CHAPTER IV

TOURISM IN KARNATAKA - A PROFILE

CONTENTS

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

Facts File

History ofKamataka

Geography

Language

External Links

Banking

Education

Economy

Tourist Circuits in Kamataka

4.9.1 Beach CircuU 4.9.2 Coastal CircuU 4.9.3 Hill Circuit 4.9.4 North Circuit 4.9.5 South Circuit 4.9.6 Wildlife CircuU

MAP 4.1 TOURIST MAP

97

ery iJb urfs^cf aooabo ud^d^ ad?j^*

The land called Kannada is so beautiful that

even the most creative man cannot enumerate its

beauty in words.

Andayya(1225)

4.1: Facts File

Karnataka (^erorU^ in Kannada) is one of the four southern states

of India. Before 1973, the state was known as Mysore State, as it was

formed out of the former Kingdom of Mysore in 1950, and enlarged in

1956 to include the Kannada-speaking regions of neighbouring states.

Bangalore is the capital city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

It is also known as Garden city because of its many beautiful gardens and

parks. Though, the origin of Bangalore is ancient, the present day city

was founded in the 16"* century and has since continued to be an

important administrative centre. Due to the high concentration of the

IT industry, it is also called the Silicon Valley of India. Other major

cities include Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli-Dharwad, Bellary and Belgaum.

98

TABLE 4.1 FACTS ON KARNATAKA

Date of formation

State capital

Districts

Population Total (2001) Male Female

Density

Area

Females per 1000 Males (2001) Literacy Rate (2004) Total Male Female

Ratio of urban population

Net Domestic Product (Rs. Million at current prices in 1992-93) Per Capita income (Rs at current prices in 1992-93) Principal language

Religions

Currency

Time

Climate

Airports

Best time to visit

International dialing code

November 1, 1973

Bangalore

27

52,733,958 26,856,343 25,877,615

275/KM^

l,92,000Km^

964

58.36% 66.34%

50%

33.98%

2,91,220

6,313

Kannada

Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism

Indian Rupee

GMT + 5:30

Tropical

Bangalore, Mangalore, Belgaum and Hubli

Year round

+91 Source: The week, Dec. 22, 2002, Karnataka Theatre of Inspiration, at

www.karnataka-tourism.org. State profile of Karnataka at http://en.wikipedia.org.

99

4.2: History of Karnataka

Karnataka called as Karunadu (elevated land) in ancient times

(Department of Tourism Publication: 1973)'. The course of Karnataka's

history and culture takes us back to pre-historic times. The earliest find of

the Stone Age period in India was a hand axe at Lingasugur in

Raichur district. The Ashoka's rock edicts found in the state indicate the

major parts of Northern Karnataka were under the Mauryas.

Chandragupta Maurya (321-297 BC) the great Indian emperor abdicated

the throne and embraced Jainism at Shravanabelagola

(Diwakar RR, 1968)^. Adding new dimensions to the cultural and

spiritual ethos of the land, many great dynasties left their imprint upon

the aesthetic development of Karnataka's art forms. Prominent among

them were the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the mighty

Vijayanagara Empire. The chalukyan's built some of the very early Hindu

temples in India. Aihole turned up as an experimental base for the

dynamic creations of architects (Diwakar RR, 1968)^. The Hoysala's who

ruled from the 11th to the 13th century chiseled their way into the pages

of glory by building more than 150 temples, each one a master piece in

its own way. The amazing dexterity and fluidity of expressions at

Somnathpur, Halebid and Belur open themselves to the wide eyed wonder

in one's eyes. Vijayanagara, the greatest of all medieval Hindu empires

1. rfeTOFUrf (1973). 333rar 5: oa?o 5rf,sn)??jserf s a TCjaaJo; ^ arfres^fraoo^o,

!^5rart3^ jidTsd, ^d(js^ c jses*", zSori^^Jtdo, pp. 3 - 4 5 .

2. Diwakar R.R. (1968). Karnataka through the age, Government of Mysore, pp. 99-100.

3. Ibid. 2, pp. 213-216.

100

and one of the greatest the world over, fostered the development of

intellectual pursuits and fine arts. "The eye of the pupil has never seen

a place like it and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that

there existed anything to equal it in the world'* is what Abdur Razaaq

the Persian ambassador had to say about Krishnadevaraya's

time (Diwakar RR, 1968/.

