and 11th centuries by the Chalukyas of Kalyani was known as Vijayapura, the city was established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Kalyani Chalukyas and was known as Vijayapura. The city was passed to Yadavas after Chalukyas demise, the city came under the influence of the Khilji Sultanate in Delhi by the late 13th century. In 1347, the area was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga, by this time, the city was being referred as Bijapur. In 1518, the Bahmani Sultanate split into five splinter states known as the Deccan sultanates, one of which was Bijapur, the city of Vijayapura owes much of its greatness to Yusuf Adil Shah, the founder of the independent state of Bijapur. The rule of this dynasty ended in 1686, when Bijapur was conquered during the reign of Mughal badshah Aurangzeb, in 1724 the Nizam of Hyderabad established his independence in the Deccan, and included Bijapur within his dominions. In 1760, the Nizam suffered a defeat by the Marathas, Bijapur district is historically, traditionally and legendarily, one of the richest districts in the state. The evidence found here reveals that it was a place since the Stone Age. Many places of this district have legendary history, the history of this district is divided into four periods, from the Chalukya acquisition of Badami till the Muslim invasion. Early Western Chalukya period lasting from about A. D.535 to about A. D.757. Rastrakuta period from A. D.757 to A. D.973 Kalachuri, Bijapur came under Muslim influence, first under Allaudin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, towards the end of the 13th century, and then under the Bahamani kings of Bidar in 1347. In 1347, when the Bahamani dynasty was established, it included southern and eastern parts of Bijapur district, the supremacy of the Bahamans may be said to have ceased by 1489. At that time five Shahi Dynasties were born and one of them was Bijapur‟, the Mughal emperor Aurangajeb conquered Bijapur in 1686 and it was under Mughal rule up to 1723. In 1724 the Nizam of Hyderabad established his independence in the Deccan, however, his acquisition on this portion was of brief duration, in 1760 it went into the hands of Marathas
21.
Bagalkot district
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Bāgalkot district is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located in the town of Bagalkote, the district is located in northern Karnataka and borders Belgaum, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur and Bijapur. The new Bagalkote district was carved out of Bijapur in 1997 via Government of Karnataka directive Notification RD42 LRD87 Part III, the bifurcated Bagalkote district consists of six taluks — Badami, Bagalkote, Bilagi, Hunagund, Jamakhandi and Mudhol. Historically, Badami which is part of Bagalkote was the capital of the Chalukyan Empire of South India under Pulakeshin I, Bagalkots Badami taluk remained the seat of the throne of the Chalukyas from 550 CE —753 CE, when Chalukya king Kirtivarman II was overthrown by the Rashtrakutas. Remnants of Chalukyan art and architecture are important tourist attractions in Bagalkote, the cave temples of Badami Cave Temples and the Jain temples of Rashtrakutas at Lokapura and Bilgi are also famous. Cottage industries occupy a predominant position in Bagalkote, the district is popular for its silk and handloom industries. Ghataprabha River, Malaprabha River and Krishna River flow through the district, Koodalasangama lies at the point of confluence of rivers Krishna and Malaprabha. Like most districts in India, Bagalkote is headed by a Deputy Commissioner, the Samadhi of 12th-century social reformist Basavanna, known for his crusade against caste exploitation, is located in Koodalasangama, a town in the taluk of Hungund. Stone inscriptions identify Bagadige as the ancient name of Bagalkote, according to legend, the area was gifted by the mythological Rāvana, lord of Lanka to his musicians. Other taluks in Bagalkote also have mythological origins, Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, was named after an asura king who, according to the Mahābhārata, ruled the area along with his brother Ilvala. Legend has it that both asuras were vanquished by the sage Agasthya, the northwestern taluk of Jamkhandi derives its name from the Chalukya temple dedicated to Jambukeshwara, a form of the Hindu deity Shiva. The town of Aihole, formerly the capital of the Chalukyan Empire of Banavasi was previously known as Ayyavole, the western taluk of Mudhol was traditionally known as Muduvollal — literally translating into lovely town. The ancient town of Pattadakal was previously known as Raktapura – red town, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy previously identified many towns in the district of Bagalkote. Pattadakal was referred to as Petrigal, while Badami was known as Badiamaioi, in inscriptions, the old name of the town was quoted as Bagadage under the Chalukyas. Between 1664 and 1755 this territory was under the Savanur Nawab from whom it was annexed by the Peshwa, during 1778, Haider Ali took possession of Bagalkote. It fell into the hands of Marathas in 1792, in 1800, the provincial manager, Anandarao Bhikaji belonging to the Ratia family residing at Bagalkote built a palace. In 1810, Peshwa Bajirao II gave the area to Nilakantharao Sarsubedar who held Bagalkote Fort supported by a garrison till Gen. Munro occupied it in 1818, the place was a noted centre of freedom movement and also of unification movement. The place is on the banks of the Ghataprabha River, the place has a cement factory and is a centre of trade in cotton and groundnut
22.
Bidar district
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The Bidar district is the northernmost part of the Karnataka state in India. Geographically, it resembles the Crown of the State, occupying its northeastern tip, the Bidar district is constituted by five talukas, Aurad, Basavakalyan, Bhalki, Bidar and Humnabad with Bidar being the headquarters of the district. It is connected with NH9 and NH218, the traditional tales refer to this as Viduranagara of Mahabharata times and also as the place where Nala and Damayanthi met. Historically, the district had a glorious past and it was ruled by the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Kalachuris, Kakatiyas, Khiljis, Bahamanis, Baridshahis, Mughals and the Hyderabad Nizam. The treasure of culture, fine arts and architecture nurtured by successive rulers has contributed to its richness, as such, there are more Hindus and Muslims in Bidar district with their rich culture. Similarly, social and religious reformers such as Basaveshwara and Guru Nanak also played significant role in social reformation based on equality, the great revolution by Shivasharanas in the 12th century, encompassing social, literacy and religious fields emerged on this land. Bidar district is popular for different religions, castes and cultures due to its historical developments through the ages, the first Rashtrakuta capital was Mayurkhandi in the present day Bidar district. The regal capital was moved to Manyakheta in the present day Kalaburagi district by Amoghavarsha I. Kalyani in Bidar district was the capital of Western Chalukyas, who were also called Kalyani Chalukyas after their capital, the Kalachuris continued with Kalyani as their capital. Later, Bidar was ruled in succession by the vassals to Sevuna Yadavas of Devagiri, Kakatiyas of Warangal, Allauddin Khilji and Muhammad bin Tughluq. The generals of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq who were nominated as viceroys of the newly conquered Deccan region broke up, the Bahmani capital was shifted from Kalburgi or Kalubaruge to Bidar in 1425. Bidar remained the capital until the Sultanates breakup after 1518 and it then became the center of the Barid Shahis, one of the five independent sultanates known as the Deccan sultanates. These were the states to the Bahmani kingdom. The district was a part of the Hyderabad state before it was liberated on 17 September 1948 during Operation Polo by Indian Armed Forces under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel. With the reorganization of states in 1956 along linguistic lines, Bidar was deemed a Kannada speaking area, initially it had only four talukas, Basavakalyan taluka was brought into existence in 1965. Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur and Koppal are collectively referred to as Hyderabad Karnataka, bellary, though ceded to the British in 1800 AD, is also grouped together with these areas. The ancient schistose rocks are covered by the Deccan Traps, the most remarkable character of these traps is their perfectly horizontal disposition. The traps weather with a characteristic spheroidal weathering and the area is strewn with numerous dark-coloured boulders of all shapes and sizes
23.
