THE PIONEER: There were four Kempe Gowdas and it was the first who founded Bangalore. — FILE PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.
This year even as we’re celebrating the 500th birth anniversary of Kempe Gowda I, there is some confusion among the people over which Kempe Gowda founded our city, considering four Kempe Gowda ruled over the region for over two centuries.
Historians are unanimous that it was Kempe Gowda I (1513-1569) who is the architect of Bangalore. His ancestors immigrated from Kanchipuram after falling out with the ruler there and settled on the outskirts of what was later to be Bangalore.
Yelahanka beginnings
Kempe Gowda I, who was in charge of Yelahanka, built a mud fort in 1537 and with the help of the king Achchutaraya of the Vijayanagar Empire, built the little towns of Balepet, Cottonpet and Chickpet inside the fort. Today, these areas are thriving commercial market places.
According to historians, it was Kempe Gowda I who annexed Ulsoor and Hesaraghatta and erected the Ulsoor Gate, Sondekoppa gate, Yelahanka gate and Anekal gate.
King Achchutaraya granted him the neighbouring villages of Begur, Jigani, Varthur, Kengeri, Banavara and Kumbalgod, besides many hamlets. Kempe Gowda built the cave temple of Gavi Gangadhareshwara at Gavipuram, the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, Kempambudhi tank and Dharmambudhi tank.
The four towers
He famously built four towers near the present Ulsoor lake, Kempambudhi lake, Lalbagh and Mekhri circle to mark the outmost boundaries of Bangalore. Though the city has grown far beyond these boundaries, the towers still fascinate people.
Kempe Gowda I’s successor Kempe Gowda II built the Ulsoor lake, Sampangi tank, Ranganatha Temple of Balepet and augmented the Someshwara Temple of Ulsoor. He built colonies such as Tigalarpet and Kumbarpet to ensure their welfare.
The capitals
According to S.K. Aruni, Chairperson, Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), it was Kempe Gowda I, who shifted the capital from Yelahanka to Bangalore; Kempe Gowda II shifted it from Bangalore to Magadi.
Four Kempe Gowdas have ruled this region. While first three chieftains are Kempe Gowda I, II and III, the fourth was Kempa Nanje Gowda.
Chiranjeev Singh, retired IAS officer and member of the consultative committee for the Kempe Gowda Museum, also backs Kempe Gowda I as the architect of Bangalore: he and his team did in-depth research before setting up the Kempe Gowda museum.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Muralidhara Khajane / Bangalore – May 10th, 2011
Photo exhibition at Halasuru Metro Station displays rich heritage of the area
On Saturday afternoon, the staircase at Halasuru Metro Station turned into a mini-auditorium as a group of people sat there listening to each other’s narration about Ulsoor’s history. The concourse also exhibited Ulsoor’s rich heritage through photographs.
Halasuru, a bustling area in the heart of the city, has a tower built by Immadi Kempe Gowda, son of Hiriya Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore. The tower is among the four built by him to mark the extent to which Bengaluru would grow. The lake in Halasuru is manmade, which served as a source of drinking water in the past. Now, it is an important water body for the city, an ecological landmark.
There are several streets named after the Mudaliars, a group that migrated from Arcot, Tamil Nadu, and took up posts in the British administration or became contractors, mining barons, merchants and philanthropists. One philanthropist was Rai Bahadur Arcot Narrainswamy Mudaliar, who founded RBANMS.
Meera Iyer, Co-Convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said the exhibition included oral history traditions.
Memory wall
Excerpts taken from people who spoke of what they remembered were posted on a ‘memory wall’.
One, written by Damodaran Sekhar, said, “In the 1950s, Halasuru lake was completely dry. Except for an island near MEG and Centre, all islands were accessible. We would go there by foot and it was a wonderful sight. The area around the Kempe Gowda tower was a picnic spot.”
Another post said the chariot of Someshwara Temple was made of rock. Yet another said that peacocks were seen every day in the temple area.
Exhibition
The exhibition has been organised by INTACH and Rangoli Metro Art Center, Bangalore Metro Rail Corportaion Ltd.
Vasantha Rao, General Manager, BMRCL, said the project could be replicated in other areas, such as Malleswaram and Basavanagudi, which have a history.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by Renuka Phadnis / Bengaluru – November 02nd, 2014
Eight years after it received a proposal from Karnataka government, the Centre today cleared renaming 12 cities and towns of the state including Belgaum as Belagavi and Bangalore as Bengaluru.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave his approval to the proposal of the Karnataka government made on October 27, 2006 to change the names of the 12 towns and cities in consonance with their pronunciation in Kannada language. Karnataka and Maharashtra, where the Assembly elections had just concluded, are locked in a boundary row over Belgaum.
