Davanagere district is an administrative district of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
state in India. It is the centre of Karnataka. The city of
Davanagere
Davanagere is a city in the centre of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the seventh largest city in the state, and the administrative headquarters of eponymous Davangere district. Hitherto being a cotton hub and hence popularly known ...
is the district headquarters. It had a population of 1,643,494 of which 32.31% was urban as of 2011. This district was separated from
Chitradurga district
Chitradurga district is an administrative district of Karnataka state in southern India. The city of Chitradurga is the district headquarters. Chitradurga gets its name from Chitrakaldurga, an umbrella-shaped lofty hill found there. Tradition ...
in 1997 by the then Chief minister of Karnataka
J. H. Patel
Jayadevappa Halappa Patel (Kannada:ಜಯದೇವಪ್ಪ ಹಾಲಪ್ಪ ಪಟೇಲ್; 1 October 1930 – 12 December 2000) was the 9th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 31 May 1996 to 7 October 1999.
Biography
J.H. Patel was born on ...
including Chennagiri and Honali Taluks
Shimoga
Shimoga, officially known as Shivamogga, is a city and the district headquarters of Shimoga district in the central part of the state of Karnataka, India. The city lies on the banks of the Tunga River. Being the gateway for the hilly region of ...
district.
The district lies in the central plains of the state with its unique features of having an influence of the north and the south of the state. The prominent towns in this district are
Harihar
Harihara ( also called ''Harihar'') is a city in Davanagere District in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Harihara Taluk. Harihara is famous for Harihareshwara temple, also known as "Dakshina Kashi", a ...
a,
Jagalur
Jagaluru is a panchayat town in Davanagere district in the Indian state of Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of t ...
,
Honnali Channagiri
Channagiri is a town in Davanagere district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is a taluk headquarters in Davanagere District from 1997. Before it was the part of Shivamogga District.
Etymology
During Ganga Possession in this place called '' ...
and
Nyamati, these also happen to be its six other taluks. It is bound by
Shimoga district
Shimoga district, officially known as Shivamogga district, is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga district lies in the Malnad region or the Sahyadri. Shimoga city is its administrative centre. Jog Falls view ...
and
Haveri district on the west,
Chitradurga district
Chitradurga district is an administrative district of Karnataka state in southern India. The city of Chitradurga is the district headquarters. Chitradurga gets its name from Chitrakaldurga, an umbrella-shaped lofty hill found there. Tradition ...
on the east,
Vijayanagara district
Vijayanagara district is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka, located in the Kalyana Karnataka region. This district was carved out of Bellary district officially on 2 October 2021 to become the 31st district of the state with Hosape ...
on the north, and
Chikmagalur district
Chikmagalur, officially Chikkamagaluru is an administrative district in the Malnad subregion of Karnataka, India. Coffee was first cultivated in India in Chikmagalur. The hills of Chikmagalur are parts of the Western Ghauts and the source of ...
on the south.
The Davanagere district has 6 taluks, 20
hobli
A hobli, nad or mágani is a cluster of adjoining villages administered together for tax and land tenure purposes in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, India. This clustering of villages was formed mainly to streamline the collection of t ...
s, 197
gram panchayat
Gram Panchayat () is a basic village-governing institute in Indian villages. It is a democratic structure at the grass-roots level in India. It is a political institute, acting as cabinet of the village. The Gram Sabha work as the general bo ...
s, 652
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
s, 904
habitations, and 2 city municipal councils and one City Corporation.
History
This area was once ruled by the
Mauryas
The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...
, and then later the
Sathavahanas. The area was later taken over by the
Kadambas, who were soon displaced by the
Chalukyas
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
of Badami. An inscription from Anaji dating to the 9th century CE indicates a branch of the Pallavas called the Nolambas ruled part of the district. Part of the district was briefly conquered by a branch of the
Gangas
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
in
Asandi. By the middle of the 8th century, the Rashtrakutas from Malkhed had established supremacy over the Chalukyas, and conquered territory south to Tumkur.
An inscription in the Bagali temple indicates part of Davanagere district was ruled by a Chalukya feudatory of the
Rashtrakutas
Rashtrakuta ( IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing the ...
in the 10th century. Other parts continued to be ruled by the Nolambas as feudatories of the Rashtrakutas. When Rashtrakuta power began collapsing, the Nolambas switched their loyalty to the Gangas and fought against the Chola invasions. When the
Chalukyas of Kalyani
The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan in the ...
gained in power, the Nolambas became loyal to them. When the Cholas sacked Kampli, they appointed some of their Pandya vassals as governors of Nolambavadi corresponding to part of Davanagere. The Kalachuris, who were also feudatories of the Chalukyas, were soon given charge of the entire south of Chalukya domains. Their ruler Bijjala II overthrew the Chalukyas and his dynasty ruled until 1181, when the Chalukya prince Someshwara IV took back the throne.