Yadgir district
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Yadgir District is one of the 30 districts of Karnataka state in southern India. This district was carved out from the erstwhile Gulbarga district as the 30th district of Karnataka on 10 April 2010, Yadgir town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district occupies an area of 5,160.88 km², official website www. yadgir. nic. in Local blog www. nammayadgir. in The district comprises three taluks, Shahpur, Surpur and Yadgir. The district has 16 hoblies,117 Gram Panchayets,519 villages, Yadgir, popularly called as Yadavagiri by the local people, was once a capital of the Yadava Kingdom. It has a historical and cultural traditions. Yadavas, chose Yadgir to be their capital and ruled from here from 1347 to 1425 AD, Yadgir district has its deep roots in history. The famous dynasties of the south, the Satavahans, the Chalukyas of Badami, the Rastrkuta, Shahis, the Aidil shahis, in 1504 Yadgir was permanently annexed to Adil Shahi kingdom of Bijapur. In 1657 with the invasion of Mir Jumla it passed into the hands of Mughals, later with the establishment of Asaf Jahi Dynasty of Hyderabad Yadgir and Gulbarga came under it. In 1863 when Nizam Government formed Jillabandi, Surpur became district headquarters, in 1873 Gulbarga was formed into Separate district with seven taluks. With reorganization of states in 1956 Gulbarga became Part of Karnataka State, the Bahamani rulers built Gulbarga city with Palaces, Mosques, Gumbazs, Bazaars and other public buildings. There are five large and small Marques and three score and ten Darghas in Gulbarga. The City is described as a Garden of Gumbazs So also number of Temples, churches, in side the fort the Jumma Masjid, a noteworthy monument of Gulbarga is in well preserved condition. It is said that it resembles the famous mosque of ‘Cordova’ city in Spain, the Masjid measuring 216 ft. east-west and 176 ft north south covering an area of 38016 sq ft. Happens to be the only mosque in India, which is completely covered. Fergusson observes this as one of the most remarkable of its class in India in some respect unique, Yadgir district is the second smallest district in the state, area wise is very rich in cultural traditions. The vast stretch of black soil of the district is known for bumper red gram. The district is a Daal bowl of the state, the district is also known for cluster of cement industries and a distinct stone popularly known as Malakheda Stone. Two main rivers, Krishna and Bhima, and a few tributaries flow in this region, the upper Krishna project and Shahapur Taluka in Bendebembali Core Green Sugar Factory yet to be started. Yadgir which is known the cement, textile, leather, the Agriculture College located in Bheemarayana Gudi
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Raichur district
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Raichur District is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district is bounded by the Krishna River on the north, the wedge of land between the rivers is known as the Raichur Doab, after the city of Raichur. Bijapur and Gulbarga districts lie to the north across the Krishna River, bagalkot and Koppal districts lie to the west. Across the Tungabhadra lies Bellary District of Karnataka to the southwest, kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh state lies to the east, and includes the lower portion of the Raichur-584102. The recorded history of the district is traced to as far back as the third century B. C, at that time, this region was under the governance of the Viceroy or Mahamatra of Ashoka. Early in the Christian era, the district appears to have been a part of the kingdom of the Satavahanas. The Vakatakas, who reigned during the 3rd and 4th centuries A. D. seem to have sway over Raichur for sometime. The next dynasty of importance, which ruled over this region, was that of the Chalukyas of Badami. According to an inscription from Aihole, Pulakeshin II having defeated the Pallavas, occupied this area, nripatunga, a Rashtrakuta king, has described Koppal in his Kannada work, Kavirajamarga, as the great Kopananagara. D. Another inscription from Maski describes the place as a capital and makes a reference to the reign of Jayasimha, the Haihayas and Sindas also seem to have ruled some parts of this region for sometime. Later, after the fall of the Chalukyas, Raichur passed into the hands of the Kalachuris of Kalyani, then came the Kakatiyas in the 13th century. D. At the instance of the latter, Raichur was sacked by Malik Kafur, was commander of Sultanate of Delhi in 1312. Raichur district was passed to Vijayanagara Empire in 1323 after demise of Kakatiyas due to invasions of Sultanate of Delhi and it was captured by Bahmani Sultanate in 1363. It was passed to Bijapur Sultanate in 1489 after fragmentation of Bahmanids, Vijayanagara recaptured it after Battle of Raichur in 1520 but Bijapur recaptured it in 1565 after Vijayanagaras defeat at hands of Deccan Sultanates during Battle of Talikota. Aurangzeb, emperor of Mughal Empire captured the district in 1686, finally 1724 Raichur became part of Nizam of Hyderabad between 1724 and 1948 except British Empire rule between 1853 and 1860 as part of Madras Presidency. During Nizam rule it was part of Gulbarga Division, after the Operation Polo, Nizam was forcibly integrated to Indian Union on 17 September 1948. Between 1948 and 1956, it was part of Hyderabad State, during division of the state on linguistic basis, it became part of Mysore State and later was renamed State of Karnataka. According to the 2011 census Raichur district has a population of 1,924,773 and this gives it a ranking of 246th in India
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Gadag district
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Gadag District is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. The district formed in 1997, when it was split from the Dharwad District, as of 2011, the Gadag District had a population of 971,952. The overall population increased by 13.14 percent from 1991 to 2001, the district features monuments from the Western Chalukya Empire. Gadag District has seven tehsils, Gadag-Betgeri, Ron, Shirhatti, Nargund, Lakshmeshwar, Gajendragad, Gadag The town has 11th- and 12th-century monuments, the temple of Veera Narayana and the Trikuteshwara complex are sites of religious and historic importance. One of the two main Jain temples is dedicated to Mahavira, Trikuteshwara temple complex, The Trikuteshwara temple was built by the early Chalukyas between the sixth and the eighth centuries, exemplifying Chalukya architecture. The temple is dedicated to Saraswati, veeranarayana Temple, The temple, believed to have been built during the 11th century, attracts many devotees a year. Jumma Masjid, The Muslim Jumma Masjid has a capacity of 600, during the 17th and 18th centuries, Gadag was ruled by Muslim kings and the Maratha before being incorporated by the East India Company. Lakshmeshwara Lakshmeshwara is in Shirahatti, and is known for its Hindu, the Someshwara temple complex has a number of temples to Shiva in its fort-like compound. Sudi Chalukya monuments include the Jodi Gopura and Mallikarjuna temples and large Ganesha, Lakkundi About 12 kilometres from Gadag, Lakkundi was the residence of the Chalukyan kings. It is known for its 101 stepwells and its Hindu and Jain temples, a sculpture gallery is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Dambal Dambal is known for its 12th-century Chalukya Doddabasappa Temple, Harti Harti has a number of Hindu temples. The Shri Basaveshwara Temple has a festival featuring a procession. Other temples, such as the Parvati Parameshwara temple, have stone carvings from the Chalukya period, kotumachagi About 22 kilometres from Gadag, the agricultural village is also known for its Someswar and Durgadevi temples. Chamarasa, author of the Prabhulingaleele, was born nearby, Ron Rons historic monuments include Anantsayee Gudi, Isvara Gudi, Isvara Temple, Kala Gudi, Lokanatha Temple, Mallikarjuna Gudi, Parsvanath Jain temple and the Somlingesvara temple. Kurtakoti About 16 kilometres from Gadag, the village is known for the Shri Ugra Narsimha, Dattatreya, Virupakhshalinga. Statues of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were installed by Brahma Chaitanya, writer and critic Kirtinath Kurtakoti hailed from the area. The matha is cared for by both Muslims and Hindus, according to the 2011 census the district has a population of 1,065,235, roughly equal to that of Cyprus or the US state of Rhode Island. This ranks it 426th in India, the district has a population density of 229 inhabitants per square kilometre