The Karnataka government had taken the decision to rechristen these cities on the occasion of the golden jubilee of formation of the state of Karnataka on November one, 2006.
The Home Minister’s nod came after Survey of India, Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, Ministry of Science and Technology and Intelligence Bureau have given their No Objection and clearance for the change in the nomenclature of the identified cities.
Besides Bangalore and Belgaum, the other cities and towns which will be known by new names(which are in brackets) are Mangalore(Mangaluru), Bellary(Ballari), Bijapur(Vijapura), Chikmagalur(Chikkamagaluru), Gulbarga(Kalaburagi), Mysore(Mysure), Hospet(Hosapete), Shimoga(Shivamogga), Hubli (Hubballi) and Tumkur(Tumakuru).
Instructions have also been issued for rechristening the post offices and Railway stations, a Union Home Ministry oficial said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / PTI / New Delhi – October 17th, 2014
Historian and painter Rehman Patel says illustrations on the political and social history of India are included on either side of the map. / The Hindu
The map is included in an atlas produced by Colonel Jean Baptiste Gentil, Military Adviser to the Nawab of Awadh Shuja-ud-Daula
In exciting news for historians, an ancient atlas, which includes a map of Bidar, prepared by French officer Colonel Jean Baptiste Gentil, Military Adviser to the Nawab of Awadh Shuja-ud-Daula (1763 to 75), was found tucked away in the India Office Library at London. The map shows Bidar, which was once a capital city of the Bahamani Kingdom and an educational centre with historical importance.
Historian and painter Rehman Patel, who reproduced the map, said that in the interests of preserving the historic post and throwing more light about the history of the Bidar and its cultural heritage, the State government should put pressure on the Union government to bring it back to India and place it in Bidar.
Illustrations
He added that Col. Gentil had utilised the services of local artists to produce a series of illustrations on the political and social history of India.
Dr. Patel pointed out that illustrations were included on either side of the map. They reveal the representatives of different Sufi orders and thick forests with drawings of wild animals. These drawings also include Bidri craftsman and the different wares that were produced in Bidar. The bespectacled artisan at the bottom left of the page is portrayed as engraving a floral pattern on the side of a globular huqqa, with his wife and pet parrot looking on.
The illustration is reinforced by having a caption: ‘Fabrique de Beder ou on incruste en or et argent’ (Beder workshop for inlaying in gold and silver).
At the bottom right corner, there is a drawing of the types of wares produced: ‘vases incrustes’, or ‘inlaid vessels’. These include a globular huqqua on a stand, a bell-shaped huqqua, spittoons, boxes, a ewer and wash basin.
Reference to Bidriware
Dr. Patel said so far, the earliest unambiguous reference to Bidriware was in the Chahar Gulshan, written in Persian in 1759 AD. This includes a statistical account taken, on internal evidence, from an earlier compilation of about 1720 AD.
Book II of the Chahar Gulshan is ‘an account of five Subhas (administrative divisions) of Deccan’, one of the five being Bidar, referred to by its Bahmani and Mughal names. A manuscript in the British Library has the following passage: ‘The subah of Mohammadabad called Zafarabad (Bidar).
Bidar was also known from an illustration in an atlas produced in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh in (1770 AD) under the Nawab of Awadh (Oudh) Shuja-ud-Daula, who ruled from 1754-75 AD. During this period, Bidar was under the control of Muhammad Ghauth Saif-ud-Daula, but he died shortly after his appointment, and his brother Saif Jang Najm-ud-Daula Bahadur became the governor in his place.
Dr. Patel said that enquiries at the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Bidar revealed that the district administration did not have a copy of the manuscript and the atlas produced by Col. Gentil.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by T. V. Sivanandan / Gulbarga – September 01st, 2014
Mysore is famous for Palaces. In fact it is famous all over the world as a city of palaces because it was ruled by the Maharajas for the past five hundred years, until it was merged with the Indian Republic. The institution of the Maharajas has practically become extinct and those that survived could not maintain themselves in royal splendour for lack of resources. Even during the days of the British rule in India, the Maharajas of Mysore were recognised as such and British gave them special respect. Even Mahatma Gandhiji had openly praised the Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and called him ‘Rajarshi’ (saintly King). All these were responsible for the construction of palaces in Mysore. In fact, the tourists flock our city and their main agenda is to visit Mysore Palace. Two years ago there was a news item according to which the number of visitors to Mysore Palace outnumbered the visitors to the Taj Mahal. In this connection we should congratulate the Mysore Palace Board authorities in general and
its Deputy Director T.S. Subrahmanya who have been keeping the palace in an immaculate manner and providing good amenities to the tourists. These comments apply to smaller palaces like Jaganmohan Palace and Lalitha Mahal Palace.
