The state of Karnataka has a fascinating and glorious history for more than 2000 years.
The Axe culture of the pre-historic Palaeolithic age has been found from different sites in Lingadahalli, Lingasugur, and Kibbanahalli in Karnataka.
Several tools and weapons made of bronze and copper during the Neolithic Age and Iron weapon from the Megalithic Age were found in this region.
In the Early historical times, Karnataka was ruled by many dynasties like the Maurya Empire, Satavahana Dynasty, the Kadamba dynasty, and the Western Ganga Dynasty.
In the medieval period, the Chalukyas, Rasthtrakutas, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara Empires emerged as dominant rulers of the state.
The Modern history saw the rule of the Wodeyars of Mysore, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan followed by the British in this state.
Post Independence from the British, the Mysore state was renamed as Karnataka.
Bangalore was founded by Kempe Gowda I, had built a mud fort at the site.
The military commander Hyder Ali invaded the Malabar Coast and extended Mysore’s power.
Diverse dynasties brough different style and architecture with them.
The Gutthu Houses of the land are inward looking Hindu Mansion. Guttu house have steeply pitched roof, combining single & double storeyed blocks around a courtyard.
It is an isolated home of a well-to-do family designed to deter attacks from outsiders.
The façade is symmetrical around a central projection, the tallest and most impressive feature of the house. The building material used is wood.
The houses in the coastal region of Karnataka are Guthu Mane with the prominent Khamb-Wooden pillars in traditional Bunt house.
A square complex with large space for storage all around is found in these houses. The pillars are made of wood. There are generally 4 doors, one on each side of the square complex.
The roof is made with of Mangalore tiles. The inner square is an open area — a place often utilized to dry stuff.
Houses of the The Kings of Kodagu -
They built their Palaces with the architectural style of the Taravad houses of the Nairs of Kerala- proof of the cordial relations between Kodagu and Kerala.
The Ain Mane stands on a hillock surrounded by paddy fields, swaying areca nut trees and coffee plantations. It has sloping tiled roof to drain the torrential monsoon water.
There is a central courtyard which is open to the sky. A narrow corridor runs all around the courtyard to connecting the rooms.
The kitchen is at the rear of the house or even a little away to keep the smoke away. The toilet and bathing area is always away from the main building.
Two massive wooden poles adorn the entrance. The central Nadubaade would consist of three wooden poles.
The first pole is called as Kannikamba meant to support the whole roof of Ainmane.
The kannikamba is as significant as the thook bolcha (hanging lamp) lit everyday at the Nellakki Baade(prayer room).
Images of sun, moon, flowers etc. adorn Kannikamba and main doors, signifying that Kodavas were nature worshippers.
An important part of Ainmane is Kaimada that is built in memory of the founder of the family.
Padasale — The rectangular hall around which the rooms are arranged. Mundu — The inevitable open courtyard in the centre.
Kanni Kombara — Prayer place, where a deity is installed; Here, the karona(family ancestor) symbolized by a lamp is worshipped and offered food at festivals.
Demographic Location
State of Karnataka is situated in the southwest of India along the coastline of the Arabian Sea.
The capital is the cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru, recognized for its high-tech hub and its shopping and nightlife.
Towards the southwest, lies the city of Mysore that embraces lavish temples including Mysore Palace, of the former maharajas.
Hampi, once the medieval Vijayanagara empire’s capital, contains ruins of Hindu temples, elephant stables and a stone chariot.
The state enjoys boundary with the states of Goa and Maharashtra in the north side, Telangana in the east side, Tamil Nadu in the southeast, and Kerala in the south.
The land is water fed by Kaveri river in the south, Tungabhadra, a tributary of the great Krishna river in the north that flow towards eastward-sloping plains of Karnataka Plateau.
These plains are known as the Maidan located on an average elevation of about 1,500 feet.
The northwestern part of the state is characterized by underlying Volcanic rocks that produces a soil known as regur, the humus-rich, cotton-growing black soil of India.
On the other side of the Karnataka Plateau soil found is generally porous and infertile, except in the river basins, where they are loamy and somewhat fertile.
Soil in the coastal plain include iron-rich clays in the inland areas and sandy alluvial deposits toward the coastal stretch.
People, Rituals and Language
Most of the people of Karnataka speak Dravidian Languages,
Centuries of interaction between the Indo Aryan and Dravidian clans and groups has resulted in several shared linguistic and cultural characteristics.
Kannada is a Dravidian language, spoken by a large number of people and is considered as the official language of the state.
Hindi is sometimes used in trade and business. Toward the borders of the state people communicate in Tamil and Telegu, Marathi and Konkani.