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Dharwad district
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Dharwad District is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India. Dharwad is the headquarters of North Karnataka. The administrative headquarters of the district is the town of Dharwad, Dharwad is famous for its Dharwad Peda – a milk based sweetmeat. Dharwad is the seat of the district of the same name. Dharwad is located 425 km northwest of Bangalore and 421 km south of Pune, KREIS North Unit of National Projects Construction Corporation has its headquarters here. Karnataka High Court circuit Bench is also based here, before 1997 the district had an area of 13738 km2. The word Dharwad means a place of rest in a travel or a small habitation. For centuries, Dharwad acted as a gateway between the Malenadu region and the plains, and it became a place for travellers. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word dwarawata, dwara meaning door, another theory is that during the Vijayanagara rule of Dharwad there was a ruler by name of Dharav, and Dharwad got its name from him. There are some inscriptions that refer to Dharwad as Kampana Sthana, inscriptions found near Durga Devi temple in Narendra and RLS High School date back to the 12th century and have references to Dharwad. This makes Dharwad at least 900 years old, also, there is an inscription at Hanuman Temple at Bokyapur lake near Garag. The Chalukyas ruled Dharwad during the 12th century, a stone inscription indicates that there was a ruler by the name of BhaskaraDeva in 1117. Adil Shah built a fort in an area later called MannaKille, in 1685, the fort was taken by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Dharwad, on the break-up of the Mughal empire, fell under the sway of the Maratha Peshwa of Pune. In 1764, the province was overrun by Hyder Ali of the Mysore, the fort was retaken in 1791 by the Marathas. After the final defeat of the Peshwa by the British in 1818, during the early 19th century, when the British were expanding their domains, they faced a lot of opposition from local rulers, including Baba Saheb of Naragund and Kittur Rani Chennamma. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Raja, Nawab, Mirza, although Jahagirdar were considered to be equivalent to lords and barons in some cases they were seen as independent, sovereign princes. Often Jahagirdar were Indian princes who lost their sovereignty due to British Rule, the predominant form of feudal landownership in Mogul India from the 16th to the 18th century. The owner received a share of the land tax from the jagir
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Haveri district
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Haveri is a district in the state of Karnataka, India with the potential to become a tourist hub. As of 2001, it had a population of 1,439,116 of which 20. 78% were urban residents, Haveri District is exactly in the centre of Karnataka, being equidistant from Bidar in the far north and Kollegal in the far south. The district consists of seven taluks, namely Hanagal, Shiggaon, Savanur, Haveri, Byadagi, Hirekerur, before it was made into its own district, it was part of Dharwad District. Haveri is 335 km from Bangalore, Haveri is the administrative and political headquarters of the district, whereas Ranebennur in the south is a business hub. The important towns and villages in Haveri District are, Haveri, The districts administrative, culture and it is also famous for its cattle markets, oil mills and cotton markets. Haveri is also known for Haveri Nyaya, a method of settling the disputes. Famous for its lake and gardens, kumar Pattanam, Place of Birla industries on the bank of the river Tungabhadra. Bankapura, Notified as Bankapur Conservation Reserve offering a safe haven for peacocks, Ranebennur, Important trade centre in central Karnataka. Kaginele, Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha, a religious Math dedicated to sage Kanakadasa is present here, according to the 2011 census Haveri district has a population of 1,598,506, roughly equal to the nation of Guinea-Bissau or the US state of Idaho. This gives it a ranking of 312th in India, the district has a population density of 331 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11. 08%, Haveri has a sex ratio of 951 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 77. 6%. Kanakadasa, Kanakadasa was born in Bada village which is situated in the district, pandith Panchaksari Gawaigalu, He was born in Kada Shettihalli Tq, Hangal Dist Haveri. Sarvajnya was born in Abaluru Tq, Hirekeruru, Dist, Havari, siddappa Hosamani Karajgi, a freedom fighter who resisted British rule is a native of Karajgi. He was a lawyer and a close associate of Subhas Chandra Bose. He was a state president, elected as a member of parliament. Statue was put in Haveri district place near the K. S. R. T. C bus stand on the NH4 Highway inaugurated by chief minister of Karnataka, gudleppa Hallikere, is another freedom fighter who is a native of Hosaritti. He started a residential school Gandhi Grameen Gurukul in Hosaritti, ramaanand Mannagi, Noted freedom fighter and a Gandhian. He started an aashram at Jangamanakoppa, five km from Haveri, art and literature Santa Shishunal Sharif, He was a great poet and philosopher of 19th century
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Koppal district
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Koppal district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. In the past Koppal was referred to as Kopana Nagara, hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppal District. It is situated approximately 38 km away, anegundi, is also a famous travel destination. Koppal, now a district headquarters is ancient Kopana a major place of the Jainas. Palkigundu is described as the Indrakila parvata of epic fame and there is an ancient Shiva temple called the Male Malleshwara, there are two Ashokan inscriptions at Palkigundu and Gavimatha. It was the capital of a branch of Shilaharas under the Chalukyas of Kalyan, in Shivajis times it was one of the eight prants or revenue divisions of Southern Maratha Country. During Indias First War of Independence Mundargi Bheema Rao and Hammige Kenchanagouda died fighting the British here in June 1858, kinhal 13 km away from Koppal is famous for its traditional colourful lacquerware work. 58% were urban as of 2001. The Koppal district was formed after split of Raichur district, Koppal district has following four talukas, Koppal, Gangavathi, Yelbarga, and Kushtagi. According to the 2011 census Koppal district has a population of 1,391,292 and this gives it a ranking of 350th in India. The district has a density of 250 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16. 32%, Koppal has a sex ratio of 983 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 67. 28%. Most notable of the buildings dating from this period is the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Yelabarga taluk. The Mahadeva temple at Itagi dedicated to Shiva is among the temples built by the Western Chalukyas. Inscriptions hail it as the Emperor among temples, here, the main temple, the sanctum of which has a linga, is surrounded by thirteen minor shrines, each with its own linga. The temple has two shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, parents of Mahadeva, the Chalukya commander who consecrated the temple in 1112 CE. Soapstone is found in abundance in the regions of Haveri, Savanur, Byadgi, Motebennur, the great archaic sandstone building blocks used by the Badami Chalukyas were superseded with smaller blocks of soapstone and with smaller masonry. The first temple to be built from this material was the Amrtesvara Temple in Annigeri in the Dharwad district in 1050 CE and this building was to be the prototype for later, more articulated structures such as the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi. The 11th-century temple-building boom continued in the 12th century with the addition of new features, the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi and the Siddhesvara Temple in Haveri are standard constructions incorporating these developments
