South India · Karnataka
Karnataka
Sources: wikimedia
About Karnataka
- Hills
- Coastal
Where it is
Karnataka is a state in south-western India with a coastline on the Lakshadweep Sea, the forested Western Ghats rising behind it and the broad Deccan Plateau stretching east; its capital is Bengaluru.
History
Karnataka was the home of great dynasties, among them the Kadambas, the Chalukyas of Badami, the Rashtrakutas and the Hoysalas, and later of the Vijayanagara Empire, whose capital was at Hampi. The Wodeyars of Mysore ruled much of the south, with an interlude under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the 18th century. The Kannada-speaking regions were united as Mysore State in 1956, renamed Karnataka in 1973.
People
Kannada is the official language, while Tulu, Konkani, Kodava and Beary are spoken on the coast and in Kodagu, and Urdu, Telugu, Tamil and Marathi in cities and border areas. The state is known for Carnatic music, Yakshagana, Mysore silk and dishes such as bisi bele bath and Mysore pak.
Known for
- The ruins of Hampi
- Mysuru Palace and the Dasara festival
- Coffee estates of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru
- Yakshagana theatre
- Bengaluru's technology industry
Did you know?
The Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura were inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.
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