The Vijayanagara Empire with its capital at Hampi fell a victim to

the marauding army of the Deccan Sulthan in 1565 A.D. As a

consequence of this, Bijapur became the most important city of the

region. This city is a land of monuments and perhaps no other city except

Delhi has as many monuments as Bijapur. The Bahmani shahis and the

Adilshahis of Bijapur have played a notable part in the history of

Karnataka by their contribution to the field of art and architecture and

also by their propagation of Islam in the state (Diwkar RR, 1968)^.

Hyder Ali and his valiant son Tipu Sultan are notable figures in the

history of the land. They expanded the Mysore kingdom on an

unprecedented scale and by their resistance against the British, became

personages of world fame. Tipu was a great scholar and lover of

literature. His artistic pursuits were also many and he made rich gifts to

the Hindu temples. Tipu Sultan "Tiger of Karnataka" was killed in

1799 A.D., and the Mysore throne was handed over to the

Wodeyar's (P.B. Desai, 1970)^. The whole of Karnataka came under the

4. Ibid. 2, pp. 527-574.

5. Ibid. 4.

6. P.B.Desai (1970). A History of Karnataka, Kannada Research Institute, Karnataka University, Dharwad, pp. 433-435.

101

control of the British in the beginning of the 19th century. The new state

was named as New Mysore and the Maharaja of Mysore was

appointed Governor by Independent India. This unified state

was renamed as Karnataka on November 1, 1973

(www. indiatourism. com/Karnataka-tourism).

4.3: Geography

Karnataka is situated on the western edge of Deccan plateau and

has for its neighbours Maharastra and Goa on the north, Andhrapradesh

on the east, Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the south, and on the west it opens

out to the Arabian Sea. Geographically, the state spreads between

11.5° and 18.5° north Latitude and 74° and 78.5° east longitude.

The state has three principal physical zones;

• The coastal strip, between the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea,

which is low land, with moderate to high rainfall levels.

• The Western Ghats, a mountain range inland from the Arabian sea,

rising to about 900m average height, and with moderate to high

rainfall levels.

• The Deccan plateau, comprising the main inland region of the state,

which is drier and verging on the semi-arid.

There are several suggested etymologies for the name Karnataka.

The most reasonable one is that it comes from "Karu" + "Nadu" meaning

"elevated land". It is interesting to note that Karnataka has one of the

highest average elevations of Indian states at 1500 feet.

102

MAP 4.2 ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF KARNATAKA

4 - J BELLARY UTTARA

KANNADA / HAVERI ^ ^

S

^

103

TABLE 4.2

DISTRICT WISE AREA AND POPULATION IN KARNATAKA (2001)

SI. No.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

District

Bangalore-Urban Bangalore-rural Belgaum Bellary Bidar Bijapur Bagalkot Chikmagalur Chitradurga Dakshina Kannada Udupi Davangere Dharwar Gadag Haveri Gulbarga Hassan Kodagu Kolar Mandya Mysore Chamrajnagar Raichur Koppal Shimoga Tumkur Uttara Kannada

KARNATAKA

Head quarters

Bangalore Bangalore Belgaum Bellary Bidar Bijapur Bagalkot Chikmagalur Chitradurga Mangalore Udupi Davangere Dharwar Gadag Haveri Gulbarga Hassan Madikeri Kolar Mandya Mysore Chamrajnagar Raichur Koppal Shimoga Tumkur Karwar

BANGALORE

Area in sq. kms

2,190 5,815 13,415 8,419 5,488 10,475 6,594 7,201 8,388 4,843 3,598 6,018 4,230 4,657 4,851 16,224 6,814 4,102 8,223 4,961 6,269 5,685 5,559 8,458 8,465 10,598 10,291

1,91,791

Population (2001)

65,23,110 18,77,416 42,17,264 20,25,242 15,01,374 18,08,863 16,52,232 11,39,104 15,10,227 18,96,403 11,09,494 17,89,693 16,03,794 9,71,955 14,37,860 31,24,858 17,21,319 5,45,322

25,23,406 17,61,718 26,24,911 9,64,275 16,48,212 11,93,496 16,39,595 25,79,516 13,53,299

52,733,958

No of Taluks

3 8 10 7 5 5 6 7 6 5 3 6 5 5 7 10 8 3 11 7 7 4 5 4 7 10 11

175 Source: S.C. Bhatt and Gopal K.Bhargava (2005). Land and People of Indian

States and Union Territories, Kalpaz Pablications, New Delhi-52, pp. 41-68.

