Karnataka India

Karnataka - The land of many dynasties

Chamundeswari Temple in the Chamundi HillsKarnataka extending over an area of 191,791 sq. Km is eighth largest state of India. The state located on the Western half of the Deccan Plateau is bounded by the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Till November 1, 1973, Karnataka was known as Mysore, then its name was changed to Karnataka. The state has a very old history as it is ruled by the array of dynasties. Karnatakas houses several ancient temples, palaces and fort which attract large number of tourists. It is in this state that skilled artisan have proved their mastery in the stone by carving excellent figures. The state is the leading producer of Agarbatti (Incense Sticks) and also a big producer of arecanut, silk and coffee. Karnataka is only exporter of Sandalwood in India, while Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) was once the only producer of gold in the country.

People of Karnataka

The state is famous for it rich culture and traditional grandeur. Karnataka people have been living in close contact with their neighbors such as the Marathas, the Andhras, the Tamilians and the Malayalis. Karnataka is famous all over the world for Carnatic Music.

Festivals of Karnataka

Karnataka is known for celebrating many festivals, especially the temple festivals of Paryaya festival, Vairamudi festival, Karaga Festival, Keil Poldu and Lakshadeepotsavam etc. Dussehra is another important festival celebrated for ten days usually in September - October. Besides other festivals of the state are the Coorg festival, Hampi-Vijayanagar festival and the Hoysala festival.

Cuisine of Karnataka

The cuisine of the state vary in different areas according to the choices of people.

The cuisine of Karnataka is characterized by distinct textures, flavours and tastes. The famous cuisine are the spicy dishes, Kodava cuisine, Malnad cuisine and Udupi etc.

Tourist Attractions in Karnataka

Bangalore Bangalore the capital of Karnataka is also called as the 'Garden city of India.' Today Banglaore is Asia's fastest growing cosmopolitan city. Bangalore accounts about 35 per cent of India's software exports and is now called as the 'Silicon Valley of India'. The city enjoys a pleasant climate which attracts large number of tourists.

Some of the famous tourist destinations in the city are Lal Bagh, Government Museum, Bull Temple, Bangalore Palace and Fort, Gangadhareshware Temple, Dargah Hazarath Tawakkal Mastan, St. Mary's Church, Gandhi Bhavan, Ulsoor lake and Vidhana Soudha etc.

Mysore Located at a distance of 140 Kms from Bangalore, Mysore is famous as the city of Palaces. Mysore the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyar dynasty, Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan retains its old world charm. The city boasts of the royal splendour, temples, pilgrimage centres and scenic spots is a famous tourists destination. Some of the famous palaces of Mysore are Amba Vilas, Rajendra Vilas, Jagmohan Palace, Jayalakshmi Vilas and Lalita Mahal etc. Mysore is also popular for its Dussehra or Navratri festival.

Mangalore Mangalore is a beautiful scenic city situated amidst the lush green surroundings. The narrow winding lanes, coconut trees, gable-roofed houses, picturesque beaches, temples and churches add more charm to the city . The most famous attractions of the city are Kadri Manjunath Temple, Shri Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple, Sultan Battery, St. Aloysius Church, Light House, Hill-Garden, Kudroli Gokarnath Temple and Mangaladevi Temple.

Hassan Hassan is situated at a distance of 194 Kms from the capital city Bangalore. The city has a historical significance as the region was ruled by Hoysalas from the11th to 13th century AD. Hassan is ideal base to explore the towns of Halebid (27 Kms), Belur (38 Kms) and Shravanabelagola (51 Kms).

Hampi Hampi is a important tourist place, located in the Bellary district. The village lies 343 Kms from Bangalore and 13 Kms from Hospet. Hampi is famous for housing the ruins of erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagara. The village also called as 'The City of Ruins' has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The major attractions of Hampi are Virupaksha Temple, Vithala Temple Complex , Hazara Rama Temple, Ugra Narasimha, Lotus Mahal, Queen's Bath, Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy temple, Shivlinga, Virupaksha Bazaar and King's Balance.

Accessibility to Karnataka

The major cities of Karanataka is well connected by Air, Rail and Road link.

By Air : The capital city Bangalore is the main airport of the state. The airlines operates flights for major cities of the country as well as world cities like Singapore, Dubai, London, Oman, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia etc.

By Rail : Bangalore is the major rail head and it has the trains from Ahmedabad, Cochin, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Chennai, Mysore, Nagpur, Tiruvananthapuram and Goa etc.

By Road : The National highways of the state connects it to major cities and towns of India. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses run within the state as well as outside the state.

Accommodation in Karnataka

The hotels of the state range from deluxe, star, heritage to economic offer plenty of accommodation options. The hotels well-equipped with modern facilities provide pleasant stay.