Karnataka /k r na tk/ is a state in south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States eorganisation !"t. #rigina$$% known as the State of &%sore, it was renamed Karnataka in 19'(.)6* +he "apita$ and $argest "it% is ,anga$ore -,enga$uru.. /arnataka is bordered b% the !rabian Sea and the 0a""adive Sea to the west, 1oa to the north west, &aharashtra to the north, +e$angana to the North east, !ndhra 2radesh to the east, +ami$ Nadu to the south east, and /era$a to the south west. +he state "overs an area of 191,9'6 s3uare ki$ometres -'4,155 s3 mi., or 5.6( per "ent of the tota$ geographi"a$ area of India. It is the seventh $argest Indian state b% area. 7ith 61,1(8,'84 inhabitants at the 5811 "ensus, /arnataka is the eighth $argest state b% popu$ation, "omprising (8 distri"ts. /annada +he two main river s%stems of the state are the /rishna and its tributaries, the ,hima, 1hataprabha, 9edavathi, &a$aprabha, and +ungabhadra, in the north, and the /averi and its tributaries, the :emavati, Shimsha, !rkavati, 0akshmana +hirtha and /abini, in the south. ,oth these rivers f$ow out of /arnataka eastward into the ,a% of ,enga$.History&ain arti"$es; :istor% of /arnataka, 2o$iti"a$ histor% of medieva$ /arnataka and ha$uk%a hi"kmaga$ur distri"t whi"h has an a$titude of 1,959 metres -6,(59 ft.. Some of the important rivers in /arnataka are /averi, +ungabhadra, /rishna, &a$aprabha and the Sharavathi./arnataka "onsists of four main t%pes of geo$ogi"a$ formations)46* H the Archean complex made up of Eharwad s"hists and graniti" gneisses, the Proterozoic nonAfossi$iferous sedimentar% formations of the /a$adgi and ,hima series, the Deccan trappean and intertrappean deposits and the tertiar% and re"ent $aterites and a$$uvia$ deposits. Signifi"ant$%, about 68I of the state is "omposed of the Archean complex whi"h "onsist of gneisses, granites and "harno"kite ro"ks. 0aterite "appings that are found in man% distri"ts over the Ee""an +raps were formed after the "essation of vo$"ani" a"tivit% in the ear$% tertiar% period. -(' JD. at ,idar.!bout (6,'54 km5 -14,951 s3 mi. of /arnataka -i.e. 58I of the state@s geographi" area. is "overed b% forests. +he forests are "$assified as reserved, prote"ted, un"$osed, vi$$age and private forests. +he per"entage of forested area is s$ight$% $ess than the a$$AIndia average of about 5(I, and signifi"ant$% $ess than the ((I pres"ribed in the Nationa$ Dorest 2o$i"%.)46*+here are (8 distri"ts in /arnataka; ,aga$kote ,enga$uru ura$ ,enga$uru ?rban ,e$agavi ,a$$ari ,idar 9i=a%apura >hamara=anagar >hikkaba$$apur )49* >hikkamaga$uru >hitradurga Eakshina /annada Eavanagere Eharwad 1adag /a$aburagi :assan :averi /odagu /o$ar /oppa$ &and%a &%suru ai"hur amanagara )49* Shivamogga +umkur ?dupi ?ttara /annada Kadgir/arnataka, $ike other Indian states, has a par$iamentar% s%stem of government with two demo"rati"a$$% e$e"ted houses, the 0egis$ative !ssemb$% and the 0egis$ative >oun"i$. +he 0egis$ative !ssemb$% "onsists of 554 members who are e$e"ted for fiveA%ear terms.)5'* +he 0egis$ative >oun"i$ is a permanent bod% of '5 members with oneAthird -55 members. retiringever% two %ears.)5'* +he government of /arnataka is headed b% the >hief &inister who is "hosen b% the ru$ing part% members of the 0egis$ative !ssemb$%. +he >hief &inister, a$ong with the "oun"i$ of ministers, drives the $egis$ative agenda and eBer"ises most of the eBe"utive powers.)56* :owever, the "onstitutiona$ and forma$ head of the state is the 1overnor who is appointed for a fiveA%ear term b% the 2resident of India on the advi"e of the ?nion government.)59* +he peop$e of /arnataka a$so e$e"t 56 members to the 0ok Sabha, the $ower house of the Indian 2ar$iament.)68* +he members of the state 0egis$ative !ssemb$% e$e"t 15 members to the a=%a Sabha, the upper house of the Indian 2ar$iament. Dor administrative purposes, /arnataka has been divided into four revenue divisions, 49 subAdivisions, (8 distri"ts, 1'5 ta$uks and '45 hob$ies/revenue "ir"$es.)61* +he administration in ea"h distri"t is headed b% a Eeput% >ommissioner who be$ongs to the Indian !dministrative Servi"e and is assisted b% a number of offi"ers be$onging to /arnataka state servi"es. +he Eeput% >ommissioner of 2o$i"e, an offi"er be$onging to theIndian 2o$i"e Servi"e and assisted b% the offi"ers of the /arnataka 2o$i"e Servi"e, is entrusted with the responsibi$it% of maintaining $aw and order and re$ated issues in ea"h distri"t. +he Eeput% >onservator of Dorests, an offi"er be$onging to the Indian Dorest Servi"e, is entrusted with the responsibi$it% of managing forests, environment and wi$d$ife of the distri"t, he wi$$ be assisted b% the offi"ers be$onging to /arnataka Dorest Servi"e and offi"ers be$onging to /arnataka Dorest Subordinate Servi"e. Se"tora$ deve$opment in the distri"ts is $ooked after b% the distri"t head of ea"h deve$opment department su"h as 2ub$i" 7orks Eepartment, :ea$th, ongress, the Ganata Ea$ -Se"u$ar. and the ,harati%a Ganata 2art%.)65* 2o$iti"ians from /arnataka have p$a%ed prominent ro$es in federa$ government of India with some of themhaving he$d the high positions of 2rime &inister and 9i"e 2resident. +hree "abinet $eve$s ministers in the "urrent ?nited 2rogressive !$$ian"e government are from /arnataka. Notab$e among these is Dormer >hief &inister and :onorab$e ?nion &inister for 0aw, Gusti"e and >ompan% !ffairs, 9eerappa &oi$%. ,order disputes invo$ving /arnataka@s "$aim on the /asaragod )6(* and So$apur )64* distri"ts and &aharashtra@s "$aim on ,e$gaum are ongoing sin"e the states reorganisation.)65* +he offi"ia$ emb$em of /arnataka has a Ganda Berunda in the "entre. Surmounting this are four $ions fa"ing the four dire"tions, taken from the 0ion >apita$ of !shoka at Sarnath. +he emb$em a$so "arries two Sharabhas with the head of an e$ephant and the bod% of a $ion. Economy &ain arti"$es; orporation ,ank, 9i=a%a ,ank, /arnataka ,ank, 9%s%a ,ank and the State ,ank of &%sore originated in this state.)'6* +he "oasta$ distri"ts of ?dupi and Eakshina /annada have a bran"h for ever% 588 personsHthe best distribution of banks in India.)'9* In &ar"h 5885, /arnataka had 4'6' bran"hes of different banks with ea"h bran"h serving 11,888 persons, whi"h is $ower thanthe nationa$ average of 16,888.)68* ! ma=orit% of the si$k industr% in India is head3uartered in /arnataka State, mu"h of it in Eoddaba$$apura, and the state government intends to invest'8 "rore in a NSi$k >it%N at&uddenaha$$i, near ,anga$ore Internationa$ !irport.)61*)65* Transport &ain arti"$es; +ransport in /arnataka, 0ist of Nationa$ :ighwa%s in /arnataka and 0ist of state highwa%s in /arnataka /ingfisher !ir$ines was based in ,anga$ore. !ir transport in /arnataka, as in the rest of the "ountr%, is sti$$ a f$edg$ing but fast eBpanding se"tor. /arnataka has !irports at ,anga$ore, &anga$ore, ,e$gaum, :ub$i, :ampi, ,e$$ar% and &%sore with internationa$ operations from ,anga$ore and &anga$ore airports.)6(* &a=or air$ines su"h as /ingfisher !ir$ines and /ingfisher ed are based in ,anga$ore. /arnataka has a rai$wa% network with a tota$ $ength of approBimate$% (,869 ki$ometres -1,919 mi.. ?nti$ the "reation of the South 7estern Oone head3uartered at :ub$i in 588(, the rai$wa% network