Jaganmohan Palace as its name itself signifies is an elegant and majestic building in Mysore. It was originally built during the rule of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, sometime in 1860. When there was an accidental fire at Mysore Palace, this was used as a Palace by the Maharaja, and all important functions took place here. It also served as a Durbar hall till the completion of the Palace in 1910. Installation of His Highness the Maharaja took place here and it was graced by Lord Curzon, the Governor General and Viceroy of India.
Later in 1900, a spacious and ornamental Pavilion was added to the then existing Jaganmohan Palace. It was specially designed for the invitees to witness the marriages and birthdays. Basically, it has a long hall and an elevated platform. The long hall has two balconies on both sides so that the royal ladies could watch the functions. Thus, most important family functions of the Maharaja took place here. Mysore Representative Assembly also met here. Mysore University Convocations also took place here for some years. I remember my uncle going to the Jaganmohan Palace for taking his degree at the convocation, almost 70 years ago. Maharaja who was the Chancellor of the University used to go to the Jaganmohan Palace in a ceremonial procession and people used to watch the procession, standing on both sides of the road.
In course of time, when the Mysore Palace became the place of residence of royalty, Jaganmohan Palace lost its royal touch. It was converted into an art gallery. The three-storeyed structure behind the main hall is a fine repository of paintings, sculptures, musical instruments and other artefacts connected with the Mysore Royal family. The real attraction is the painting section. These excellent and rare paintings include those of Raja Ravivarma, Ramavarma and also some European artists. The painting of great artist Roerich is also available here. Particularly, interesting paintings are those giving the genealogy of the Mysore Maharajas. Thus, Jaganmohan Palace is a must for all visitors to Mysore.
The greatest attraction of the Jaganmohan Palace is its frontal façade, which is majestic befitting a royal structure. Its stucco ornamentation is excellent specimen of stucco art of the period, which has practically become extinct. The broad doors in keeping with the tall façade adds majesty to the frontal portion. The stucco domes and the minarets at the four corners are highly pleasing. The central part has a vimana-like tower with minarets culminating in a broad Kalasha. The chaitya-like niches at the minarets are very elegant. In keeping with the beauty of a huge building, a vast enclosure with a garden and shady trees add gorgeousness to the Palace. In recent years this has become a great tourist attraction. Now-a-days, most of the important functions, music, drama and even religious discourses take place here. I vividly remember that Mysore Kendra of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan had arranged discourses on Ramayana and Mahabharata by Mathoor Krishnamurthy at this Palace for months together. T
hus, the excellent ambience of this palace makes it suitable for conducting important cultural events here. The Maharajas are gone but their creations remain forever.
Lalitha Mahal Palace is one of the most beautiful and magnificent heritage buildings not only in Mysore but in entire Karnataka. Mysore being a princely State under the British, many distinguished foreign dignitaries used to visit Mysore and stay in Mysore Palace itself. Though it was a palace, it was not suitable for the stay of foreign visitors because of the entirely ancient Indian atmosphere and conveniences such as toilet, bathrooms, etc. This defect was realised by the Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and he thought of building a Palace exclusively for foreign guests where they would be more comfortable and at home. Naturally, he thought of an European classical building model rather than a Hindu Palace of traditional type.
Immediately, the Maharaja commissioned a famous foreign architect by name E.W. Fritchley. He selected a spacious site near the foot of the Chamundi hill and the building was completed in 1931, under the close supervision of Maharaja himself, at a cost of Rs. 13 lakh.
This building is a majestic two-storeyed magnificent structure built in European style with elements of Roman, Greek, Gothic, Renaissance, Italian, Hindu and Sarcenic styles. Both floors have twin ionic columns, eight on either side of the main entrance which give the advantage of height. The upper portion is specially noteworthy. It has two-tier, four domes on all the four corners and one at the middle. However, the most beautiful is the central one which has three tiers and is above the entrance of the building. Actually, it is at a great height and dominates the entire area including the elevation. The smaller minaret-like domes at the peripheries add special elegance to the top of the building. The portico in the centre of the building which is surrounded by pillars gives a unique experience to a visitor when he is received there.