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Dharwad
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Dharwad is the district headquarters of Dharwad district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was merged with the city of Hubballi in 1961 to form the cities of Hubballi-Dharwad. It covers an area of 200.23 km² and is located 425 km northwest of Bengaluru, on NH-48, the word Dharwad means a place of rest in a long travel or a small habitation. For centuries, Dharwad acted as a gateway between the Malenaadu and the Bayalu seeme and it became a place for travellers. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word dwarawata, dwara meaning door, a different theory suggests that during the Vijayanagara rule of Dharwad there was a ruler by name of Dharav, and Dharwad got its name from him. There are some inscriptions that refer to Dharwad as Kampana Sthana, inscriptions found near Durga Devi temple in Narendra and RLS High School date back to the 12th century and have references to Dharwad. This makes Dharwad at least 900 years old, also, there is an inscription at Hanuman Temple at Bokyapur lake near Garag. The Chalukyas ruled Dharwad during the 12th century, a stone inscription indicates that there was a ruler by the name of BhaskaraDeva in 1117. Adil Shah built a fort in an area later called Manna Killa, in 1685, the fort was taken by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Dharwad, on the break-up of the Mughal empire, fell under the sway of the Maratha Peshwa of Pune. In 1764, the province was overrun by Hyder Ali of the Mysore, the fort was retaken in 1791 by the Marathas. After the final defeat of the Peshwa by the British in 1818, during the early 19th century, when the British were expanding their domains, they faced a lot of opposition from local rulers, including Baba Saheb of Naragund and Kittur Chennamma. Dharwad was the home to the movement to unify Kannada speaking areas that eventually became Karnataka state, Dharwad was peaceful for most of the late 19th century. During those times, the British started an English medium school in Dharwad in 1848, later, in 1863, the Basel Mission organization started another school. In 1867 the British opened another school, Varmal school, which later on known as a training college. In 1883, the municipality area included Sidapur, Lakamanhalli, Haveri Pete, Bagtalan, Madihal, Galaganjikop, Malapur, Kamalapur, Narayanpur, Saptapur, Atti kolla, the British government also established a railway station in 1888. The town had a station on the Southern Maratha railway. By 1901, the town had a population of 31,279 and was home to several cotton gina, a cotton mill, after Indias independence in 1947, the Bombay Presidency was reconstituted as Indias Bombay State. In 1956 the southern, Kannada-speaking districts of Bombay State, including Dharwad, were added to Mysore, in 1941, Dharwad had a population of 47,992
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Bellary
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Bellary is a historic city in Ballari district in Karnataka state, India. It is 306 kilometres from Bangalore, the state capital, There are several legends explaining how Ballari got its name. The first is that a few devout travelling merchants halting in Ballari and they then installed a balla upside down as a Shiva Linga and worshiped it. Eventually, that place was turned into a dedicated to Balleshwara or Shiva, which became distorted to Malleshwara. The second legend is that the city is named after Indra, the king of Gods, the third legend derives the citys name from the old Kannada word Vallari and Vallapuri. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India approved a proposal to rename the city in October 2014, numerous neolithic archaeological sites have been discovered around Ballari, such as the ash mounds at Sanganakallu, Budhihal, Kudithini, Tekkalakote, Hiregudda and Kupgal. The Sanganakallu settlement, spread over an area of 1,000 acres, is one of the largest neolithic complexes known around Ballari. After the Sevuna Yadavas and the Hoysalas were defeated by the Islamic sultanates of Delhi, the Vijayanagara Empire arose under Harihara I and Bukka I, Ballari itself was ruled by the family of Hande Hanumappa Nayaka, a Palayagara of the Vijayanagara rulers. The Hande Nayakas ceased to be rulers of Ballari after Major Thomas Munro disposed of the palayagars of the ceded districts, in 1808 AD, the ceded districts were split into the Ballari and Kadapa districts, and in 1867 AD the Ballari Municipal Council was created. Further, in 1882 AD, Anantapuram district was carved out of the Ballari District, the Maratha princely state of Sandur was surrounded by Ballari district. The industries in the town included a distillery and two steam cotton presses. The steam cotton-spinning mill established in 1894 had 17,800 spindles, on 1 October 1953 AD, the Ballari district of Madras Presidency was divided on a linguistic basis. Areas with a significant Kannada speaking population were transferred to Mysore state, the Ballari city municipal council was upgraded to a city corporation in 2004. Granite rocks and hills form a prominent feature of Bellary, the city is spread mainly around two hills of granite composition, the Ballari Gudda and the Kumbara Gudda. These two hills are dominant features and visible from every part of the city. Ballari Gudda has a circumference of nearly 2 miles and a height of 480 feet, the length of this rock from north-east to south-west is about 1,150 ft. To the east and south lies an irregular heap of boulders, to the west there is a monolith. When viewed from the south-east it looks like the profile of a face and is therefore also known as Face Hill. Bellary is located at 15. 15°N76. 93°E /15.15,76.93 and it has an average elevation of 495 meters
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Bidar
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Bidar is a hill top city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in south India. It is the headquarters of the Bidar District which borders Maharashtra and it is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider Bidar Metropolitan area. The city is known for its many sites of architectural, historical. Being located at the farthest of around 700 km from the state capital Bengaluru, however, owing to its rich heritage, the city has a prominent place on the Archaeological Map of India. Picturesquely perched on the Deccan plateau, the Bidar fort is more than 500 years old, explaining its nickname City of Whispering Monuments. The IAF Station Bidar is used for advanced jet training of fighter pilots on BAe Hawk aircraft. Bidar city is known for its Bidri handicraft products, and its rich history, Bidar is also considered one of the holiest place for Sikh pilgrimage. Unlike other places in the region, Bidar is the coldest and wettest place in north Karnataka, for the year 2009-10, Bidar was ranked 22nd among the cleanest cities in India, and 5th cleanest in Karnataka. SH4 passes through Bidar and the city is integrated with 4 lane road. Ancient Karez System in the city have recently discovered. The Karez is a network of aqueducts for water supply. The Bidar Karez, built in the 15th century, is more than 3 km long with 21 air vents, underground canals, built to connect underground water streams, were meant to provide drinking water to civilian settlements and the garrison inside the Bidar fort. This was necessary in a city where the soil was rocky, Bidar is believed to have got its name from Bidri works. Its association can be seen apparently on account of the similarity in names Bidar and this has been mentioned in Firishtas writings. The traditional tales reveal that Vidura lived here, hence the place was earlier called Viduranagara and also as the place where Nala, the recorded History of the city goes back to third century B. C. when it was of the great Mauryan Empire. After the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Kadambas and Chalukyas of Badami, Chalukyas of Kalyana and Kalachuris of Kalyanis also regained the area. For a short period after Kalyani Chalukyas the area of Bidar was under the sevunas of Devgiri, Delhi rulers first headed by Allauddin Khilji and later Muhammed-bin-Tughluq took control of entire Deccan including Bidar. About the middle of the 14th century the Sultans officers stationed in Deccan rebelled, there were frequent warfare between the Bahamnis and Vijaynagar Kingdom