Briefly the
Hoysalas
The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved ...
ruled parts of Davanagere district in the late 12th century before the region was taken by the
Yadavas of Devagiri
The Seuna, Sevuna, or Yadavas of Devagiri (IAST: Seuṇa, –1317) was a Medieval Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Narmada river in the north to the Tungabhadra river in the south, in the western part of t ...
. The Yadava and Hoysala rule in the region was overthrown by the invasions of
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promin ...
of the
Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century, but soon the district came under the control of the
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and Mahar ...
direct from
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara () was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire. Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it spread over a large area and included the modern era Group of Monuments at Hampi site in Vijayanagara district, Bell ...
.
After the VIjayanagara Empire was severely weakened in 1565 after the
Battle of Talikota
The Battle of Talikota (23 January 1565) was a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and an alliance of the Deccan sultanates. The battle resulted in the defeat of Aliya Rama Raya which led to the eventual collapse of the poli ...
, the local nayakas in Davanagere started asserting their independence. Some of these chiefs were allowed to rule as feudatories of the
Adlil Shahis of Bijapur. Both the Mughals and Marathas briefly captured forts in the district. In 1763, one of these families, the Nayaks of Belagutti, submitted to
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...
and the district was under the rule of
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
.
Dhondia Wagh
Dhondia Wagh (died 10 September 1800) was a military soldier and adventurer in 18th century India. He started his career in the service of Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore. During the Third Anglo-Mysore War, he deserted Ali's successor Tipu Sultan, ...
of
Channagiri
Channagiri is a town in Davanagere district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is a taluk headquarters in Davanagere District from 1997. Before it was the part of Shivamogga District.
Etymology
During Ganga Possession in this place called '' ...
who had created an independent principality resisted the Britishers after
Tipu Sultan's defeat until his death in 1800. The district then was kept by Mysore state.
Geography
Davanagere district lies in the plain region on the
Deccan Plateau
The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by th ...
locally known as
Bayaluseeme
Bayaluseeme or Bayalu Seeme is the area lying to the east of Malenadu, a region of Karnataka state in India. The area is largely open plain, with few hillocks. It includes the districts of Bangalore, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, ...
. The district is bounded by
Haveri district in the northwest,
Shimoga district
Shimoga district, officially known as Shivamogga district, is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga district lies in the Malnad region or the Sahyadri. Shimoga city is its administrative centre. Jog Falls view ...
in the southwest,
Chikmagalur district
Chikmagalur, officially Chikkamagaluru is an administrative district in the Malnad subregion of Karnataka, India. Coffee was first cultivated in India in Chikmagalur. The hills of Chikmagalur are parts of the Western Ghauts and the source of ...
in the south,
Chitradurga district
Chitradurga district is an administrative district of Karnataka state in southern India. The city of Chitradurga is the district headquarters. Chitradurga gets its name from Chitrakaldurga, an umbrella-shaped lofty hill found there. Tradition ...
in the southeast and
Vijayanagara district
Vijayanagara district is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka, located in the Kalyana Karnataka region. This district was carved out of Bellary district officially on 2 October 2021 to become the 31st district of the state with Hosape ...
in the north. The district lies in the center of Karnataka between the latitudes 13°5' and 14°50' N and between the longitudes 75°30' and 76°30' E. There are many windy places within the district favouring the recent growth of wind energy industry across the district. The district has an area of .
Economy
In 2006 the
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is a branch of the Government of India. Ministry of Panchayati Raj looks into all matters relating to the Panchayati Raj and Panchayati Raj Institutions. It was created in May 2004. The ministry is headed by a ...
named Davanagere one of the country's 250
most backward districts (out of a total of
640). It is one of the five districts in Karnataka currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Demographics
According to the
2011 census Davanagere district has a
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 1,945,497
roughly equal to the nation of
Lesotho or the US state of
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
.
This gives it a ranking of 241 amongst a total of 640
districts in India. The district has a population density of . Its
population growth rate
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
over the decade 2001–2011 was 8.71%. Davanagere has a
sex ratio
The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species d ...
of 967
females
Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction.
A female has larger gametes than a male. Females ...
for every 1000 males, and a
literacy rate
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
of 76.3%. After transfer of Harapanahalli taluk the district had a population of 1,643,494. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 19.4% and 11.1% of the population respectively.
At the time of the 2011 census, 77.3% of the population spoke
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
, 13.87%
, 3.03%
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
, 3.01%
Lambadi
Lambadi, Gor Boli, Banjara, Labanki or Banjari is a language spoken by the once nomadic Banjara people across India,Ancient Pastoral Nomadic Community of India Ancient Warrior Community/Raajputs Medieval Traders/Grain Carriers Modern Grain Tra ...
and 1.04%
Marathi
Marathi may refer to:
*Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India
*Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people
*Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece
See also
*
* ...
as their first language.
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
Districts of Karnataka
1997 establishments in Karnataka