in the state was in the Southern and 7estern rai$wa% Cones. Severa$ parts of the state now "ome under the South 7estern Oone, with the remainder under the Southern ai$wa%s. >oasta$ /arnataka is "overed under the /onkan rai$wa% network whi"h was "onsidered India@s biggest rai$wa% pro=e"t of the "entur%.)64* ,anga$ore and :ub$i are eBtensive$% "onne"ted with interAstate destinations whi$e other important "ities and towns in the state are not so we$$A"onne"ted.)65*)66* /arnataka has 11 ports, in"$uding the New &anga$ore 2ort, a ma=or port and ten other minor ports.)6'* +he New &anga$ore port was in"orporated as the ninth ma=or port in Indiaon 4 &a% 19'4. +his port hand$ed (5.84 mi$$ion tonnes of traffi" in the fis"a$ %ear 5886A8' with 1'.95 mi$$ion tonnes of imports and 14.15 mi$$ion tonnes of eBports. +he port a$so hand$ed 1815 vesse$s in"$uding 16 "ruise vesse$s during the %ear 5886A8'. +he in$and water transport within the state is not we$$ deve$oped. +he tota$ $engths of Nationa$ :ighwa%s and state highwa%s in /arnataka are (,9'( and 9,659 ki$ometres -5,469 and 6,18' mi., respe"tive$%. +he /S+>, the state pub$i" transport "orporation, transports an average of 5.5 mi$$ion passengers dai$% and emp$o%s about 55,888 peop$e.)66* In the $ate nineties, /S+> was sp$it into three "orporations, viC.,+he ,anga$ore &etropo$itan +ransport >orporation, +he NorthAorporation and +he NorthA7est /arnataka oad +ransport >orporation with their head3uarters in ,anga$ore, 1u$barga and :ub$i respe"tive$%.)66* Culture &ain arti"$es; !rt and "u$ture of /arnataka, >arnati" musi", >uisine of /arnataka, /annada peop$e and +u$uvas +he /annada f$ag is wide$% used in /arnataka even though it is not an offi"ia$ f$ag. ! %akshagana artist +he diverse $inguisti" and re$igious ethni"ities that are native to /arnataka, "ombined with their $ong histories, have "ontributed immense$% to the varied "u$tura$ heritage of thestate. !part from /annadigas, /arnataka is home to +u$uvas, /odavas and /onkanis. &inor popu$ations of +ibetan ,uddhists and tribes $ike the So$igas, Keravas, +odas and Siddhis a$so $ive in /arnataka. +he traditiona$ fo$k arts "over the entire gamut of musi", dan"e, drama, stor%te$$ing b% itinerant troupes, et". Kakshagana of &a$nad and "oasta$ /arnataka, a "$assi"a$ dan"e drama, is one of the ma=or theatri"a$ forms of /arnataka. >ontemporar% theatre "u$ture in /arnataka remains vibrant with organiCations $ike Ninasam, anga Shankara, anga%ana and 2rabhat /a$avidaru "ontinuing to bui$d on thefoundations $aid b% 1ubbi 9eeranna, +. 2. /ai$asam, ,. 9. /aranth, / 9 Subbanna, 2rasanna and others.)69* 9eeragase, /amsa$e, /o$ata and Eo$$u /unitha are popu$ar dan"e forms. +he &%sore st%$e of ,haratanat%a, nurtured and popu$arised b% the $ikes of the $egendar% Gatti +a%amma, "ontinues to ho$d swa% in /arnataka, and ,anga$ore a$so en=o%s an eminent p$a"e as one of the foremost "enters of ,haratanat%a.)98* /arnataka a$so has a spe"ia$ p$a"e in the wor$d of Indian "$assi"a$ musi", with both /arnataka)91* ->arnati". and :industani st%$es finding p$a"e in the state, and /arnataka has produ"ed a number of sta$warts in both st%$es. +he :aridasa movement of the siBteenth "entur% "ontributed signifi"ant$% to the deve$opment of /arnataka ->arnati". musi" as a performing art form. 2urandara Easa, one of the most revered :aridasas, is known as the Karnataka San!eeta Pitamaha -@Dather of /arnataka a.k.a. >arnati" musi"@..)95* >e$ebrated :industani musi"ians $ike 1angubai :anga$, &a$$ikar=un &ansur, ,himsen Goshi, ,asavara=a a=aguru, Sawai 1andharva and severa$ others hai$ from /arnataka, and some of them have been re"ipients of the /a$idas Samman, 2adma ,hushan and 2adma 9ibhushan awards. Noted >arnati" musi"ians in"$ude 9io$in +. >howdiah, 9eena Sheshanna, &%sore 9asudeva"har, Eoreswam% I%engar and +hitte /rishna I%engar. Eharwad pedha. 