Though planned by a foreigner, the craftsmen were all local people who were experts in stone, stucco, marble and wood work. This is evident from the richly laid decorative motifs on walls and ceilings. The imported tiles and fixtures specially brought from England add a foreign touch. As a tourist exclaimed, the fixtures themselves could cost a fortune.
As soon as one enters into the interior of the building, Italian marble balustraded staircase welcomes the visitor. It branches off to right and left to reach the first floor. Thus, from top to bottom and from one end to another, it is an epitome of royalty. Even foreign guests are amazed at this dream-like beauty. Before closing this, I should share with my readers, the joy I had when I had the good fortune of staying here. It was some years ago when a seminar took place in Mysore and I was one of the speakers on epigraphy in that seminar. All the participants were accommodated at Lalitha Mahal and I was also given a suite. I stayed in the hotel for three days. More than the items of food, one would be enchanted by the silver plates, cups and saucers, spoons and the royal furniture and above all the royal ambience. That is the charm of Lalitha Mahal. Whenever, I delivered a lecture to foreign tourists, I used to mention that it was the creation of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and the tourists would admire him for his forethought.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / August 10th, 2014
Whitefield’s history dates back to 1882 when David Emmanuel Starkenburgh White decided to set up ‘a self sufficient Anglo-Indian village’.
Whitefield – what kind of images would this name evoke? most likely IT – a glass and steel building, the Technology Park or maybe even the Sai Baba Ashram, anything but a village. Well, Whitefield or rather the old settlement of that name certainly qualifies as a village and a lost one at that.
I first visited the old settlement more than a year ago in connection with another research project and was fascinated by its circular planning and wished to know more about its history. My starting point was of course, Lewis Rice’s 1887 Mysore Gazette. In it he describes Whitefield as, ‘the principal of the Eurasian and Anglo-Indian settlements in the east of Bangalore taluq’, named after D S White…‘it is 2 miles south of the railway station of the same name and 12 miles east of Bangalore’. I pursued my interest a bit further and finally with the aid of Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) the first phase of my research into tracing the origin and evolution of the settlement is nearly complete.
The view of Whitefield from Kaolin Hill, with new high rise buildings in the distance./ Pic: Meera K
Whitefield’s history goes back to 1882 when David Emmanuel Starkenburgh White decided to set up ‘a self sufficient Anglo-Indian village, one where everyone would work towards the common good and no man would own property. White, himself an Anglo-Indian, was founder and first president of the Anglo-Indian Association of Madras and instrumental in setting up the Coorg and Mysore branch. This branch petitioned the Government on behalf of the Association for land and was granted nearly 4000 acres of it by the Maharaja of Mysore on ‘very favourable terms’! White’s vision was that the settlers would take to agriculture and gradually develop into a community of self sustaining farmers.
Ten years after its establishment, the 1897 edition of the Gazette states that, ‘as of 1889 the settlement had 25 families of which 6 were non-resident, numbered 115 people in total, 12 cottages built on the village site and 14 farmhouses built on the surrounding land. It mentions ‘a Roman Catholic Chapel and parsonage, a Protestant Church and parsonage under construction, a school with 31 pupils with residence for the Head-master and wife, who assisted him in the teaching’.
So did the idea of a farming village succeed? There appears to have been doubts about this even way back then. At the least, did any physical remains of the village survive? Yes and no, but first, the route to get us to the place. When I visit the settlement, I prefer to drive past International Tech Park, Bangalore (ITPB), take a right turn at Hope Farm junction, go past the Coffee Day and turn right onto the road opposite the Reliance Fresh outlet and there you are! Why this route, well, the stretch from Hope Farm to the settlement was also the historical route when you could ‘arrange for a bullock cart or tonga for 8 annas to get you to the settlement from the railway station of the same name’. In the late 1800s you had to write to Rose White to make arrangements for the same but today I guess you can make it on your own steam.
Further, you would be following the footsteps of a number of historical visitors including Lord Connemara, who visited the place in 1890, when he was the Governor of Madras. It is written that he rode on horseback and stopped at the pass between Kaolin Hill on the right and Hamilton Hill on the left to get his first view of the settlement in the valley below. Kaolin Hill still survives as part of the Roman Catholic Church property, housing the Stations of the Cross, while its opposite number has been cut up for some development (probably apartments).