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Raichur
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Raichur is a city municipality in the district of Raichur in the south indian state of Karnataka. Raichur, located between Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, is the headquarters of Raichur district and it is located 409 km from the state capital, Bengaluru. Raichur has a history, having been a part of various empires, such as the Bahmanis and Vijayanagara. The city is famous for its imposing Raichur Fort, here, stone inscriptions have been found in Persian and Arabic which belonged to the bastion of the fort, referring to its construction in 1294. Among the ruins of the fort are many irrigation tanks. The fort was built by Kakatiya king Rudra in 1284 CE which passed on to the Vijayanagar kingdom after the decline of the Kakatiyas, thereafter the fort was under dispute for nearly two centuries. It was captured by the Bahmanis in 1323 CE, saluva Narasimha Raya expressed a wish in his testament that the city of Raichur be recaptured. This had been in the mind of Krishnadevaraya since his coronation in 1509, in the year 1520 Krishnadevaraya sent Saeed Maraikar, a Muslim in his service, to Goa with a large sum of money to buy horses. Maraikar instead went to Adil Khan with the money and offered his services, Krishnadevaraya made a demand that Maraikar be returned along with the money which was duly refused. During the period of peace Krishnadevaraya made extensive preparations for an attack on Raichur doab. After the court decided that Raichur should be attacked the king invited all commanders in his service to part in the battle. Raichur is very rich from the point of view. It has already yielded hundreds of inscriptions, ranging from the Mauryan period up to the end of the Muslim period. The inscriptions are in a variety of such as Sanskrit, Prakrit, Kannada, Telugu, Arabic. The most important places from this point of view are Maski, Koppal, Kuknur, Hatti Gold Mines, Mudgal, Raichur is located at 16. 2°N77. 37°E /16.2,77.37. It has an elevation of 407 metres. As of the 2001 India census, Raichur had a population of 205,634, males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. The main language is Kannada, but Telugu, Urdu, Raichur City Official Website Weather in Raichur Zilla Panchayat of Raichur
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Hospet
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Hospet or Hosapete is a city in the Bellary District in central Karnataka, India. It is located on the Tungabhadra River,12 km from Hampi, Hampi is a World Heritage site containing the ruins of the medieval city Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Hospet was built in 1520 AD by Krishna Deva Raya, one of the rulers of Vijayanagara and he built the city to honour the memory of his mother Nagalambika. The city was originally named Nagalapura, however, people referred to the city as Hosa Pete, the area between Hampi and Hospet is still called Nagalapura. This was the entrance to the city of Vijayanagara for travellers coming from Goa. The current MLA for this area is Anand Singh, the government approved a request to rename the city in October 2014, and Hospet was renamed Hosapete on 1 November 2014. Hospet is well connected to important cities in India. Bellary, the capital, is located approximately 60 km away from Hospet. Hosapete Junction railway station lies on Hubbali-Guntakal railway line, in addition, the city has a well-developed market area. Hospet is a well-known tourist destination, mainly due to the proximity of Hampi, Tungabhadra Dam is another asset that makes Hospet a popular destination for tourists. Hospet is also notable for its iron ore mining and steel plants, according to the 2011 census, the total population of Hospet was 206,159. The town has an literacy rate of 80%, with male literacy at 85%. In Hospet, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age
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Upper Krishna Irrigation Project
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The project had been designed by the Government of Karnataka to irrigate 1536,000 acres of land. The foundation stone for the Upper Krishna Project was laid by former Indian prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on 22 May 1964, the project was designed to irrigate 1536,000 acres of land in Gulbarga, Raichur, Bijapur, Bagalkot and now Yadgir. UKP intends to use the bulk of 173 thousand million cubic feet of water allocated to the state of Karnataka by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, headed by R. S. 201 villages were affected by the project and 136 villages were submerged in the backwaters of the reservoirs constructed as a part of the project. Stage II of the UKP plans to utilise 54 tmcft of water and it involves irrigation on the right bank of the river by the flow and also by lifting the waters to higher levels on both left and right banks. The project mainly involved construction of channels, Hipparagi barrage This project also includes construction of Hipparagi barrage in the upstream of Almatti dam with FRL531.4 m MSL in Athani taluq of Belagavi district. Hipparagi barrage with 4.9 tmcft live storage capacity supplies irrigation water to nearly 60,000 acres by Ainapur, the Karnataka government on 3 December 2011 unveiled a five-year action plan to fully utilise its share of water in the Krishna River basin. Stage 3 of UKP would utilise 130 tmcft of water, the Karnataka government would be spending ₹17,000 crore to complete the third stage of the project. Stage 3 consists of raising the height of Alamatti Dam to 524 metres, one lakh acres of land would be submerged. UKP stage 3 would involve lift irrigation schemes at Mulwad, Chimmalagi, stage 3 would also involve the extension of lift irrigation schemes at Rampur, Mallabad, Koppal and Herakal. The major beneficiary of the project would be Gulbarga district with around 950,000 acres of land coming under irrigation, a hydel power generation plant of installed capacity of 297 MW has been contemplated at Almatti, which it is estimated would generate about 672 million units annually. This work has been assigned to KPTCL, a Karnataka Government company, the project is also intended to provide drinking water to 18 urban and several rural centres. Delays and the level of cost over-runs lead to charges of cronyism, a first information report was filed by police on 26 Oct 2011 in connection with alleged financial irregularities in awarding the contracts to the tune of ₹400 crore in the project during 1995-1998. The FIR filed did not name anyone and former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda was the minister of the state of Karnataka during the period 1994-1996. Several CMs came and went but not finished this project since 15 years, totally dam work started 45 years back but not completed till today. Due to this Karnataka Government lost huge agricultural income and loss to ex-chequer, lack of proper maintenance has been a recurring concern, especially after disasters such as the collapse of a main gate at the Narayanpur Dam. Human costs included the number of displaced persons and the loss of community. Thousands of farmers lost their land due to project, farmers land was sunk into backwater as well as dam water
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Almatti Dam
