India >KARNATAKA

KARNATAKA

Capital : Bangalore.

Area : 1, 91, 791 sq.km.

Literacy : 67.6%.

Languages : Kannada, Urdu, Tamil.

Roads : 1, 42, 754 km.

Railways : 3, 059 km.

Airports : Bangalore, Belgaum, Mangalore, Bellary, Hubli, Mysore.

When to visit : Oct to April.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 35 to 26 Winter 25 to 14.

Districts : 27, Bagalkot, Bangalore, Bangalore rural, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur Chamarajanagar, Chikamagalur, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Gulbarga, Hasssan, Haveri, Kodagu, Kolar, Koppal, Mandya, Mysore, Raichur, Shimoga, Tumkur, Udupi, Uttara Kannada.

Places of Tourist importance : Bangalore, Mysore, Belur, Halebid, Shravanabelgola, Jog falls, Hampi, Pattadakal, Aihole, Madikeri.

BANGALORE

Asia's Silicon valley, Known as the Garden city, Govt. museum at Cubbon park (300 acre), Lalbaug and glass house, Vidhana Soudha, St. Mary's cathedral, Govt. museum and Venkatappa art gallery, Visvesvarya industrial and technological museum, Bull temple at Basavanagudi (6.1 m long and 4.6 m high Nandi), Bangalore palace (4 km, fort like), Whitefield (16 km) - Satya Sai Baba ashram, Ramohalli (28 km) - Giant Banyan tree spread over 4 acres of land, picnic spot; Nandi hills (60 km) - Hill station, Gandhi nilaya, Yoganandeswara temple, Tipu's palace.

KOLAR GOLD MINES

Deepest man made pit : 3030 m deep, can be visited from Oct to Feb.

MYSORE

Jagan Mohan palace (3 storied) and Sri Chamarajendra art gallery, garden, zoo, St.Philomina's church, museum of art & archaeology and folklore museum at University of Mysore, Rail museum, Lalith Mahal palace now a 5 star hotel, Chamundi hills (13 km, temple, 4.8 m Nandi statue half way up), BRINDAVAN GARDENS (19 km) - Krishna Rajendra dam, garden, dancing fountain, picnic spot, SRIRANGAPATANA (16 km) - Tipu Sultan's capital, museum, palace, fort, Sangam, mosque, temple; RANGANATHITTU bird sanctuary (19 km), NANJANGUD (22 km) - Nanjundeswara temple, SOMNATHPUR (38 km) - Hoysala temple, Shivsamudram water falls (85 km) - Asia's first hydro electric project, MERCARA/COORG (120 km) - Hill station.

SHRAVANABELGOLA (52 km from Hassan)

Jain pilgrim centre, Gomateswara statue of 300 BC (17 m) by 640 steps. Head annoying ceremoney once in 12 years (2006); BELUR (near Hassan) - Channakeshava temple, Veeranarayana temple. HALEBID (17 km from Belur) - Hoysaleswara temple, archaeological museum.

HAMPI

World heritage centre, archaeological museum, Vijayanagara ruins - Vithala temple, Vrupaksha temple, fort and Lotus Mahal.

BADAMI

Fort, 4 caves, Malegitti Shivalaya temple, rock climbing. 163 km from Bijapur.

PATTADAKAL

World heritage centre, 30 km from Badami, Sangameswara temple, Mallikarjuna temple, Virupaksha temple, Padmanatha temple, Papanatha temple, Dance festival in Jan.

AIHOLE

Meguti temple with inscriptions, Lad Khan temple group, Durga temple, Ravanaphadi cave. 40 km from Badami.

BIJAPUR (100 km from Solapur)

Archaeological museum, Gol Gumbaz - world's fourth largest dome (37.92 m in diameter, 51 m in height and 3 m thick walls, A single minute whisper will be echoed 9 times), fort, Jami masjid, Asar Mahal, Gagan Mahal, Upli Buruj (Watch tower), Mallik e Maidan (a 55 tonne, 14 feet cannon), Bara Kaman, Ibrahim Roza tomb.

CHITRADURGA

Harihar fort.

GERSOPPA/JOG FALLS

Largest/highest waterfall in India, 292 m high Jog falls is in Shravati river, it has four distinct falls named as Raja, Rani, Rocket and Roarer. Magod falls (183 m is 80 km from Honavar).

MANGALORE

Mangaladevi temple, Kadri temple, St.Aloysious college chapel, light house, Govt. museum, Ullal Jama masjid (12 km), Moodabidri Jain temples (35 km, 18 number). Sringeri - Monastery by Shankaracharya, Vidya Shankara temple. Kudremukh - Deep valleys and steep precipice with natural beauty, trekking.

UDUPI

Sri Krishna temple, pilgrim centre, Malpe beach (6 km), Manipal health resort (5 km). DHARMASTALA - Manjunatha temple and Gomateswara statue.

FESTIVALS

Dussera (Sept/Oct), Sankranti (Jan).

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