4.4: Language Due to the linguistic basis for the formation of the Indian states,

language is a very important part of a state's identity. The predominant

language of this area is Kannada, which is its official language. Other

languages include Kodava, Tulu and Konkani, as well as the languages of

104

the surrounding states, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.

English is widely spoken.

4.5: External Links

The state is well connected by roads, railways, air and water ways.

Motorable roads are 1, 17,972 lakh km in length while rail network is

3,192km which includes broad gauge, meter gauge and narrow gauge.

Bangalore, Belgaum, Mangalore and Hubli are the main airports.

New Mangalore port is the main all-weather seaport in Kamataka that

mainly handles cargo vessels. It has a sea coast of nearly 400 km

(300 with inundations).

4.6: Banking

A banking heritage was rooted from Karnataka. Many major

nationalized and non-nationalized public sector banks have originated

from Kamataka. State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Corporation Bank,

Syndicate Bank, Vijaya Bank and Vysya bank are some of the leading

banks in India headquartered in Kamataka. All India financial institutions

like IDBI, ICICI, IFCI, SIDBI etc. have their branches here as also state

institutions like KSIIDC and KSFC. A large network of banks with 4812

branches have deposits amounting to Rs. 156,81,96,000 and advances of

Rs. 119,07,39,000. Many MNC's in Banking are doing good business in

Karnataka. Many more are lined up.

4.7: Education Karnataka is responsible for producing some of the country's

foremost statesmen, scholars, and sportspersons. Karnataka has a unique

educational environment in the whole of South Asia with largest number

of professional colleges in the country. There are fourteen state

Universities and six deemed Universities in Karnataka apart from the

105

reputed outstanding Institutions like Indian Institute of Science,

Raman Research Institute, National Institute of Mental health and

Neuro-Science, Central Food Technological Research Institute,

Indian Space Research Organization, National Aeronautical Laboratory,

National Institute of Sports, Indian Institute of Management, the

National Law School of India University, and Institute for Social and

Economic Change, Bangalore. There are a large number of outside

students who are also studying in these institutions. The south western

region for the All India Council for Technical Education for the states of

Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa is also located in the capital city

Bangalore.

4.8: Economy

Karnataka is predominantly rural and agrarian and has a population

of 52,733,958 (2001). About 76% of its population lives in rural areas,

while about 71 % of its working force is engaged in agricultural and allied

activities which generate 49% of the state's income^. Among the

agricultural crops, Karnataka accounts for 59% of the country's coffee

production and 47% of the country's ragi production. The state is fifth in

oilseed production.

On the industrial front, Karnataka contributes 4% of the national

production in the industrial sector, and 20% of the state income. Machine

tools, aircrafts, electronic products, IT, watches and telecommunication

equipment are some of the items produced. Important public sector units

are Hindustan Aeronautics, Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat Earth

Movers, Bharat Electronics, Bharat Heavy Electicals, Indian Telephone

Industries, Infosys, WIPRO and National Aeronautical Laboratory.

7. State profile of Karnataka at http://enwikipedia.org.

106

The state is rich in mineral resources. Important minerals are

high-grade iron ore, copper, manganese, chromite, china clay, limestone

and magnesite. Kamataka has the destination of being the main gold

producing state in the country. It is the sole producer of felsite and

leading producer of molding sand and fuchsite quartizite. The state has

rich deposits of granite.

4.9: Tourist Circuits in Karnataka Situated on the western coast of south India, Kamataka offers a

rich and varied fare to the tourist. Karnataka has everything that a tourist

loves. The state has historical treasures, ancient sculpture, unspoilt

beaches, hill stations, wildlife, pilgrim centres, adventure sports, silks,

antiques, handicrafts, and pubs. Age-old monuments lie which scattered

throughout the state make it a paradise for the cultural tourist, while the

garden city of Bangalore, and Mysore (capital of the erstwhile

Maharajas), wildlife sanctuaries, and the magnificent scenic beauty of

Sivasamudram, Kemmanna gundi and Mercara provide enough variety to

make the state a truly fascinating and rewarding destination.

