North Karnataka is a geographical region in

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 ...

from elevation that constitutes the region of the

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...

state in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and the region consists of 13 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the

Bhima In Hindu epic Mahabharata, Bhima ( sa, भीम, ) is the second among the five Pandavas. The '' Mahabharata'' relates many events that portray the might of Bhima. Bhima was born when Vayu, the wind god, granted a son to Kunti and Pandu. ...

, Ghataprabha,

Malaprabha The Malaprabha River (Kannada ಮಲಪ್ರಭಾ ನದಿ) is a tributary of the Krishna River and flows through the state of Karnataka in India. It rises in the Western Ghats at an elevation of in the state's Belgaum district. The rive ...

, and Tungabhadra. North Karnataka lies within the Deccan thorn scrub forests

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

, which extends north into eastern

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

Transport

Bus

* North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation NWKRTC, serves the north western part of Karnataka. *

Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation The Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation - (KKRTC), is a state-owned public road transport corporation in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is wholly owned by the Government of Karnataka. It serves routes to towns and cities in the Nor ...

KKRTC, serves the north eastern part of Karnataka

Air

Airports in the region are * Belgaum Airport * Hubli Airport * Jindal Vijaynagar Airport *

Bidar Airport Bidar Airport ಬೀದರ್ ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ is an airport in Bidar, India. It operates as a civil enclave on the Indian Air Force's Bidar Air Force Station.

Gulbarga Airport Kalaburagi Airport is a public airport located east of Kalaburagi in Karnataka, India. The airport was built by the Karnataka State Public Works Department (PWD) with technical assistance from RITES Limited and is operated by the Airports Aut ...

Airlines and destinations

Belgaum Airport is an airport in

Belgaum Belgaum ( ISO: ''Bēḷagāma''; also Belgaon and officially known as Belagavi) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located in its northern part along the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous Belagavi ...

, a city in the Indian state of

. Built in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (RAF), Belgaum Airport is the oldest airport in North Karnataka. The RAF used the airport as a training site during World War II, providing support to the South East Asia Command. Because of its location in the village of Sambra, east of Belgaum, the airport is also known as the Sambra airport. The new terminal building was inaugurated by Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on 14 September 2017. The airport is also home to an

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct ...

station at which new recruits to the military receive basic training. Hubli Airport ] is a domestic airport serving the twin cities of

Hubli Hubli, officially known as Hubballi, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. The twin cities Hubli–Dharwad form the second largest city in the state by area and population and the largest city in North Karnataka. Hubli is in Dharwad dist ...

and

Dharwad Dharwad (), also known as Dharwar, is a city located in the north western part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Dharwad district of Karnataka and forms a contiguous urban area with the city of Hubballi. It was merge ...

in the state of

, India. It is situated on Gokul Road, 8 kilometres from Hubli and from Dharwad.The airline from Hubli is well connected with

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per ...

and

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...

. Hubli airport will be upgraded to international airport. Around 700 acres of land acquisition is under process and 245 crores have been already released for acquisition.

History of North Karnataka

Prehistoric period

North Karnataka's history and culture date back to prehistoric times. The earliest

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with ...

find in India was a hand ax at Lingasugur, in Raichur district. Sangankal Hills in the Bellary district, which is known as the earliest village settlement of South India, dates back to the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

period.

Iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...

weapons from 1200 BC, found at Hallur in

Dharwad district Dharwad is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India.The administrative headquarters of the district is the city of Dharwad, also known as Dharwar. Dharwad is located 425 km northwest of Bangalore and 421&n ...

, demonstrate that North Karnataka used iron earlier than northern India. Prehistoric sites in North Karnataka include rock shelters in Bellary, Raichur and Koppal districts with red paintings which include figures of wild animals. The paintings are done in such a way that the walls of caves are not facing northwest, so the northwest monsoon does not affect them. These rock shelters are found at Kurgod, Hampi in

Bellary district Bellary, officially known as Ballari (pronounced ), is a major district in Karnataka. It is located at north-eastern part of Karnataka. This district belongs to Kalyana-Karnataka. This district was one of the biggest districts in Karnataka un ...

and

Hire Benakal Hirebenakal or Hirébeṇakal or Hirébeṇakallu (ಹಿರೇಬೆಣಕಲ್ಲು in Kannada) is a megalithic site in the state of Karnataka, India. It is among the few megalithic sites in India that can be dated to the 800 BCE to 2 ...

