Mulki, India
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Mulki, also
anglicized Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
as Moolki, is a panchayat town located in Mangalore taluk in Dakshina Kannada district in the Indian
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
of
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
. It is on the banks of Shambhavi River, and was originally referred to as Moolikapur, which, sometime later, evolved into its current name. A small town with people of diverse religions, it is 10 km north of
Suratkal Surathkal(kn:ಸುರತ್ಕಲ್)" is one of the major localities in the northern part of Mangaluru taluk located on NH-17, National Highway 66 (old NH-17) in the Dakshina Kannada, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka state, India on the ...
. Karnad is a locality within Mulki.


Geography

It has an average elevation of 7 metres. It is in the Karavalli region of
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
, which is suitable for agriculture and building factories. It is next to the River Shambhavi, which originates from
Kudremukh Kudremukha is the name of a mountain range and an individual mountain peak located in Chikmagalur district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station and iron ore-mining town situated near the mountain, about 20 kilomet ...
and ends at Sasthithlu Beach with the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea () is a region of sea in the northern Indian Ocean, bounded on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel, on the northwest by Gulf of Oman and Iran, on the north by Pakistan, on the east by India, and ...
.


Etymology

Historians say that the name is derived from the word 'herb'. 'Herb' means medicine. The word 'herb' is found in both Kannada and Tulu. The name 'Mulike' is derived from the presence of many herb plants in this village. The same name became 'Mulke' and gradually became 'Mulki'. One of the most special things is that this Mulki area, which now appears to us as a big city, did not exist for about 400 years. The Shambhavi River was flowing in this direction.


History

Today's Karnad (Karnad) was a riverside town at that time. Foreign travelers wrote that in 1623 AD, Karnad was a trading center on the banks of the river. According to the Italian travelers Barbos (1516 AD) and Dellavelli (1623 AD), the present-day Mulki area was flooded at that time. But over time, the river changed its course. Then the water came and the place where the present Mulki. The Savant dynasty, which ruled from the 14th to the 18th century, initially made Elingje its capital. He was then transferred to Seemanthoor. From there he was transferred to Padupanambur. There is still a royal family in Padupanambur. The book 'Mulkiya Savantaru' written by the folk scholar Muddu Moodubelle is a tribute to the entire history of Mulki. Historically, the region was known as Volalanke (also spelled Olalanke), a name that likely referred to its location as an "island within a river," since it was once surrounded by the Shambhavi River. Over time, shifts in the river's course connected the area to the mainland. In the 16th century, the noted saint and poet Kanakadasa is believed to have visited the town and renamed it Mulki, possibly derived from the Kannada word moolike (meaning "herb") due to the area's lush vegetation, or from the Urdu word mulk (meaning "land"). Mulki is also home to the historic Sri Lakshmi Venkatesha Temple, a prominent religious and cultural center in the town. The temple, known locally as SLVT, is dedicated to Lord Venkatesha (a form of Vishnu) and plays a significant role in the spiritual life of the community. It attracts devotees from across the region and is known for its traditional rituals, festivals, and cultural events.


Shri Ugra Narasimha Idol at Mulki

The town of Mulki in Karnataka is home to the historic Shri Venkataramana Temple, which houses the revered idol of Shri Ugra Narasimha, a fierce manifestation of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The idol is notable for its unique iconography—depicting Narasimha with eight arms, three eyes, and standing on one leg, symbolizing the destruction of evil and protection of devotees. According to traditional accounts, the idol was consecrated in 1569 CE on the day of Margashira Poornima by Srimad Vijayeendra Thirtha Swamiji, a prominent pontiff of the Kashi Math Samsthan. The idol is believed to have been discovered in Kerala, either in a well alongside other images or at an ancient site near Cochin known as Varahapuram. Some legends also suggest that the idol was originally worshipped by the mythological devotee Prahlada and later passed down to his grandson, King Bali. The Shri Venkataramana Temple itself is one of the oldest temples in the region, established in 1260 CE by Shri Soira Vittal Bhat with the patronage of the local Jain king Savanth. The temple is a significant religious site for the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community and includes shrines dedicated to multiple deities, including Shri Venkataramana, Shri Bindu Madhava, and Shri Ugra Narasimha. The temple and its deities continue to attract devotees from across the region, and the worship of Shri Ugra Narasimha remains central to the temple's religious activities, particularly during annual festivals and special rituals.


Demographics

India
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
, Mulki had a population of 17,274. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Mulki has an average literacy rate of 88%, higher than the state average of 75.3%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 76%. In Mulki, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority population of Mulki is
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, although there is a significant diversity in the form of Muslim and Christians. Hindus in Mulki are very diverse in themselves with a significant population of
Billava The Billava, Billoru, Biruveru or Bhil, Bhillava people are an ethnic group of India. They constitute 18% of the total Karnata population. They are found traditionally in Tulu Nadu region and engaged in toddy tapping, Agriculture, cultivation an ...
s,
Mogaveera Mogaveera is a fishermen community in the Tulunad region of South West India. They dominated the maritime business of the region. History The Mogaveeras are the fishermen community of Tulu Nadu. The Mogaveeras have also been porters or pa ...
s, Bunts, Goud Saraswats and Tulu Brahmins.