Karnataka tourism has been divided into six tourist circuits based

on the nature of tourism attraction of the area. They are: 1. Beach Circuit,

2. Coastal Circuit, 3. Hill Circuit, 4. North Circuit, 5. South Circuit,

and 6.Wildlife Circuit.

107

FIGURE 4.1

TOURIST CIRCUITS IN KARNATAKA

BEACH CIRCUIT

Mangalore, Maravanthe, Karwar,

Murudeshwar, Gokama.

HILL CIRCUIT

Biligiri Hills, Kemmannugundi,

Kudremukh, Madikeri,

Nandi Hills.

SOUTH CIRCUIT

Bangalore, Belur, Halebid, Hassan,

Mysore, Shravanabelagola,

Srirangapatna, Maddur,

Ranganthittu, Somnathpur.

COASTAL CIRCUIT

Agumbe, Dharmastala, Horanadu,

Kateel, Karkala, Mangalore, Kukke

Subramanya, Maipe, Maravanthe,

Moodabidri, Gokama, Murudeshwar,

Sringeri, Udupi, Kollur, Jog Falls,

Karwar, Dandeli.

NORTH CIRCUIT

Aihole, Badami, Bidar, Belgaum,

Bijapur, Basavakalyana, Lakkundi,

Gulbarga, Hampi, Pattadakal,

Hungund.

WILDLIFE CIRCUIT

Bandipur, Bheemeshwari, Bhadra,

Biligiri, Kabini, Nagarahole,

Ranganathittu, Bison, River Resort,

Bangalore.

Source: Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka.

108

MAP 4.3

BEACH AND COASTAL CIRCUITS

KARVWR

• X>G FALLS

• MURUOESHMMR

• MAAAVyMNTHE

• AGUMBE MALPE , ^ . . p •SRINGERI

SURATKAL MAMGALORE * ^ ^ ^ • OHARMASTHALA

109

4.9.1: Beach Circuit

Karnataka's 320 kms coastline dotted with prestine beaches are

popular haunts for locals and tourists alike. This circuit covers

Mangalore, Maravanthe, Karwar, Murudeshwar, and Gokarna. Around

Mangalore, tourists will find Ullal beach, Surathkal beach and Panambur

beach. Malpe beach and Maravanthe beach in Udupi. The Devbagh beach,

Om beach and Kutle beach are attractive beaches in Karwar. The beaches

at Gokarna, Bhatkal and Murudeshwar are undiscovered and thankfully

unspoilt.

4.9.2: Coastal Circuit

This circuit covers the coastal areas of Karnataka. Yakshagana,

Bhootha Aradhane, Naga Mandala and Kambala (buffalo race) are unique

events in the coastal Karnataka. Beaches, temples and churches are the

biggest attraction in this circuit. Mangalore, a coastal town, the district

head quarters, is a major commercial centre. Tenth Century

Manjunath Temple, Kadri, St Aloysius chapel, Mangala Devi Temple,

Tippu's Battery, the Jumma Masjid, Ullal Beach, Panambur Beach and

the Pilikula Nisarga Dhama are the major attractions around Mangalore.

The one thousand pillared Jain shrine in Moodabidri, the Dharmasthala

Manjunatha Temple, the Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple, the Bahubali

Statue of Venur, Jamalabad Fort etc are the important tourist spots in

Dakshina Kannada District. Udupi, located 60kms from Mangalore, is

one of the most sacred spots in India. The Krishna Temple with the

Golden Chariot where the Saint Madhwacharya lived and preached seven

hundred years ago is a famous temple attracts pilgrims from all over the

Country. Kanakana Kindi is a legendary mark in the Krishna Temple.