, near Gangavati in the Koppal district. Burial chambers using granite slabs (known as

dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were some ...

s) are also found; the best examples are the dolmens of Hire Benakal and Kumati in Hadagali Taluk. Vibhuthihalli at Shahapur Taluk in the Yadgir district, an

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...

ancient astronomy site, was created with

megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea. The ...

ic stones. The stones, arranged in a square pattern with astronomical significance, cover an area of .

Ashoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, s ...

's stone edicts, found in the state, indicate that major parts of Northern Karnataka were under the Mauryas. Many dynasties left their imprint upon the development of North Karnatakan art, among them 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 dynasty ...

, 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 ...

and the Western Chalukyas. The inscriptions related to

Chutu dynasty The Chutu dynasty ( IAST: Cuṭu) ruled parts of the Deccan region of South India between first and third centuries CE, with its capital at Banavasi in present-day Karnataka state. The Chutus probably rose to power as Satavahanas feudatorie ...

are the oldest documents found in North Karnataka.

Ancient

* Kishkindha * Karnata Kingdom * Mauryas * Shatavahana dynasty (until early third century C

*

Chutus The Chutu dynasty (IAST: Cuṭu) ruled parts of the Deccan region of South India between first and third centuries CE, with its capital at Banavasi in present-day Karnataka state. The Chutus probably rose to power as Satavahanas feudatories, and ...

Banavasi Banavasi is an ancient temple town located near Sirsi in Karnataka. Banavasi was the ancient capital of the Kannada empire Kadamba that ruled all of modern-day Karnataka state. They were the first native empire to bring Kannada and Karnataka t ...

(

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerai ...

to the

Satavahanas The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the lat ...

) * Kurus of Belgaum of 30 BC-65/70 AD.

Chalukyas

Chalukya 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 dynast ...

rule is important in the development of architecture known as ''Karnata Dravida''. Hundreds of monuments built by the Chalukyas are found in the Malaprabha river basin (mainly in Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal and

Mahakuta The Mahakuta group of temples is located in Mahakuta, a village in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India. It is an important place of worship for Hindus and the location of a well-known Shaiva monastery. The temples are dated to the 6th ...

, in Karnataka). They ruled an empire extending from the

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu d ...

in the south to the Narmada in the north. The Badami Chalukya dynasty was established by Pulakeshin I in 543; Vatapi (Badami) was the capital.

Pulakeshin II Pulakeshin II (IAST: Pulakeśin, r. c. 610–642 CE) was the most famous ruler of the Chalukya dynasty of Vatapi (present-day Badami in Karnataka, India). During his reign, the Chalukya kingdom expanded to cover most of the Deccan region in pe ...

was a popular emperor of the Badami Chalukya dynasty. He defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada river, and defeated Vishnukundins in the south. Vikramaditya I, known as ''Rajamalla'' and for building temples, engraved a

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 ...

inscription on the victory pillar at the Kailasanatha Temple.

Kirtivarman II Kirtivarman II also known as Rahappa (reigned 746 – 753 CE) was the last ruler in the Badami Chalukya dynasty. He succeeded his father Vikramaditya II. His reign was continuously troubled by the growing power of the Rashtrakutas and Pandyas ...

was the last Badami Chalukya king, overthrown in 753 by the Rashtrakuta King

Dantidurga Dantidurga (reigned 735–756 CE), also known as Dantivarman II was the founder of the Rashtrakuta Empire of Manyakheta. Reu (1933), p54 His capital was based in Gulbarga region of Karnataka. His successor was his uncle Krishna I who extended his ...

The Western Chalukya dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukyas'', after its regal capital at Kalyani (today's Basavakalyan in Karnataka) or the ''Later Chalukya'' from its theoretical relationship to the sixth-century Badami Chalukyas. The Western Chalukyas ( kn, ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ) developed an architectural style (also called ''Gadag'' style) known today as a transitional style, an architectural link between the early Chalukya Dynasty and the later

Hoysala empire 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 ...