Inside the Memorial church, Whitefield. / Pic: Meera K
Moving on, the road you turn onto abuts the Memorial Church property – the original Protestant Church, which is still pretty much as it was originally. The road leads to a central circular open area, currently sub-divided into a park and a playground. This central area was the original ‘village green’ with the village pond to one side, which was filled up sometime in the early 2000’s and replaced with a concrete ornamental fountain! Thus regularly flooding all the houses on the low lying side of the settlement, where earlier all the storm water was diverted into the pond in a planned manner. Margaret Lunel, a long time resident, remembers dangling her feet in the muddy water of the pond while sitting on a tree branch that spread right across it. The pond held other memories too and briefly the Memorial Church organ! But that’s another story.
J E Giddens, probably one of the oldest residents, who has been here since the 1930s, remembers that the central ‘village green’ was overgrown with lantanas and jackals and hyenas would roam through it, where kids now play cricket.
As you walk along the Inner Circle road you would be struck by the contrasting picture it presents. To one side most of the old bungalows have been knocked down, the plots sub-divided and apartment blocks towering well above the treeline have come up. While, further along the same stretch you could still imagine yourself in the past as tall mature trees continue to shade the avenue and the large plots with their bungalows set right back. These bungalows are generally characterised by their symmetry, a driveway leading to a covered porch, verandah and living areas beyond, all roofed with Mangalore tiles on timber trusses.
However, few of these bungalows remain and the ones that do have generally been altered one way or another. White, visiting today would not be able to recognise the place. In a little more than one hundred years his Utopia – a self sufficient village has transformed into an upmarket suburb of the city, one that generally does not recognise the existence of this unique enclave – the price of ill planned urbanisation. Thankfully, memories remain unaltered and some very long ones abound in the settlement, each linked to an interesting anecdote.
Paul D Souza, who lives in one of the few remaining bungalows, swears the tree stump in his garden was the one Winston Churchill used to tether his horse when he came to the Inn in Whitefield to court Rose Hamilton, the Inn Keeper’s daughter! (A telephone pole fell on the tree stump and brought it down. Paul rescued the stump from the Inn garden before it became firewood. The Inn still stands).
One of the residences, which was once Waverly Inn, where Winston Churchill stayed. . Pic: Meera K.
Further, close to the RC Church where now stand villas, once stood some rocks with the initials WC and RH carved within a heart! These rocks were blasted to make way for the villas.
Whether you believe these stories of the intangible heritage of Whitefield, the stories that are related by people with the ability to transport you back in time.
Development is inevitable especially in a locality like Whitefield with its present day ‘desirable tag’. So should we be happy to just live with these memories or should we make some efforts to retain the last vestiges of tangible heritage as well?
However, as long as legislation does not exist to protect heritage, tangible or otherwise, coupled with present day demand for rapid urbanisation and lack of public cooperation, you will only be left with stories, which again will only remain as long as the story teller.
Krupa Rajangam, Architect specialised in Heritage Conservation from the internationally reputed University of York, UK, principal ‘Saythu…linking people and places’. Krupa is interested in the adaptive re-use of places and makes time for her research interest in the role of community in conservation.
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www.bangalore.citizenmatters.in / Citizen Matters, Bangalore / Home> Features> Whitefield> / by Krupa Rajangam / March 04th, 2010
Creation of Telangana and AP has restored geographical supremacy to the state 450 years after the Battle of Talikota. We track the journey of the region from kingdoms to modern-day Karnataka
History was created on Monday with the creation of Telangana, the 29th state in the Indian Union. It marked another change in the contours and boundaries of southern India and although Karnataka had very little to do with the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the creation of Telangana changed the history of Karnataka — ever so slightly.
Karnataka officially became the biggest of the South Indian states in terms of geographical area (the seventh biggest in the country). With an area of 1,91,791 sq km, Karnataka leads the ‘pack’ in the South, followed by what now remains of Andhra Pradesh (popularly called the Seemandhra region) with 1,60,205 sq km of area.
Being the biggest state in terms of area would have been a great advantage in the age of kingdoms, but no longer. Karnataka may gain very little — indeed nothing — from being the ‘biggest’. Political representation in Parliament is based on the population which means Tamil Nadu will continue to have a bigger say with its 39 MPs. Andhra Pradesh will have a diminished voice as its 42 seats would now be whittled down to 25.
But the ‘biggest’ tag does reflect (historically at least) a sort of pre-eminence. From the beginning of the sixth century, empires founded in Karnataka ruled over much of present day Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. These included the Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara Empire.
