KARNATAKA
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Districts: 30
Capital: Bangalore
Languages: Kannada
Karnataka is a state in south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States
Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest
city is Bangalore (Bengaluru). Karnataka is bordered by the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea to the west, Goa to the
northwest, Maharashtra to the north, Telangana to the northeast, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast,
and Kerala to the southwest. The state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres (74,122 sq mi), or 5.83 percent of the
total geographical area of India. It is the seventh largest Indian state by area. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011
census, Karnataka is the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30 districts. Kannada, one of the classical
languages of India, is the most widely spoken and official language of the state.
The diverse linguistic and religious ethnicities that are native to Karnataka, combined with their long histories,
have contributed immensely to the varied cultural heritage of the state. Apart from Kannadigas, Karnataka is home to
Tuluvas, Kodavas and Konkanis. Minor populations of Tibetan Buddhists and tribes like the Soligas, Yeravas, Todas
and Siddhis also live in Karnataka. The traditional folk arts cover the entire gamut of music, dance, drama,
storytelling by itinerant troupes, etc. Yakshagana of Malnad and coastal Karnataka, a classical dance drama, is
one of the major theatrical forms of Karnataka. Contemporary theatre culture in Karnataka remains vibrant with
organisations like Ninasam, Ranga Shankara, Rangayana and Prabhat Kalavidaru continuing to build on the foundations
laid by Gubbi Veeranna, T. P. Kailasam, B. V. Karanth, K V Subbanna, Prasanna and others. Veeragase, Kamsale, Kolata
and Dollu Kunitha are popular dance forms. The Mysore style of Bharatanatya, nurtured and popularised by the likes of
the legendary Jatti Tayamma, continues to hold sway in Karnataka, and Bangalore also enjoys an eminent place as one of
the foremost centres of Bharatanatya.
The districts of the Western Ghats and the southern districts of the state have popular eco-tourism locations including
Kudremukh, Madikeri and Agumbe. Karnataka has 25 wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks. Popular among them are
Bandipur National Park, Bannerghatta National Park and Nagarhole National Park. The ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire at
Hampi and the monuments of Pattadakal are on the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The cave temples at Badami and
the rock-cut temples at Aihole representing the Badami Chalukyan style of architecture are also popular tourist
destinations. The Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebidu, which were built with Chloritic schist (soapstone) are
proposed UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Rauza are famous examples of the Deccan Sultanate
style of architecture. The monolith of Gomateshwara Bahubaliat Shravanabelagola is the tallest sculpted monolith in
the world, attracting tens of thousands of pilgrims during the Mahamastakabhisheka festival.
Several popular beaches dot the coastline, including Murudeshwara, Gokarna, Malpe and Karwar. In addition, Karnataka is
home to several places of religious importance. Several Hindu temples including the famous Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, the
Marikamba Temple at Sirsi, the Sri Manjunatha Temple at Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya Temple and Sharadamba Temple at
Shringeri attract pilgrims from all over India. Most of the holy sites of Lingayatism, like Kudalasangama and Basavana
Bagewadi, are found in northern parts of the state. Shravanabelagola, Mudabidri and Karkala are famous for Jain history
and monuments. Jainism had a stronghold in Karnataka in the early medieval period with Shravanabelagola as its most
important centre. The Shettihalli Rosary Church near Shettihalli, an example of French colonial Gothic architecture,
is a rare example of a Christian ruin, is a popular tourist site.
Recently Karnataka has emerged as a hot spot for health care tourism. Karnataka has the highest number of approved health
systems and alternative therapies in India. Along with some ISO certified government-owned hospitals, private institutions
which provide international-quality services have caused the health care industry to grow by 30% during 2004-05. Hospitals
in Karnataka treat around 8,000 health tourists every year.