Tourist Destinations Karnataka

The South Indian city Bangalore is blessed with rich culture and topography. It is also one of the most developed cities when it comes to economy. According to archaeological records the history of Bangalore dates back to paleolithic culture. It witnessed the rule of several rulers. They made their individual contributions to the heritage of Bangalore. Amongst all, the Chalukyas were expert in building magnificent temples. Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka and is called the 'garden city' of India. It is dotted with several beautiful and peaceful gardens and brilliant monuments.

Mysore - the land of coffee plantations is a beautiful city of Karnataka. The word Mysore originated from the distortion of the name 'Mahishasurana Ooru', meaning the 'town of Mahishasura'. According to Hindu Mythology goddess Chamunda, the patron heavenly being of Mysore killed a demon named Mahishasura who was troubling the people with his evil deeds. Mysore was once the capital of the Wodeyar rulers. Then it came under the rule of Tipu Sultan who lost it to the British. The rich history and heritage of the city clearly resonates in its monuments, festivals, temples and palaces. Kannad, Tamil, Hindi and English are the languages spoken here. It is a state rich in fine arts ? dance, music and literature.

Srirangapatna is an island town located in the Mandhya district of Karnataka. The nearby city is Mysore. This island town holds immense religious, cultural and historic significance. The whole town is surrounded by river Kaveri adding charm to it. The town was named after the famous Sri Ranganathaswamy temple located in it. This temple has made the town a celebrated pilgrimage destination of Hindus. It was constructed during the 9th century by the Ganga dynasty. The town is dotted with beautiful palaces, temples and Mosques which attracts many travellers.

Famous as an archaeological site, Hassan is a district in Karnataka. The district capital is Hassan. The land is dotted with wonderful architectural marvels. It was once the capital of the Hoysala Empire which during its hey days ruled most parts of South India. The Hoysala rulers made amazing contribution to the architectural heritage of Hassan. Several beautiful temples were constructed by them during the 11th to 13th centuries. It is also the place where the Master Control Facility of the Indian Space Research Organization is located. The primary language spoken here is Kannada. Out of forty five monuments of Hassan, twenty four are under the supervision of Karnataka state archaeological department while the remaining twenty one are maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Hampi is synonymous with ancient temples. In fact, it can be aptly called the temple village of Karnataka. Today the city may be in ruins, but its history is a testimony to its rich heritage. The numerous temples in the city clearly explain about its ageless beauty. It is located in north Karnataka. Originally Hampi was known as Pampa, the puranic name of the Tungabhadra river.Hampi was founded by the two local kings Hakka and Bukka in the 14th century. Later it became the capital of the famous Vijayanagara Empire.

The perfect examples of the art and architecture of Karnataka can be seen in its humble village Badami. The village is dotted with beautiful rock cut temples, intricately carved Cave temples, artificial lake, museum and rock-cut into the cliff face of a red sandstone hill. Earlier the village was called Vatapi. It is located in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Between 540 AD to 757 AD, it was the capital of the Badami Chalukyas. Later the Pallavas who were defeated by the Chalukyas took the revenge by destroying Badami. Then it also came under the rule of Vijayanagra Empire.