. The Chalukyas built some of the earliest Hindu temples in India. The best-known examples are the

Mahadeva Temple (Itagi) The Mahadeva Temple is located in the town of Itagi in Yelburga Taluk, in the Koppal District of Karnataka state, India. It is about from Kuknur and from Lakkundi. Mahadeva Temple The Mahadeva Temple was built based on the general plan of ...

in the Koppal District; the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi in the

Gadag District Gadag is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was formed in 1997, when it was split from Dharwad district. As of 2011, it had a population of 1064570 (of which 35.21 percent was urban). The overall population increased by 13.14 perc ...

and the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti and the Kallesvara Temple at Bagali, both in the Davangere District. Monuments notable for craftsmanship are the

Siddhesvara Temple The Siddhesvara Temple (also spelt Siddheshvara or Siddheshwara and locally called ''Purada Siddeshwara'' ) is located in the town of Haveri in Haveri district, Karnataka state, India. It is considered an ornate example of 12th century Western ...

Haveri Haveri is a city in Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Haveri district. Haveri is famous for its cardamom garlands and Byadagi red chillies. Around 25 km away, there is a place called Bada, which is the birthplace o ...

in the

Haveri District Haveri is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. As of 2011, it had a population of 1,597,668, out of which 20.78% were urban residents. The district headquarters is Haveri. Name of the place Haveri is derived from two Kannada words "Ha ...

, the Amrutesvara Temple at Annigeri in the Dharwad District, the Sarasvati Temple in Gadag, and the

Dodda Basappa Temple Doddabasappa Temple () is a 12th-century Western Chalukyan architectural innovation in Dambal, Karnataka state, India. Dambal is about southeast of Gadag city and southwest of Ittagi in Koppal district.Cousens (1926), p. 114 The sanctum conta ...

at Dambal (both in the Gadag district). Aihole was an experimental base for architectural creation. Badami Chalukyas and Kalyana chalukyas also known as ( Kuntaleshvaras).

Kadambas

The Kadambas ( kn, ಕದಂಬರು) were an ancient dynasty of South India who primarily ruled the region which is the present-day

Goa state Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka ...

and the nearby

Konkan The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

region (part of modern

and Karnataka state). The early rulers of this dynasty established themselves at Vaijayanti (or

) in 345 AD and ruled for more than two centuries. In 607, the Chalukyas of Vatapi sacked Banavasi, and the Kadamba kingdom was incorporated into the expanding Chalukyan empire. In the eighth century, the Chalukyas were overthrown by 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 ...

, who ruled until the 10th century. In 980, descendants of the Chalukyas and Kadambas revolted against the Rashtrakutas; the Rashtrakuta empire fell, resulting in the establishment of a second Chalukyan dynasty (known as the Western Chalukyas). Chatta Deva, a member of the Kadamba family who helped the Western Chalukyas in this coup, re-established the Kadamba dynasty. He was primarily a vassal of the Western Chalukyas, but his successors enjoyed considerable independence and were well-placed in Goa and Konkan until the 14th century. The successors of Chatta Deva occupied both Banavasi and Hangal, and are known as the Kadambas of Hangal. Later, the Kadambas paid nominal allegiance to the other major powers of 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 ...

(such as the Yadavas and Hoysalas of Dorasamudra) and maintained their independence. Four families of Kadambas ruled in southern India: the Kadamba of Hangal, Goa, Belur and Banvasi.

Rashtrakutas

During the rule of

, an empire was built with the Gulbarga region in modern Karnataka as its base. This clan came to be known as the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (Kannada: ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಕೂಟ), who rose to power in 753. During their rule, Jain mathematicians and scholars contributed important works in Kannada and

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

Amoghavarsha I Amoghavarsha I (also known as Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I) (r.814–878 CE) was the greatest emperor of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and one of the most notable rulers of Ancient India. His reign of 64 years is one of the longest precisely dated mo ...

was the best-known king of this dynasty and wrote ''Kavirajamarga'', a landmark Kannada work. Architecture reached a high-water mark in the Dravidian style, the best examples of which are seen in the Kailash Temple at

Ellora Ellora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India. It is one of the largest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in the world, with artwork dating from the period 600–1000 CE., Quote: "These 34 ...