Konkani is associated particularly with the city of Mangalore located in the southwestern of Karnataka.
The predominant religion in the state is Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Some small minority population follow Islam and Christianity.
Season and Climate
Karnataka state has a moderate type of climate with rainfall precipitation as above average compared to the average rainfall of the country.
Karnataka is divided into four distinct regions—
The Coastal plain
The Western Ghats mainly hilly region
The Karnataka Plateau to the east
The black-soil tract to the northwest.
The coastal plain is a northward continuation of the Malabar Coast, with sand dunes giving place inland to small alluvial plains and lagoons.
The Western Ghats rise sharply to an average height of 2,500 to 3,000 feet making the region enjoy a cooler climate. The upland terrain of the Ghats is known as Malnad.
The region is a watershed, and from its crest numerous swift streams flow to the plains, including the Sharavati River giving rise to the famous Jog Falls.
The climate of Karnataka is subtropical having four major seasons
Winter (January and February)
Summer (March through May),
Southwest monsoon (June through September)
Post-monsoon (October through December)
Annual precipitation ranges from roughly 20 inches in the drier portions of the Maidan to nearly 160 inches in the wettest parts of the coastal plain.
Karnataka state receives its annual rainfall between June and September and much of the remainder is brought by a less-significant northeast monsoon in the post-monsoon season.
The winter months are mostly dry with almost no rainfall.
Culture & Education
One of the most followed religions of Karnataka is Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
The people of Bangalore city celebrate the traditional festival called "Karaga Shaktyotsava" or Bangalore Karaga.
Deepavali, the "Festival of Lights", is celebrated with great enthusiasm and great vigor.
Women in Karnataka wear sarees with famous design patterns found in Ilakal Saree and Mysore Silk.
Like the women of Karnataka usually dress in sarees, men like to wear dhoti and Kurta.
The principal traditional dress of men in Karnataka is 'Panche' worn underneath the waistline. It is also called Lungi, Dhoti or Veshti.
The prominent folk dance style of Karnataka are the Yakshagana and Dollu Kunitha.
Yakshagana is a folk theatre form of Karnataka wheras Kunitha are considered as the ritualistic dances of Karnataka.
Dollu Kunitha is a major form of folk-dance performance in Karnataka.
Some of the major forms of these kunithas are dollu kunithas, pata kunithas, dorava kunithas.
The highly spectacular yashagana is a major folk musical performance. Krishna Parijatha and Bhoot
Aradhane are some of the other major folk forms of Karnataka music and dance
Carnatic music known as Karnataka Sangeetha is a form of music unique to South India.
Variety of Dosas and Sambar is the identity of delicacy in Karnataka. People eat both vegetarian and non-vegetarian rich in flavor.
A typical Kannada meal consists of rice, sambar, pickle, ghee, dessert, and other curry-based dishes and is served on a banana leaf.
Dussehra is celebrated as the Nada habba (Mysore state festival) and this is marked by major festivities at Mysore.
Bangalore Karaga is celebrated in the heart of Bangalore in Karnataka.
Ganesh Chaturthi, Gowri Habba, Ram Navami, Nagapanchami, Basava Jayanthi, Deepavali and Balipadyami are some other major festivals of Karnataka.
Bangalore is one of the top 5 IT hub cities in India also famous for its education system. In fact, Bangalore is also one of the best cities in India for education.
Tumkur is a District Headquarters around 70 km from Bangalore. Tumkur is known as hub of educational institutions.
There are thirty educational districts of the state with headquarters at Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga and Mysore.
Since the state has long coastline along the Arabian Sea, coconut palms are grown in the lagoons of the coastal region.
Thick monsoon forest cover the Malnad area of the Western Ghats, and scrub forests and scrublands stretch across the drier plains of the Maidan.
The monsoon forests is a rich reserve of wildlife including tigers, elephants, wild cattle, and deer. Wild boars, bears, and leopards in the Maidan.
Peacocks are found in huge numbers in the state.
Karnataka has the large Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in the northwest, which abuts the Mahaveer sanctuary in Goa.
The state has the famous Bandipur National Parks near the border of Tamil Nadu, and at Nagarhole Sanctuary located near the border with Kerala.
Another most visited wild life sanctuary in Karnataka is the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary.
Karnataka has several species of mammals like the sloth bears, Indian elephant, Asiatic elephant, Bengal tiger, wild boars, gaurs, black panthers, big Indian cats.
Some other animals are the Asiatic wild dogs, Indian leopard, small Indian civet, Indian flying fox, Indian giant squirrel, spotted deer, Indian pangolin, golden jackal.