Economy

Skilled workers form small cottage industries and business. Other major contribution to the local economy comes from agriculture and fishing. There is a fish market in mulki.


Surfing

Mulki has also become a hotspot for surfing in India offering several uncrowded beaches and good surf from September to early June, with break for monsoons. Several surf clubs offer classes as well as board hires - notable among them, the Mantra Surf Club and Indica Surf club. Most surf clubs also offer kayaking and stand up paddleboards in the local estuaries. This facilities are present in Sasihithlu beach in mulki.


Bappanadu Sri Durga Parameshwari temple

This temple is dedicated to Durga devi and Devi is worshipped in the form of Linga. Tradition tells that years ago this temple was constructed by Muslim Bappa who seemed to have discovered the linga submerged underwater in the locality, when he was engaged in trade. Hence the place is named after Bappa. Keeping this in mind, the family of Bappa Byari is honoured to this day with the Prasad of Devi when the Utsavamurthi is taken out in a grand procession. The family offers flowers and fruits to the deity and this tradition symbolizes the deep bond of harmonious sentiments between the two communities. This temple is located next to
NH 66 National Highway 66, commonly referred to as NH 66 (erstwhile NH-17 and a part of NH-47), is a mostly 4 lane 1640 km (1020 miles) long busy National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to t ...
on the way to
Udupi Udupi () also known as 'Odipu' () is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of Udupi district, and one of the fastest-growing cities in Karnataka. Udupi is one of the top tourist attractions in Karnataka an ...
.


Transportation

It is situated in
NH 66 National Highway 66, commonly referred to as NH 66 (erstwhile NH-17 and a part of NH-47), is a mostly 4 lane 1640 km (1020 miles) long busy National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to t ...
, state highway 70. All express private buses ply to Mulki from
Mangalore Mangaluru (), formerly called Mangalore ( ), is a major industrial port city in the Indian state of Karnataka and on the west coast of India. It is located between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bengaluru, the st ...
to
Udupi Udupi () also known as 'Odipu' () is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of Udupi district, and one of the fastest-growing cities in Karnataka. Udupi is one of the top tourist attractions in Karnataka an ...
. Buses start from here to routes Kateel, Kinnigoli, Moodabidre, and others. The nearest airport is at Bajpe, which is a 45-minute drive away. It is a major stop for express private operators. There is a railway station in Mulki called Mulki railway station at Karnad. It connects major cities like
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
,
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
(by Netravati Express),
Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
etc. It is useful for areas like Kinnigoli, Padubidre. But the nearest major station is Surathkal railway station, Mangalore Central.


Notable people

Notable people born in this area * Suniel Shetty - actor *
Girish Karnad Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian playwright, actor, film director, Kannada writer, and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi films. His rise as a playwr ...
- actor, director, writer, playwright * Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty * Karnad Sadashiva Rao - freedom fighter * Budhi Kunderan - cricketer * Ammembal Subba Rao Pai - banker, educationist, social reformer.


Media

The nearby cities of
Mangalore Mangaluru (), formerly called Mangalore ( ), is a major industrial port city in the Indian state of Karnataka and on the west coast of India. It is located between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bengaluru, the st ...
and
Udupi Udupi () also known as 'Odipu' () is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of Udupi district, and one of the fastest-growing cities in Karnataka. Udupi is one of the top tourist attractions in Karnataka an ...
provide print publications and websites that report news about Mulki. The most prominent local news sources are: * Udayavani * Karavali Ale * Daijiworld * Varthabharathi * Prajavani *
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...


Educational institutions

These are the educations institutions based in Mulki * Sree Narayana Guru English Medium High School and PU College * Bethany English Medium School * Vijaya College Mulki * Medellin PU College * Saint Anne's College of Nursing


References

7. Sthanika, B. (1992). Temples of South Kanara. Udupi: Tulu Sahitya Academy. 8. Kashi Math Samsthan. (n.d.). History of Shri Venkataramana Temple, Mulki. Retrieved from https://www.kashimath.org 9. Nayak, R. (2004). Goud Saraswat Brahmins: A Historical Overview. Mangalore: GSB Sabha Publications. 10. Rao, B.S. (2010). "Sacred Spaces of Coastal Karnataka." Journal of South Indian History, 12(1), 45–59. 11. Mulki Shri Venkataramana Temple Committee. (2019). Temple Souvenir for Annual Rathotsava. Mulki: Shri Venkataramana Temple Publication. 12. Hegde, S. (2007). "Cultural Heritage of Coastal Karnataka Temples." Karnataka Itihasa Academy Journal, 18(2), 88–93. 13. Bhat, N. (2022). "Legends of Narasimha in Tulunadu." Tulunadu Monthly Digest, Issue 47. 14. Udupi District Administration. (n.d.). Tourism in Udupi District. Retrieved from https://udupi.nic.in 15. Shenoy, P. (2020). "The Mystery of the Narasimha Idol in Mulki." Coastal Heritage Blog. Retrieved from https://coastalheritage.in/narasimha-mulki>

External links

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Dakshina Kannada district