, the sculptures of

Elephanta Caves The Elephanta Caves are a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. They are on Elephanta Island, or ''Gharapuri'' (literally "the city of caves"), in Mumbai Harbour, east of Mumbai in the Indian state of ...

in modern-day Maharashtra and the Kashivishvanatha and the Jain Narayana Temples at Pattadakal in modern North Karnataka (all of which are

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

). Scholars agree that the kings of the imperial dynasty in the eighth to tenth century made the Kannada language as important as Sanskrit. Rashtrakuta inscriptions appear in both Kannada and Sanskrit, and the kings encouraged literature in both languages. The earliest existing Kannada literary writings are credited to their court poets and royalty. Kailash Temple is an example of Dravidian art. This project was started by Krishna I (757–773) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty which ruled from Manyakheta in modern Karnataka. It is located 40 km from the city of Manyakheta (modern Malkhed), on the banks of the Kagini River in Kalaburagi district.

Carnatic expansion

Vijayanagara empire

Vijayanagara ( Karnata Empire, or Karnataka Empire) is considered the greatest medieval Hindu empire and one of the greatest in the world at that time. It fostered the development of intellectual pursuits and the fine arts. Abdur Razzaq (the Persian ambassador) said, "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".

Deccan Sultanates

The

, with its capital at Hampi, lost to the army of the

Deccan Sultanates The Deccan sultanates were five Islamic late-medieval Indian kingdoms—on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range—that were ruled by Muslim dynasties: namely Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda. ...

in 1565. As a consequence of this, Bijapur became the most important city of the region. It is a land of monuments; perhaps no other city except

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

has as many monuments as Bijapur.

Maratha Empire

The region of North Karnataka, especially

and parts of

Bagalkot Bagalakote, is a city in the state of Karnataka, India, which is also the headquarters of Bagalakote district. It is situated on branch of River Ghataprabha about 481 km (299 mi) northwest of state capital Bengaluru, 410 km (2 ...

Bijapur Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur district of the Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluk. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural i ...

and

Gulbarga Kalaburagi, formerly known as Gulbarga, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kalaburagi district and is the largest city in the region of North Karnataka (Kalyana-Karnataka). Kalaburagi is ...

districts came under the influence of

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...

and subsequently the

Peshwas The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); lat ...

. As early as 1680s, many Marathi communities including

Marathas The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a ...

and

Marathi Brahmin Marathi Brahmins (also known as Maharashtrian Brahmins), are communities native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. They are classified into mainly three sub-divisions based on their places of origin, " Desh", " Karad" and "Konkan". The Brahmi ...

started settling in the region. Most of these came down as soldiers and administrators and were awarded large grants of land. The Patwardhan family of

Jamkhandi Jamakhandi is a city in Bagalkot district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It was the capital of the former princely state of Jamkhandi. It is located 90 km towards west from District headquarter. It is the first princely state to me ...

and

, Desai of Nuggikeri and

Kundgol Kundgol also spelled as Kundagola is a panchayat town in Dharwad district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Introduction Kundgol is Located in Dharwad District of Karnataka is about 14 km south-west of Hubli and 32 km south-west of D ...

and

Deshpande Deshpande is a surname native to the Indian states of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. The surname can be also found in some parts of Andhra Pradesh. Deshpande surname is found among the Deshastha Brahmins, Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) and the Ch ...

families in

and neighboring districts are some of the prominent

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

families which trace their ancestry to these migrations. While many of these families adopted to

language, most people remain bilingual and marry into

families. The Ghorpade dynasty in Sandur State and

Mudhol State Mudhol State was a princely state during the British Raj. The rulers were from the Ghorpade clan of the Marathas. It was one of the former states of the Southern Maratha Country and its capital was the city of Mudhol in present-day Bagalkote Di ...

are some of the prominent

Maratha The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed a ...

families who trace their ancestry to similar migrations.

Minor dynasties

* Rattas of Saundatti (of

) * Guttas of Guttal (

region) * Sendrakas of Nagarkhanda (

province) * Sindas of Yalaburga (

) * Kadamba of Hangal * Naiks of

Kanakagiri Kanakagiri (also known as Suvarnagiri) is a town in Karnataka state of India. It was a provincial capital of the Mauryan Empire and later became the capital of the Nayaka dynasty who were the Palegars (feudatory) of the Vijayanagara Empire. I ...

Shilahara The Shilahara Kingdom (IAST: Śilāhāra; also Sinhara, Shailahara, Shrilara, and Silara) was a royal dynasty that established itself in northern and southern Konkan in 8th century CE, present-day Mumbai and Southern Maharashtra (Kolhapur) du ...