1amaka is another "$assi"a$ musi" genre based on >arnati" musi" that is pra"ti"ed in /arnataka. /annada ,havageete is a genre of popu$ar musi" that draws inspiration from the eBpressionist poetr% of modern poets. +he &%sore s"hoo$ of painting has produ"ed painters $ike Sundara%%a, +an=avur /onda%%a, ,. 9enkatappa and /eshava%%a.)9(* >hitraka$a 2arishat is an organisation in /arnataka dedi"ated to promoting painting, main$% in the &%sore painting st%$e. Saree is the traditiona$ dress of women in /arnataka. 7omen in /odagu have a distin"t st%$e of wearing the saree, different from the rest of /arnataka. Ehoti, known as Panche in /arnataka, is the traditiona$ attire of men. Shirt, +rousers and Sa$war kameeC are wide$% worn in ?rban areas. &%sore 2eta is the traditiona$ headgear of southern /arnataka, whi$e the pa!adi or pata!a -simi$ar to the a=asthani turban. is preferred in the northern areas of the state. i"e and agi form the stap$e food in South /arnataka, whereas Go$ada rotti, Sorghum is stap$e to North /arnataka. ,isi be$e bath, Go$ada rotti, agi mudde, ?ppittu, ,enne Eose,&asa$a Eose and &addur 9ade are some of the popu$ar food items in /arnataka. !mong sweets, &%sore 2ak, /aradantu of 1okak and !mingad, ,e$gaavi /unda and Eharwad pedha are popu$ar. !part from this, "oasta$ /arnataka and /odagu have distin"tive "uisines of their own. ?dupi "uisine of "oasta$ /arnataka is popu$ar a$$ over India. Religion &ain arti"$es; e$igion in /arnataka, :aridasa and 0inga%at +he 1omateswara -965M96(. mono$ith at Shravanabe$ago$a is one of the most important "enters of Gain pi$grimage toda% 9ishnu, ,adami "ave temp$e no.(Religion in Karnataka[94]e$igion 2er"ent:induism6(.66IIs$am15.5(I>hristianit%1.91IGainism8.'6I,uddhism8.'4ISikhism8.8(I#thers5.16I !di Shankara"har%a -'66M658. "hose Sringeri in /arnataka to estab$ish the first of his four mathas -monaster%.. &adhva"har%a -15(6M1(1'. was the "hief proponent of +attvavPda -2hi$osoph% of ea$it%., popu$ar$% known as Evaita or Eua$isti" s"hoo$ of :indu phi$osoph% H one of the three most inf$uentia$ 9edPnta phi$osophies. &adhva wasone of the important phi$osophers during the ,hakti movement. :e was a pioneer in man% wa%s, going against standard "onventions and norms. !""ording to tradition, &adhvP"Pr%a is be$ieved to be the third in"arnation of 9P%u -&ukh%aprPn Qa., after :anumPn and ,hRma. +he :aridasa -/annada; . devotiona$ movement is "onsidered as one of the turning points in the "u$tura$ histor% of India. #ver a span of near$% siB "enturies, severa$ saints and m%sti"s he$ped shape the "u$ture, phi$osoph% and art of South India and /arnataka in parti"u$ar b% eBerting "onsiderab$e spiritua$ inf$uen"eover the masses and kingdoms that ru$ed South India.)1* +his movement was ushered in b% the :aridasas -$itera$$% Nservants of 0ord :ariN. and took shape in the 1(th "entur% A 14th "entur% >he$uvanara%ana +emp$e and a we$$Aorganised &atha were bui$t. :e was patroniCed b% the :o%sa$a king, 9ishnuvardhana.)95* 7or$d@s ta$$est ,asava statue -186 feet., ,asavaka$%ana, /arnataka, India. In the twe$fth "entur%, 0inga%atism emerged in northern /arnataka as a protest against the rigidit% of the prevai$ing so"ia$ and "aste s%stem. 0eading figures of this movement were ,asava, !kka &ahadevi and !