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The Almatti Dam is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka, India which was completed in July 2005. The target annual output of the dam is 560 MU. The Almatti Dam is the reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project. The facility uses vertical kaplan turbines, five 55MW generators and one 15MW generator, water is released in to the Narayanpur reservoir after using for power generation to serve the downstream irrigation needs. The KPCL eventually completed the project at a lower cost of Rs.5.20 billion. The entire dam was finished in less than forty months, with ending in July 2005. The dam is located on the edge of Bijapur and Bagalkot districts, geographically, it is located in the Bijapur district, but large areas of Bagalkot district have also been submerged due to filling of the reservoir. The dam holds a water storage capacity of 123.08 TMC at 519 meters MSL. The full reservoir level of Almatti dam was restricted to 519 meters MSL by the supreme court of India. Seven terrace gardens have developed as a picnic spot in the dam area. Boating, musical fountains, and stagnant fountains have been set up in the area, on one side of the dam, a garden named Rock hill has an artificial forest with ceramic wild animals and birds and many idols representing village life in India. Almatti is about 66 km away from Vijayapur and takes about 1 hr,10 mins by train
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Tungabhadra Dam
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The Tungabhadra Dam is constructed across the Tungabhadra River, a tributary of the Krishna River. The dam is near the town of Hospet in Karnataka and it is a multipurpose dam serving irrigation, electricity generation, flood control, etc. The main architect of the dam was Dr Thirumala Iyengar, an engineer from Madras, the dam creates the biggest reservoir on the Tungabhadra River with 101 tmcft of gross storage capacity at full reservoir level 498 m MSL, and a water spread area of 378 square kilometres. The dam is 49.39 meters high above its deepest foundation, the left canals emanating from the reservoir supplies water for irrigation entirely in Karnataka state. Two right bank canals are constructed — one at low level, hydropower units are installed on canal drops. The reservoir water is used to water to downstream barrages Rajolibanda. The identified water use from the project is 220 tmcft by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh got 151 tmcft and 79 tmcft water use entitlement respectively. On the right side of the dam, tall Sanduru hill ranges extending up to 800 m MSL are close to the periphery of the Tungabhadra reservoir and these hill ranges form the Sanduru valley located above 600 m MSL. This reservoir is a place to install pumped storage hydropower plants. A moderate high level storage reservoir of capacity 20 tmcft at FRL620 m MSL and this reservoir will serve as upper pond and existing Tungabhadra reservoir as tail pond for installing pumped-storage hydroelectricity units. The water pumped during the monsoon months into the pond can be diverted by gravity to irrigate an extensive area in the uplands up to 600 m MSL in Rayalaseema. This water can be pumped further to meet the water requirements of Bengaluru city. However, the water resources at Tungabhadra dam are over-used. Water availability in the reservoir could be augmented by transferring water from the Krishna River, nearly 180 tmcft out of 230 tmcft water presently supplied from Tungabhadra reservoir to various canals can be replaced by reliable Krishna river water from the Narayanpur reservoir. Water is also released from the Maski nala in to downstream Tungabhadra main river to meet water needs of downstream Rajolibanda canal. Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal Penna River Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme
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Mysore State
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Mysore State was a separate state within the Union of India from 1948 until 1956 with Mysore as its capital. The state was enlarged in 1956 when it became a linguistically homogeneous Kannada-speaking state in 1956. It was subsequently incorporated into the state of Karnataka, the Kingdom of Mysore /maɪˈsɔər/ was one of the three largest princely states within the former British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore signed the instrument of accession incorporating his realm with the Union of India on 15 August 1947, the territories of the erstwhile princely state of Mysore were then reconstituted into a state within the Union of India. In 1956, the Government of India effected a comprehensive re-organisation of provincial boundaries, as a result of the States Reorganisation Act on 1 November 1956, the Kannada-speaking districts of Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwar, and North Canara were transferred from Bombay State to Mysore State. Bellary district was transferred from Andhra State, south Canara and Udupi districts were transferred from Madras State and the Koppal, Raichur, Gulbarga and Bidar districts from Hyderabad State. Also small Coorg State was merged, becoming a district of Mysore State. R
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Coastal Karnataka
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The Kanara region of Karnataka, comprises three coastal districts, namely Dakshina Kannada, Udupi district and Uttara Kannada. Kanara forms the part of the Konkan coast. The length of this region north to south is around 300 kilometres while the width varies from 30 to 110 kilometres. The region is characterized by swaying palms and swift brooks running towards the Arabian Sea, according to legend, Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu, retrieved Kanara from the sea by throwing his axe into the sea. The sea fell back to the place where his axe fell, hence, the region is sometimes called Parshurama Kshetra. According to historian Severino da Silva, the ancient name for this region is Parashuram Srashti and he and Stephen Fuchs say that the name Canara is the invention of Portuguese, Dutch and English people who visited the area for trade from the early 16th century on wards. The Bednore Dynasty, under whose rule this tract was at time, was known to them as the Kannada Dynasty. The letter d being always pronounced like r by the Europeans and this name was retained by the British after their occupation of the district in 1799, and has remained ever since. However, they say that this issue is controversial. Yakshagana is a dance drama popular in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, Udupi. This theater art involves acting, dance, dialogue, music, songs, story, while dance and songs adhere to well established talas, very similar to classical Indian dance forms, acting and dialogues are created spontaneously on stage depending on the ability of the artists. This combination of classical and folk elements makes Yakshagana unique from any other Indian art and it would be considered a form of opera to the western eye. Traditionally, Yakshaganas start late in the night and run the entire night, bagavatha, the background singer, who is also the director of the story controls the entire proceedings on stage. He/she along with the musicians, who play chande and maddale form the himmela. The actors who wear costumes and enact various roles in the story form the mummela. There are many professional troops in Karnataka, in spite of the competition from modern movie industry and television, these troops arrange ticketed shows and make a profit. Yakshagana is sometimes simply called aataā in both Kannada and Konkani, yaksha-gana literally means the song of a yaksha. Yakshas were a tribe mentioned in the Sanskrit literature of ancient India
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Jainism