Other kingdoms

Seuna 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 ...

, 9th–14th century * Ratta dynasty * Kalachuris of Kalyani, 12th century *

Kampili The Kampili kingdom was a short-lived Hindu kingdom of early 14th-century in the Deccan region. The kingdom existed near Ballari and Tungabhadra river in northeastern parts of the present-day Karnataka state, India. It ended after a defeat by t ...

, 13th century * Sangama Dynasty * Saluva Dynasty

Inscriptions

7th century Kannada inscription at Mahakutesvara temple in Mahakuta

* Mahakuta Inscriptions, Mahakuta Mahakutesvara temple Pillar inscription *

Aihole inscription The Aihole Inscription, also known as the Aihole ''prashasti'', is a nineteen line Sanskrit inscription at Meguti Jain temple in Aihole, Karnataka, India. An eulogy dated 634–635 CE, it was composed by the Jain poet Ravikirti in honor of his p ...

* Badami inscriptions * Kappe Arabhatta inscription * Itagi Mahadeva Temple Inscription * Lakkundi inscriptions * Gadag inscription * Halasi inscriptions

North Karnataka historical sites

Princely states

The following are the

princely states A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

: *

* Sandur State *

Savanur State Savanur State, Nawab of Savanur was one of the princely states in British India. The last ruler of the state acceded to the Dominion of India on 8 March 1948, becoming part of the Mysore State in what is now Karnataka. History The name Savanu ...

* Ramdurg State * Jamkhandi State *

Kittur Kittur, historically as Kittoor, is a ''taluka'' in the Belagavi district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was part of Bailhongal taluka but was declared as an independent taluka on 23October 2012 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka on the ...

Shorapur Surapura, also called Shorapur, is a city and taluka in Yadgir district in the Indian state of Karnataka and a historical place. Surapura was the land of the famous prince of Surapura aasthana, Raja Venkatappa Nayaka, the young rebel freedom ...

* Gurgunta * Gajendragad shivaji fort * Kannada-speaking Hyderabad State * South Kannada-speaking Bombay state

Battles

* Chalukya Pallava Wars * Battle of Talikota *

Battle of Gajendragad Gajendragad (also called Gajendragada) is a town and a sub-district place in Gadag District, Karnataka, India. This place is known for its hill station and hill strip. Highest populated city after Gadag in the district. It is about 55 kilomet ...

* Battle of Raichur * Chola-Chalukya wars

Historic capitals

* Palashika ( Halasi, or Halsi, or Halshi in Belgaum district) - Kadamba of Halasi * Hanungal, or Panungal ( Hangal in

Haveri district Haveri is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. As of 2011, it had a population of 1,597,668, out of which 20.78% were urban residents. The district headquarters is Haveri. Name of the place Haveri is derived from two Kannada words "Ha ...

) -

Kadambas of Hangal The Kadambas of Hangal was a South Indian dynasty during the Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Hangal in Karnataka. Chatta Deva who reigned from 980-1031 CE founded the dynasty. He helped Weste ...

Aihole Aihole (pronounced "Eye-hoḷé"), also referred to as Aivalli, Ahivolal or Aryapura, is a historic site of ancient and medieval era Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments in Karnataka, India that dates from the sixth century through the twelfth ...

Bagalkot district Bagalakote district(), is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located in the town of Bagalakote. The district is located in northern Karnataka and borders Belgaum, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur an ...

- First capital of

Badami 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 dynast ...

* Vatapi (

Badami Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from CE 540 to 757. It is famous for its rock cut monuments ...

in Bagalkot district) - Badami Chalukyas *

Pattadakal Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu or Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples in northern Karnataka (India). Located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote district, this UNESCO World ...

in Bagalkot district - Briefly third capital of Badami Chalukyas * Mayurkhandi in

Bidar district Bidar district is the northernmost part of the Karnataka state in India. The administrative headquarters of district is Bidar city. Geographically, it resembles the "Crown of the State", occupying its northeastern end. It is bounded by Kamare ...

- First capital of

Rashtrakuta dynasty 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 ...