Malpe, St Mary's Island, Barkur, Kollur, Kodachadri Hills, Jain Pilgrim

centre varanga in Karkala Taluk, Maravanthe and other places are the

tourist spots in Udupi district. The famous masala dosa has its origin

here. Karwar has all the makings of the perfect seaside holiday

110

destination. The areas of historical attraction are the Sadashivagad Hill

Fort with a Durga temple, the unique octagonal church, the 300 year

old Venkatrama Temple, the Naganatha Temple, Gokarna, Banavasi, the

ancient port town Bhatkal, Kurumgad, Murudeshwar, Marawanthe and

Dandeli are other attractions in and around Karwar.

4.9.3: Hill Circuit

With its lush tropical forests, hills and dales, caves and cascades,

roaring rivers and gurgling streams, and flora and fauna, Kamataka is a

trekker's paradise. The Hill Circuit covers the Ghat districts of

Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga, Chickmagalur, Hassan,

Kodagu and some hills in Mysore. Uttara Kannada is a District of

immense natural beauty - an eco-tourist's paradise. Kumara hills and

Jamalabad in Dakshina Kannada District are the places attracting a large

number of adventure lovers in summer. Shimoga, the rice bowl of the

state, is a beautiful tourist destination for nature lovers. Jog falls,

Tavarekoppa, Sakrebylu, Mandagadde, Agumbe, Sringeri, Horanadu,

Kundadri, Kodachadri, Humcha, Heggodu and other places are famous in

Shimoga District. In Chickmagalur, the Baba Budan Range or

Chandra Drona Parvatha, Kemmannugundi, Kudremukh, Ganga moola,

Kalasa, Hanuman Gundi, Devirammana Betta, Bhagavathi forest and

Hebbe falls are the perfect trekking trails in Chickmagalur District.

Kodagu is an enchanting expanse of natural tourist spots. With its

mountains, hill slopes; and picture-post card scenery, Kodagu seems like

a little corner of England. Madikeri fort, Huthri Festival, Raja's seat,

coffee plantations. Abbey falls, Iruppu falls, Cauvery Nisarga dhama,

Talacauvery, Bhagamandala, Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarahole)

and other places attract trekkers and tourists to Kodagu.

BR hills (120 kms from Mysore) and Nandi hills (60 kms from

Bangalore) are unique a blend of hill resorts and wildlife sanctuaries in

Karnataka.

I l l

MAP 4.4

HILL CIRCUIT

m Salhodi

^ Magod

, • KalKatU Kudrvmukh «

Abb^Faits.

• NMidiH«ll»

truppg Fallf

B R HilK

112

MAP 4.5

NORTH CIRCUIT

Bid*'

Gutbarga

Bijapur

Pattadakal • * Alhot*

B«lgaum * Badami

•^'""' Lakkund. • „ . ^ p ,

Chitradurga

113

4.9.4: North Circuit This tourist circuit covers the northern part of Karnataka. North

circuit is home to two World Heritage Sites - Hampi and Pattadakal.

Tourists will find Karnataka's Heritage destinations along side numerous

monuments belonging to diverse architectural styles in this area.

Hampi- a World Heritage Centre, is the most beautiful and evocative of

all the ruins in Karnataka. Hampi was the capital city of the powerful

South India Vijayanagar Empire, founded by Harihara and Bukka in

1336*, is full of delightful surprises. Hampi, situated on the banks of the

river Thungabhadra in the Bellary region, is a vast site of monuments and

ruins, a mute witness to an era of glories, triumphs and tragedies.

The Royal centre contains King's palace, Mahanavami Dibba, Queen's

Bath, Lotus Mahal, Elephant stables, Pushkarni, Hazara Rama Tample,

Vithala Temple, Virupaksha Temple, Ugra Narasimha statue and other

sites are the important places of interest in Hampi. Bijapur- the capital of

the Adil Shahi dynasty has many places of historical, cultural and

architectural interest. Gol Gumbaz, the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah

boasts of the second largest tomb in the world, Jumma Masjid has been

called one of the first mosques in India, Ibrahim Roza (the mausoleum of

Ibrahim Adil Shah II), the Malik-e-Maidan (the largest medieval cannon

in the world); and other places are worth visiting in Bijapur. Bijapur is

famous for its hand woven Ilkal sarees. Around Bijapur, temples of

Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami representing Chalukyan architecture are

the best places to visit. Aihole- famous as the 'Cradle of Indian Temple

Architecture' has over 125 temples all intricately carved and rich in

detail. Pattadakal, a World Heritage Centre, has ten major temples

representing early Chalukyan architecture. The capital of the early

chalukyas, Badami (also known as Vatapi), is picturesquely situated at

8. Splendours of Vijayanagara Empire, Karnataka tourism at www.karnatakatourism.org.

114

the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills. Rock-cut cave temples,

gateways, forts, inscriptions, sculptures and the museum set up by the

Archeological Survey of India (ASI) are the attractions in Badami.