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Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion belonging to the śramaṇa tradition. The central tenet is non-violence and respect all living beings. The three main principles of Jainism are ahimsa, anekantavada and aparigraha, followers of Jainism take five main vows, ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya and aparigraha. Jain monks and nuns observe these vows absolutely whereas householders observe them within their practical limitations, self-discipline and asceticism are thus major focuses of Jainism. The word Jain derives from the Sanskrit word jina, a human being who has conquered all inner passions like attachment, desire, anger, pride, greed, etc. is called Jina. Followers of the path practiced and preached by the jinas are known as Jains, Parasparopagraho Jivanam is the motto of Jainism. Jains trace their history through a succession of teachers and revivers of the Jain path known as Tirthankaras. In the current era, this started with Rishabhdeva and concluded with Mahavira, Jains believe that Jainism is eternal and while it may be forgotten, it will be revived from time to time. The majority of Jains reside in India, with 6-7 million followers, Jainism is smaller than many other major world religions. Outside of India, some of the largest Jain communities are present in Canada, Europe, Kenya, the UK, Suriname, Fiji, contemporary Jainism is divided into two major sects, Digambara and Śvētāmbara. Namokar Mantra is the most common and basic prayer in Jainism, major Jain festivals include Paryushana and Daslakshana, Mahavir Jayanti, and Diwali. The principle of ahimsa is the most fundamental and well-known aspect of Jainism, the everyday implementation of the principle of non-violence is more comprehensive than in other religions and is the hallmark for Jain identity. Jains believe in avoiding harm to others thoughts, speech. According to the Jain text, Purushartha Siddhyupaya, killing any living being out of passions is hiṃsā, Jains extend the practice of nonviolence and kindness not only towards other humans but towards all living beings. For this reason, vegetarianism is a hallmark of Jain identity, if there is violence against animals during the production of dairy products, veganism is encouraged. Jainism has an elaborate framework on types of life and includes life-forms that may be invisible. Therefore, after humans and animals, insects are the living being offered protection in Jain practice. For example, insects in the home are often escorted out instead of killed, Jainism teaches that intentional harm and the absence of compassion make an action more violent
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Kadamba dynasty
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Kadamba was an ancient royal brahmin dynasty of Karnataka, India that ruled northern Karnataka and the Konkan from Banavasi in present-day Uttara Kannada district. At the peak of their power under King Kakushtavarma, the Kadambas of Banavasi ruled large parts of modern Karnataka state, King Mayurasharma defeated the armies of Pallavas of Kanchi possibly with help of some native tribes. The Kadamba fame reached its peak during the rule of Kakusthavarma, tiring of the endless battles and bloodshed, one of the later descendants, King Shivakoti adopted Jainism. The Kadambas were contemporaries of the Western Ganga Dynasty and together formed the earliest native kingdoms to rule the land with absolute autonomy. The Kadambas were the first indigenous dynasty to use Kannada, the language of the soil and their legacy was so impressive that even the Vijayanagar rulers who fought Deccan Sultanates hired descendants of the Kadambas to manage their Goa military naval fleet. There is no shortage of myths about the origin of the Kadambas, according to one account the dynasty was founded by one Trilochana Kadamba also known from the Halsi and Degamve records as Jayanta who had three eyes and four arms. He was born out of the sweat of Shiva, which had fallen under a Kadamba tree, according to another myth, Mayurasharma himself was born to Lord Shiva and mother earth and had three eyes. An inscription of the Nagarakhanda Kadambas, a later descendent dynasty, gives a legendary account, there are two theories to the origin of the Kadamba dynasty, a native Kannadiga origin and the other a north Indian origin. Mention of the north Indian origin of the Kadambas are only found in their records of their offshoot descendent dynasty and is considered legendary. But this theory has not found popularity as there is no indication of this account in any of their early records, on the contrary, the family derives its name from the Kadamba tree that is common only to the South India region. A claim has made that the Kadambas were none other than a tribe called the Kadambu. The Kadambus find mention in the Tamil Sangam literature as totemic worshippers of the Kadambu tree, being native Kannadigas, the Kadambas promptly gave administrative and political importance to their language, Kannada, after coming to power. It is thus claimed that the family of the Kadambas were undoubtedly of Kanarese descent, the Naga descent of the Kadambas has been stated in early inscriptions of King Krishna Varma I too, which confirms the family was from present day Karnataka. Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kannada are the sources of the Kadamba history. The Talagunda, Gundanur, Chandravalli, Halasi and Halmidi inscription are some of the important inscriptions that throw light on this ancient ruling family of Karnataka. They belonged to the Manavya Gotra and were Haritiputras, which connects them to the native Chutus of Banavasi, inscriptions of the Kadambas in Kannada and Sanskrit ascribed to the main dynasty and branch kingdoms have been published by historians. The Kadambas minted coins with Nagari, Kannada and Grantha legends which provide additional evidence of their history. Kadambas were the first rulers to use Kannada as an official administrative language
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Rashtrakuta dynasty
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Rashtrakuta was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian Subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapura, other ruling Rashtrakuta clans from the same period mentioned in inscriptions were the kings of Achalapur and the rulers of Kannauj. Several controversies exist regarding the origin of these early Rashtrakutas, their native home and this clan came to be known as the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, rising to power in South India in 753. At the same time the Pala dynasty of Bengal and the Prathihara dynasty of Malwa were gaining force in eastern and northwestern India respectively, an Arabic text, Silsilat al-Tawarikh, called the Rashtrakutas one of the four principal empires of the world. The early kings of this dynasty were influenced by Hinduism and the kings by Jainism. During their rule, Jain mathematicians and scholars contributed important works in Kannada, Amoghavarsha I, the most famous king of this dynasty wrote Kavirajamarga, a landmark literary work in the Kannada language. Architecture reached a milestone in the Dravidian style, the finest example of which is seen in the Kailasanath Temple at Ellora in modern Maharashtra. Other important contributions are the Kashivishvanatha temple and the Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal in modern Karnataka, the origin of the Rashtrakuta dynasty has been a controversial topic of Indian history. The relationship of these medieval Rashtrakutas to the most famous later dynasty, the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, the sources for Rashtrakuta history include medieval inscriptions, ancient literature in the Pali language, contemporaneous literature in Sanskrit and Kannada and the notes of the Arab travellers. Scholars debate over which ethnic/linguistic groups can claim the early Rashtrakutas, possibilities include the north western ethnic groups of India, the Kannadiga, Reddi, the Maratha, or the tribes from the Punjab region. Scholars however concur that the rulers of the dynasty in the 8th to 10th century made the Kannada language as important as Sanskrit. Rashtrakuta inscriptions use both Kannada and Sanskrit, and the rulers encouraged literature in both languages, the earliest existing Kannada literary writings are credited to their court poets and royalty. Though