* Manyakheta (

Malkhed Malkhed originally known as Manyakheta (IAST: Mānyakheṭa, Prakrit: "Mannakheḍa"), and also known as Malkhed,Village code= 311400 Malkhed (J), Gulbarga, Karnataka is a town in Karnataka, India. It is located on the banks of Kagina river i ...

in Kalaburagi district) - Rashtrakuta dynasty * Kalyani ( Basava Kalyana in

) -

Western Chalukyas 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 th ...

* Kundal ( Kundal village near

sangli Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production and trade of the spice. Sangli is situated on the banks ...

Sangli district Sangli district (Marathi pronunciation: aːŋɡli is a district of Maharashtra state in India. Sangli city is the district headquarters. It is bordered by Satara district, Solapur district to the North, Karnataka state to South-East, by Kolh ...

) - Western Chalukyas * Annigeri in

- Western Chalukyas (last capital of the Chalukyas) * Sudi in

Gadag district Gadag is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was formed in 1997, when it was split from Dharwad district. As of 2011, it had a population of 1064570 (of which 35.21 percent was urban). The overall population increased by 13.14 perc ...

- Coin mint and capital of Western Chalukyas * Lakkundi in Gadag district - Coin mint of Western Chalukyas *

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 ...

(

Hampi Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th&n ...

) -

- Bahamani Sultanate * Bidar - Bahamani Sultanate *

Adil Shahi dynasty The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi, was a Shia,Salma Ahmed Farooqui, ''A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century'', (Dorling Kindersley Pvt Ltd., 2011), 174. and later Sunni Muslim,Muhammad Qasim Firishta's T ...

(Bijapur Sultanate)

Architectural styles

North Karnataka has contributed to various styles of Indian Architecture during the rule of the Kadamba,

, Western Chalukya,

Rashtrakuta 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 ...

and

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 ...

s: * Vesara style * Badami Chalukya architecture * Gadag style of architecture * Rashtrakutas style of architecture * Vijayanagara Architecture *

Kadamba architecture Kadamba architecture was a style of temple architecture founded by Mayurasharma in the 4th century AD in Karnataka, India. Kadambas created ''new style of architecture which was the basis of the Hoysalas style'' of architecture, developed origi ...

* Bijapur style * Keladi Nayaka style

History of Kannada language

is one of the oldest

Dravidian languages The Dravidian languages (or sometimes Dravidic) are a family of languages spoken by 250 million people, mainly in southern India, north-east Sri Lanka, and south-west Pakistan. Since the colonial era, there have been small but significant im ...

, with an age of at least 2,000 years. The spoken language is said to have separated from its proto-Dravidian source later than Tamil, and at about the same time as

Tulu Tulu may refer to: People *Derartu Tulu (born 1972), Ethiopian long-distance runner *Walid Yacoubou (born 1997), Togolese footballer nicknamed "Tulu" India *Tulu calendar, traditional solar calendar generally used in the regions of southwest Kar ...

. However, the archaeological evidence indicates a written tradition for this language of around 1,500–1,600 years. The initial development of Kannada is similar to that of other Dravidian languages and independent of

. In later centuries, Kannada has been greatly influenced by Sanskrit in vocabulary, grammar and literary style. As for the Dravidian race, the ''Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary'' lists for the Sanskrit word ''draviḍa'' a meaning of a "collective name for Karnatakas, Gurjaras, Kannadigas and Mahārāstras". North Karnataka has its own dialect of Kannada. *

Old Kannada literature Rashtrakuta literature ( Kannada: ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಕೂಟ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ Rāṣṭrakūṭa Sāhitya) is the body of work created during the rule of the Rastrakutas of Manyakheta, a dynasty that ruled the southern and central parts ...

Kadamba script The Kadamba script is the first writing system devised specifically for writing Kannada and Telugu. It is a descendant of the Brahmi script. The Kadamba script is also known as ''Pre-Old-Kannada script''. The Kadamba script is one of the ol ...

, Halegannada * Chalukya Literature * Kannada literature in the Western Chalukya Empire * Rashtrakuta literature,

Asaga Asaga was a 9th-century Digambara Jain poet who wrote in Sanskrit and Kannada language. He is most known for his extant work in Sanskrit, the ''Vardhamana Charitra'' (Life of Vardhamana). This epic poem which runs into eighteen cantos was wr ...