$$ama 2rabhu, who estab$ished the !nubhava &antapa whi"h was the "enter of a$$ re$igious and phi$osophi"a$ thoughts and dis"ussionspertaining to 0iga%ats. +hese three so"ia$ reformers did so b% the $iterar% means of @9a"hana Sahit%a@ whi"h is ver% famous for its simp$e, straight forward and easi$% understandab$e /annada $anguage. 0inga%atism prea"hed women e3ua$it% b% $etting women wear shtalin!a i.e. S%mbo$ of god around their ne"k. ,asava shunned the sharp hierar"hi"a$ divisions that eBisted and sought to remove a$$ distin"tions between the hierar"hi"a$$% superior master "$ass and the subordinate, servi$e "$ass. :e a$so supported interA"aste marriages and /aa%aka +atva of ,asavanna. +his was the basis of the 0inga%at faith whi"h toda% "ounts mi$$ions among its fo$$owers.)96* +he Gain phi$osoph% and $iterature have "ontributed immense$% to the re$igious and "u$tura$ $ands"ape of /arnataka. Is$am, whi"h had an ear$% presen"e on the west "oast of India as ear$% as the tenth "entur%, gained a footho$d in /arnataka with the rise of the ,ahamani and ,i=apur su$tanates that ru$ed parts of /arnataka.)9'* >hristianit% rea"hed /arnataka in the siBteenth "entur% with the arriva$ of the 2ortuguese and St. Dran"is Tavier in 1545.)96* ,uddhism was popu$ar in /arnataka during the first mi$$ennium in p$a"es su"h as 1u$barga and ,anavasi. ! "han"e dis"over% of edi"ts and severa$ &aur%an re$i"s at Sannati in 1u$barga distri"t in 1966 has proven that the /rishna iver basin was on"e home to both &aha%ana and :ina%ana ,uddhism. +here are +ibetan refugee "amps in /arnataka. &%sore Easara is "e$ebrated as the "ada ha##a -state festiva$. and this is marked b% ma=or festivities at &%sore.)99* ?gadi -/annada New Kear., &akara Sankranti -the harvestfestiva$., 1anesh >haturthi, Nagapan"hami, ,asava Ga%anthi, Eeepava$i, and amCan arethe other ma=or festiva$s of /arnataka. Language &ain arti"$es; /annada $anguage, +u$u $anguage, /odava $anguage, /onkani $anguage, /annada $iterature and ,ear% bashe :a$midi ins"ription -458 >ontemporar% /annada $iterature has re"eived "onsiderab$e a"know$edgement in the arena of Indian $iterature, with eight /annada writers winning India@s highest $iterar% honour, the Gnanpith award A the highest ta$$% for an% $anguage in India. +u$u is spoken main$% in the "oasta$ distri"ts of ?dupi and Eakshina /annada. )ulu (aha#harato, written b% !runab=a in the +iga$ari s"ript, is the o$dest surviving +u$u teBt.)184* +iga$ari s"ript was used b% ,rahmins to write Sanskrit $anguage. +he use of the /annada s"ript for writing +u$u and nonAavai$abi$it% of print in +iga$ari s"ript "ontributedto the margina$iCation of +iga$ari s"ript. +he /odavas who main$% reside in the /odagu distri"t, speak /odava +akk. +wo regiona$ variations of the $anguage eBist, the northern (endale )akka and the southern Ki!!aati )akka.)185* /onkani is most$% spoken in the ?ttara /annada distri"t and in some parts of the ?dupi and Eakshina /annada distri"ts. ,oth /odava +akk and /onkani use the /annada s"ript for writing. e%$on frogmouth, herons, du"ks, kites, eag$es, fa$"ons, 3uai$s, partridges, $apwings, sandpipers, pigeons, doves, parakeets, "u"koos, ow$s, night=ars, swifts, kingfishers, beeAeaters and munias.)1(1* Some spe"ies of trees found in /arnataka are 'allophyllum tomentosa, 'allophyllum *i!htianum, Garcina cam#o!ia, Garcina morealla, Alstonia scholaris, +lacourtia montana, Artocarpus hirsutus, Artocarpus lacoocha, 'innamomum zeylanicum, Gre*ia tilaefolia, Santalum al#um, Shorea talura, ,m#lica officinalis, Vitex altissima and -ri!htia tinctoria. 7i$d$ife in /arnataka is threatened b% poa"hing, habitat destru"tion, humanAwi$d$ife "onf$i"t and po$$ution.)1(1*