these Rashtrakutas were Kannadigas, they were conversant in a northern Deccan language as well, the heart of the Rashtrakuta empire included nearly all of Karnataka, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh, an area which the Rashtrakutas ruled for over two centuries. He then helped his father-in-law, Pallava King Nandivarman regain Kanchi from the Chalukyas and defeated the Gurjaras of Malwa, dantidurgas successor Krishna I brought major portions of present-day Karnataka and Konkan under his control. During the rule of Dhruva Dharavarsha who took control in 780 and he led successful expeditions to Kannauj, the seat of northern Indian power where he defeated the Gurjara Pratiharas and the Palas of Bengal, gaining him fame and vast booty but not more territory. He also brought the Eastern Chalukyas and Gangas of Talakad under his control, according to Altekar and Sen, the Rashtrakutas became a pan-India power during his rule. The ascent of Dhruva Dharavarshas third son, Govinda III, to the throne heralded an era of success like never before, there is uncertainty about the location of the early capital of the Rashtrakutas at this time. During his rule there was a three way conflict between the Rashtrakutas, the Palas and the Pratiharas for control over the Gangetic plains and his military exploits have been compared to those of Alexander the Great and Arjuna of Mahabharata
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Chalukya dynasty
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The Chalukya dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties, the earliest dynasty, known as the Badami Chalukyas, ruled from Vatapi from the middle of the 6th century. The Badami Chalukyas began to assert their independence at the decline of the Kadamba kingdom of Banavasi, after the death of Pulakeshin II, the Eastern Chalukyas became an independent kingdom in the eastern Deccan. They ruled from Vengi until about the 11th century and these Western Chalukyas ruled from Kalyani until the end of the 12th century. The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in the history of South India, the political atmosphere in South India shifted from smaller kingdoms to large empires with the ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas. A Southern India-based kingdom took control and consolidated the entire region between the Kaveri and the Narmada rivers, the rise of this empire saw the birth of efficient administration, overseas trade and commerce and the development of new style of architecture called Chalukyan architecture. Kannada literature, which had enjoyed royal support in the 9th century Rashtrakuta court found eager patronage from the Western Chalukyas in the Jain, the 11th century saw the birth of Telugu literature under the patronage of the Eastern Chalukyas. While opinions vary regarding the origins of the Chalukyas, the consensus among noted historians such as John Keay. Sircar, Hans Raj, S. Sen, Kamath, K. V. Ramesh, a theory that they were descendants of a 2nd-century chieftain called Kandachaliki Remmanaka, a feudatory of the Andhra Ikshvaku was put forward. This according to Kamath has failed to explain the difference in lineage, the Kandachaliki feudatory call themselves Vashisthiputras of the Hiranyakagotra. The Chalukyas, however, address themselves as Harithiputras of Manavyasagotra in their inscriptions, which is the lineage as their early overlords. This makes them descendants of the Kadambas, the Chalukyas took control of the territory formerly ruled by the Kadambas. A later record of Eastern Chalukyas mentions the northern origin theory and claims one ruler of Ayodhya came south, defeated the Pallavas and she had a child called Vijayaditya who is claimed to be the Pulakeshin Is father. However, according to the historians K. V. Ramesh, Chopra and Sastri, there are Badami Chalukya inscriptions that confirm Jayasimha was Pulakeshin Is grandfather and Ranaranga, his father. Kamath and Moraes claim it was a practice in the 11th century to link South Indian royal family lineage to a Northern kingdom. The Badami Chalukya records themselves are silent with regards to the Ayodhya origin, while the northern origin theory has been dismissed by many historians, the epigraphist K. V. Ramesh has suggested that an earlier southern migration is a distinct possibility which needs examination. Hence, the place of origin of their ancestors may have been of no significance to the kings of the empire who may have considered themselves natives of the Kannada speaking region. The writing of 12th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana suggests the Chalukya family belonged to the Shudra caste while other sources claim they were Kshatriyas, the historians Jan Houben and Kamath, and the epigraphist D. C
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Western Chalukya Empire
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The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. The dynasty is called Western Chalukyas to differentiate from the contemporaneous Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, prior to the rise of these Chalukyas, the Rashtrakuta empire of Manyakheta controlled most of Deccan and Central India for over two centuries. The dynasty quickly rose to power and grew into an empire under Someshvara I who moved the capital to Kalyani. For over a century, the two empires of Southern India, the Western Chalukyas and the Chola dynasty of Tanjore fought many wars to control the fertile region of Vengi. During these conflicts, the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, distant cousins of the Western Chalukyas but related to the Cholas by marriage took sides with the Cholas further complicating the situation. His exploits were not limited to the south for even as a prince, during the rule of Someshvara I, he had led military campaigns as far east as modern Bihar. The Western Chalukyas developed a style known today as a transitional style. Most of its monuments are in the districts bordering the Tungabhadra River in central Karnataka, well known examples are the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi, the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti, the Kallesvara Temple at Bagali and the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi. This was an important period in the development of arts in Southern India, especially in literature as the Western Chalukya kings encouraged writers in the native language Kannada. The genealogy of the kings of this empire is still debated, the records suggests a possible rebellion by a local Chalukya King, Chattigadeva of Banavasi-12000 province, in alliance with local Kadamba chieftains. This rebellion however was unfruitful but paved the way for his successor Tailapa II, however, some inscriptions indicate that Balagamve in Mysore territory may have been a power centre up to the rule of Someshvara I in 1042. The Western Chalukyas and the Chola Dynasty fought many wars over control of this strategic resource. The imperial Cholas gained power during the time of the famous king Rajaraja Chola I, the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi were cousins of the Western Chalukyas but became increasingly influenced by the Cholas through their marital ties with the Tamil kingdom. As this was against the interests of the Western Chalukyas, they wasted no time in involving themselves politically and militarily in Vengi and his successor, Jayasimha II, fought many battles with the Cholas in the south around c. 1020–21 when both these powerful kingdoms struggled to choose the Vengi king,1024, Jayasimha II subdued the Paramara of central India and the rebellious Yadava King Bhillama. It is known from records that Jayasimhas son Someshvara I, whose rule historian Sen considers a brilliant period in the Western Chalukya rule, moved the Chalukya capital to Kalyani in c. Hostilities with the Cholas continued while both sides won and lost battles, though neither lost significant territory during the struggle to install a puppet on the Vengi throne. In 1068 Someshvara I, suffering from an illness, drowned himself in the Tungabhadra River
India
Historical Places in North Karnataka