Kavirajamarga ''Kavirajamarga'' ( kn, ಕವಿರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗ) (850 C.E.) is the earliest available work on rhetoric, poetics and grammar in the Kannada language.Kamath (2001), p 90Narasimhacharya (1988), p 2 It was inspired by or written in part by ...

* Extinct Kannada literature * Kappe Arabhatta inscription at Badami * Adikavi Pampa, Sri Ponna, Ranna * Medieval Kannada literature *

Kannada literature in Vijayanagara empire Vijayanagara literature in Kannada is the body of literature composed in the Kannada language of South India during the ascendancy of the Vijayanagara Empire which lasted from the 14th through the 16th century. The Vijayanagara empire was establ ...

* Vachana sahitya, Basavanna, Akka Mahadevi * Kumaravyasa, Karnata Bharata Kathamanjari (

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...

)

Unification of Karnataka

* The role of North Karnataka in Unification of Karnataka * Unification of Karnataka and Vidyavardhaka Sangha * Unification of Karnataka and Aluru Venkata Rao * The Belgaum Conference of 1924 * Liberation of Kalyana Karnataka (Hyderabad-Karnataka)

Festivals

In Kannada ''utsava'' means "festival". The following are festivals celebrated in North Karnataka sponsored by Govt of Karnataka * Gadag Utsava *

Utsava *

Utsava * Lakkundi Utsava *

Utsava * Bidar Utsava *

Utsava *

Utsava * Navaraspur Utsava at (

) * Sawai Gandharva Festival at

* Vishwa Kannada Sammelana held at

Tourism

;Temples of North Karnataka The temples of North Karnataka may be categorised as historical or modern. ;World Heritage Sites * Hampi: Near Hospet in

: Near

*world's 2nd Largest Dome Golagumatta Vijayapur * Ibrahim Rosaa also called Black Tajamahal,VIJAYAPUR ;National park and sanctuaries in North Karnataka *

Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary (119 km2) was declared as a sanctuary mainly to protect blackbucks. It comprises two unconnected portions, an eastern and a western bit. The sanctuary has a core zone of 14.87 km2 and a buffer-cum touris ...

* Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary * Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary *

Bonal Bird Sanctuary Bonal Bird Sanctuary sometimes spelled Bohnal Bird Sanctuary () is bird sanctuary and wetland near Bonal village in the Shorapur taluk of Yadgir district in Karnataka state, India. It is the second largest bird sanctuary in the state, after Rang ...

* Ghataprabha Bird Sanctuary *

Attiveri Bird Sanctuary Attiveri Bird Sanctuary is a village in the Mundgod taluk of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, It is located 15 km away from Mundgod. Spread over an area of about 2.23 km2, the sanctuary is located in and around the Attiveri re ...

Magadi Bird Sanctuary Magadi Bird Sanctuary created at the Magadi tank, it is one of the biodiversity hotspots of Karnataka. The Magadi tank is located in Magadi village of Shirhatti Taluk, Gadag District. From Gadag it is 26 km, it is located on Gadag-Bangal ...

Gudavi Bird Sanctuary Gudavi Bird Sanctuary is a tourist destination in Malenadu region of Karnataka, Sanctuary is spread over an area of 0.74 square km. It is part of Soraba Taluk of Shivamogga district in Karnataka. As per a 2009 survey, 217 different species of ...

* Yedahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary, Mudhol- Bilagi Utsav Rock Garden is a sculptural Garden located near NH-4 Pune-Bangalore road, Gotagodi Village, Shiggaon Taluk, Haveri District, Karnataka. Utsav Rock Garden is an sculptural garden representing contemporary art and rural culture. A typical village is created where men and women are involved in their daily household activities. A unique picnic spot which delights common people, educated and intellectuals. There are more than 1000 sculptures in the garden of different sizes. It is an anthropological museum. It represents traditional farming, crafts, folklore, cattle herding and sheep rearing.

Notable people of North Karnataka

Universities and other educational institutions

* Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Institute of Technology, Ranebennur * Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag *

Indian Institute of Technology The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are central government owned public technical institutes located across India. They are under the ownership of the Ministry of Education of the Government of India. They are governed by the Insti ...

, Dharwad *

Indian Institute of Information Technology Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are a group of 26 List of engineering branches, interdisciplinary technology-based-Technical University, engineering research institutions in India which are focused on Information Engineerin ...