Belgaum- the District Headquarters, is a picture of contrasts. The old

town area with cotton and silk weavers stands gloriously besides the

modern, bustling, tree-lined British cantonment. The Fort, Kamala Basti,

statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma, Masjids and Churches are the

attractions to visit in Belgaum. Belgaum is famous for its toys.

Gulbarga is a unique synthesis of two rich cultures. The Fort built by

Raja Gulchand and later strengthened by Ala-ud-din Bahmani,

the royal tombs, Jumma Masjid, Khwaja Bande Nawaz Durgah, the

Durgah Library, Sharana Basaveshwara Temple and other places are the

tourist centres around Gulbarga. Bidar, in the northern-most part of

Karnataka, a tiny district steeped in history. The Fort, the Cannons, the

Palaces in ruins, the magnificent tombs and the massive monuments, all

combine to make a visit to the one-time capital of the Bahamani and

Barid Shahi dynasties, truly memorable. Rangeen Mahal, Madarasa of

Muhammad Gawan and Basavakalyan are the famous tourist places in

Bidar. Bidar is famous for Bidriware, a distinct and exquisite craft of this

district. Chitradurga is recognized as the land of valour and chivalry.

The Chitradurga Fort, Hidimbeshwara Temple, Ekanath Temple,

Chandravalli caves and other places are worth visiting in chitradurga.

Historical town Raichur and natural scene and pleasant weather centre

Dharwar are also important tourist places in the North Circuit.

115

MAP 4.6

SOUTH CIRCUIT

• H»l«btd shrBv«n8b«Uigota

• • * Belur Bangalor*

Srir8r»g*p«ln«

116

4.9.5: South Circuit This circuit covers the southern part of Karnataka embraces many

attractions which include exquisite temples, palaces, monuments, parks

and gardens, wildlife centres, museums and art galleries, information

technology park, world conventions, exhibitions and modem life.

South Circuit covers Bangalore - Capital City of Karnataka, Garden City

and Silicon Valley of India. Vidhana Soudha, a magnificent building

depicting Neo-Dravidian style, beautiful cubbon park; the glass house in

Lalbagh; Bangalore Palace; Tippu's palace; ISKCON Temple;

Bannerghatta National park; Nandi hills; IT park; Government Museum;

HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum etc are the major

attractions in and around Bangalore. Shopping is a delightful experience

in Bangalore. Hassan- the gateway to the historic and awe inspiring

11'*" and 12'** century temples of Hoysala architecture. Major tourist spots

in Hassan are Belur, Halebid^ and Shravanabelagola. Mysore- the

imperial city, which was the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty, feudatories

of the Vijayanagar empire. Mysore district is a popular tourist destination

offering several attractions ranging from the royal splendour of Mysore

city and its fabulous Dasara Festival to exquisite temples, pilgrimage

centres and scenic spots. Mysore palace (a three storied structure in the

Indo-Saracenic style), world famous Dasara Festival;

Sri Jayachamarajendra Zoological Gardens popularly known as the

Mysore Zoo, Mysore's beautiful buildings like Sri Jayachamarajendra Art

Gallery, Jagamohan palace and Lalitha mahal palace; and St Philomena's

Cathedral, Chammundi hills, Srirangapatna (the capital of the warrior

kings Haider Ali and Tipu sultan), Raganathittu Bird sanctuary, BR hills

wildlife sanctuary, Brindavan gardens, etc are the attractive places to visit

in Mysore. Mysore is well known for sandalwood, its products and silk.