, Dharwad * Karnataka University, Dharwad * University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad * SDM college of Dental Sciences, Dharwad * S.D.M College of Engineering & Technology, Dharwad * Karnatak Science College, Dharwad *

Karnataka State Law University The Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) is an Indian state university in Navanagar, Hubli, Karnataka It was established in January, 2009 by the government of Karnataka with a campus spread over 55 acres of land. The university offers various ...

, Hubli * KLE Technological University, Hubli *

Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi (KIMS, Hubli) is a medical school in Hubballi, India and is affiliated to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka. It is one of the oldest government tertiary heal ...

, Hubli *

Visvesvaraya Technological University Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), previously spelled Visveswaraiah Technological University, is a collegiate public state university in Belagavi, Karnataka established by the Government of Karnataka. All colleges in the State of ...

, Belgaum * Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum *

Central University of Karnataka The Central University of Karnataka, chiefly as, CUK, is a central university situated in the Kadaganchi village in Aland taluka of Kalaburagi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It has been established by an Act of the Parliament of ...

, Gulbarga * Kannada University, Hampi * Gulbarga University, Gulbarga * Karnataka State Women University, Bijapur *

Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University abbreviated as KVAFSU is a public university, established by an Act of Karnataka Legislative Assembly which was passed on 10 February 2004. This university has its headquarters i ...

, Bidar * Basaveshwar Engineering College, Bagalkot * Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary * Sainik School, Bijapur * S Nijalingappa Medical College, HSK (Hanagal Shree Kumareshwar) Hospital and Research Centre, Bagalkot * Karnataka Folklore University, Shiggaon

Arts and crafts

* Kasuti embroidery: putting stitches by hand on dresswear like Ilkal sarees. Lambanis of Bellary district have their own embroidery style. *

Bidriware Bidriware is a metal handicraft from the city of Bidar in southern India. It was developed in the 14th century C.E. during the rule of the Bahmani Sultans. The term "bidriware" originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief cen ...

: metal handicraft originated in Bidar during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans * Kinhal Crafts: originated in Kinhal (Kinnal) in Koppal district. Crafts are mainly toys, wood carvings and mural paintings. * Gokak toys: originated in Gokak in Belgaum district.

Natural resources

The Hutti Gold Mine is the only gold-extraction company in India. It operates in

Hatti Hatti may refer to *Hatti (; Assyrian ) in Bronze Age Anatolia: **the area of Hattusa, roughly delimited by the Halys bend **the Hattians of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC **the Hittites of ''ca'' 1400–1200 BC **the areas to the west of the Euphr ...

, an ancient gold- mining area about 70 km from Raichur. Tourism is also permitted inside the mine. The Gadag, Koppal and Bellary districts are rich in manganese, gold and iron ore. Kalaburagi district is rich in lime

Religion

Hinduism

Lingayatism

The followers of Basavanna and Panchacharyas who worship god through "istalinga". Lingayatism is a sect of Hinduism and worship Shiva in the form of Linga.

Brahmins

Varna (class) in Hinduism specialising as priests, teachers (

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' ( Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a ...

ru) and protectors of sacred learning across generations are known as Brahmanaru.

Buddhism

Buddhism in North Karnataka dates from the third to the first centuries BC.

Sannati Sannati or Sannathi is a small village, located on the banks of the Bhima River in Chitapur taluk of Kalaburagi district of Northern Karnataka. It is famous for the Chandrala Parameshwari Temple and the excavations by the Archaeological Survey ...

and Kanaganahalli are two important excavation sites, and there is a

Tibetan Buddhist Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...

colony at Mundgod.

Jainism

Banjara

Banjara's are the followers of

Shaktism Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...

and Sevalal]

External links

Discovering Deccan - Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Bijapur Gulbarga, Bidar and Hampi

The Kadamba Kula: A History of Ancient and Mediaeval Karnataka

References

{{Reflist, 30em Culture of Karnataka Regions of Karnataka History of Karnataka Regions of India

Karu Nadu Karu may refer to: ; Places * Karu, Estonia * Karu LGA, Nigeria ** Karu Urban Area * Karu Nadu, South West India * Karu, Ladakh, North India ; Languages * Karu language ; People * Erkki Karu Erkki Karu (born Erland Fredrik Kumlander) (10 Ap ...