117

MAP 4.7

WILDLIFE CIRCUIT

DarMlwIi Wildlif« Sanctuary

* • Gudavi B4rd Sanctuary

•

ShadraVWdM* • Sanctuary

Kudwmukh Kawaladu Mefoory • •

RangafWilhittu , Btrd Sanctuary

Wajiv GnndKi * NaiHwmi P.irl. 0 rN,»g.i.K>l*.| Bandlpt-r

WlMli(<«

Battnafghatt* NulKjnal Park

•

Kokkral>«>h>r Micanry

• Sani t<i>4>tv

4.9.6: Wildlife Circuit Lush forests cover 22 percent of Karnataka's land area. Kamataka

is home to over 14 wildlife and bird sanctuaries, making it every

naturalists delight. Bandipur National Park, about 80 kms south of

Mysore, is a play ground for wildlife with elephants taking the lead role.

Tourists might see a tiger prowling amidst the mix of decidous forest and

scrubland vegetation. Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole-Snake

River) located in Kodagu and Mysore Districts, has an astonishing

abundance of wildlife especially the Asiatic elephants.

BR Hills Wild Life Sanctuary (120 kms from Mysore) is a unique blend

of hill resort and wildlife sanctuary for wildlife lovers. Ranganathittu, 18

kms from Mysore, is a bird sanctuary that houses exotic birds, birds that

come all the way from Siberia, Australia and even North-America.

Bannerghatta National Park on the outskirts of Bangalore is home to

panthers, lions, tigers and a large variety of birds. Bheemeshwari in

Mandya District is an ideal place not only for the wildlife but also for

people on a holiday spree. The Bhadra Wildlife Santuary in

Chickmagalur and Shimoga Districts is one of the most fascinating

sanctuaries. Kokkrebellur pelicanry in Mandya District, Anshi National

Park in Uttara Kannada, Dandeli wildlife sanctuary in Karwar,

Gudavi Bird Sanctuary in Shimoga, and Kudremukh National park on the

southwest of Chickmagalur town are the important wildlife sanctuaries in

Kamataka.

Kamataka State Tourism Development Corporation Limited

(KSTDC) is Kamataka's largest tour operator that offers efficient and

affordable tour options in Kamataka through its two divisions- Transport

and Hotels. The KSTDC offers conducted tours to various destinations in

Kamataka. Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited (JLR) is a government

enterprise promoting eco-tourism through its six world class resorts

located amidst Karnataka's natural bounty. Among others, JLR operates

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Kabini River Lodge, ranked among the top five wildlife resorts in the

world. In addition, JLR also organises adventure activities such as forest

safaris, angling, river rafting and mountain biking. Travel agents and tour

operators in the private sector conduct package tours throughout the state.

Department of tourism of the Government of Karnataka opened Regional

Tourist Offices to promote and administer state's tourism in most of the

district head quarters. Karnataka Tourism Information Centres are opened

in outside Karnataka in Mumbai and Panaji (Goa). Karnataka tourism has

appointed licensed and trained guides to welcome and facilitate tourists in

World Heritage Sites and major tourism centres of the state.

The above profile of the state tourism reveals that Karnataka enjoys

tremendous advantages over many other states for the following reasons:

• Karnataka has strong cultural values and heritage.

• Bangalore is already known as the Information Technology (IT)

hub.

• The cosmopolitan and literate population of Bangalore and other

major cities in Karnataka is especially conducive for promoting

tourism.

• Excellent infrastructure exists for leisure activities, golf courses,

pubs, and hotels.

• Salubrious climate conducive to round-the-year tourism.

• Good law and order situation and security to tourists.

• The state was the first state in the country to come out with a

Tourism Policy. The policy aims at giving proper direction and

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encouragement, for the development of tourism related projects in

the state, especially by the private sector.

• Launched website on Kamataka tourism

www.karnatakatourism.org.

• Tourism occupies the status of industry in the state and thus the

various incentives applicable to other industries are now available

to tourism also.

• Therefore, Government of Karnataka and the policy makers of

Kamataka tourism must give priority for two main factors

i.e. creating proper tourism infrastructure (roads, communication,

transport, health, and hygiene), and development of human

resources for tourism in Karnataka.

Sometime in 1525 AD, the famous poet Nanjunda saw Kamataka through

the eyes of a tourist, saying

•J n

(The land of Karnataka gives immense joy and looks like the garden

of paradise to any keen viewer. The abundance and never ending

prosperity of the green vegetation of this land lends a special glow to

this great state called Karnataka)

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