According to eminent historian S Shettar, the most enduring (in terms of time) dynasties of Karnataka were the Gangas and the Kadambas. But they ruled small principalities. “The biggest imperial house was that of the Rashtrakutas,” said Shettar. “They were the most influential rulers in India of anytime. Samudra Gupta is just highlighted due to North Indian bias. The Kailasanatha temple, in Maharashtra, alone is testimony to their eminence. Their battles reached the Himalayas and Bengal.”
Karnataka-based empires stayed the biggest in the South until the collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire 450 years ago when the hegemony ended. “The Vijayanagara Empire was different in many ways,” said Shettar. “For the first time people speaking Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Oriya and Marathi were one empire.”
This year marks the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Talikota (also known as Battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi) which put an end to more than 1,000 years of Karnataka’s pre-eminence in politics of south India and the Deccan.
The political pre-eminence led to some of the most famous medieval cities, centres of trade and temples in India. The most famous of these was the Vijayanagara capital — now Hampi — which is said to have taken six months to destroy. Following the battle in 1565, the Vijayanagara Empire continued to exist nominally for nearly a century. Scores of Vijayanagara feudal lords began ruling over petty kingdoms. Kannada-speaking areas were never united again until 1956.
“The 1565 battle was a colossal loss,” said Shettar. “Like the French will never celebrate the Battle of Waterloo, similarly the Battle of Talikota cannot be celebrated. But there is much to learn from defeats. Now some intellectuals and politicians from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region are demanding a separate state. It is because of the belief that there is neglect and also to some extent jealousy. This is similar to the demand for Telangana. But we have to learn from that battle (1565) and stay united.”
Ironically, says Shettar, the fight for linguistic states began in Andhra Pradesh because they felt dominated by the Tamils of Madras Presidency. “In south India, the opposition to linguistic states was confined only to a small extent from the Tamils because they feared losing territory. But slowly there are feelings that linguistic identity is not giving the requisite economical benefits. People of Karnataka are more or less emotionally reconciled to a linguistic state now.”
MOST BORDERS IN SOUTH
With the creation of Telangana, Karnataka now shares its borders with six states —Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The state administration has to get in touch with the Telangana as well as the residual Andhra Pradesh for inter- state issues. Apart from river water sharing — for example, Karnataka needs to deal with Andhra Pradesh for Tungabhadra and Telangana for Krishna —and other border issues, the transport body also has to have new agreement on travel.
‘KARNATAKA’ IN HISTORY
* Sanskrit texts: Shudraka’s Mruchhakatika, Varaha Mihira’s Bruhat Samhite, Somadeva’s Katha Saritha Sagara refer to Karnata * 455 CE: Kadamba king Shantivarma called, “The master of the entire Karnataka region” * 7th Century CE: Feudatories Rashtrakutas refer to Chalukyan Army as ‘Karnataka Bala.’ * 850 CE: Amoghavarsha’s Kavirajamarga calls land between Kaveri and Godavari as ‘Karnata.’ * 10th Century CE: Rajashekara’s Kavyamimase: Karnataka * 14-16 Centuries: Vijayanagara Empire referred to as Karnata Empire by its people.
* After Talikota battle the first of the Aravidu dynasty ruler Tirumala Deva Raya called ‘reviver of the Karnata Empire’ in the Telugu work Vasucharitamu.
THE BATTLE OF 1565
The first skirmishes of the Battle of Talikota started on December 29, 1564. It was on January 26, 1565 that a full-scale historic battle took place at Rakkasa- Tangadi villages — near what is Bijapur district today. The five Deccan sultanates of Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur and Golkonda defeated the Vijayanagara army, a defeat that resulted in the dramatic capitulation of the Vijayanagara Empire. For more than 1,000 years prior to that battle, Karnataka as we now know it was part of empires such as Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Kalyani Chalukyas and later the Hoysalas. These were the largest empires in South India. The loss in 1565 was so severe that Karnataka was to have a united rule again only in 1956. In between, large swathes of Karnataka were briefly united under Hyder Ali. By the time Karnataka was unified post-Independence, the region was under 20 different administrations ranging from the Wodeyars to the British and a host of small principalities.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Cover Story / S Shyam Prasad & Sridhar Vivan / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / June 03rd, 2014
An initiative by the Mangalore City Corporation and Mangalore Urban Development Authority will see people of this coastal city flip through pages an encyclopaedia of sorts on the city. The book planned in two volumes intends to provide insight into historical, cultural, social life and growth of Kudla and is expected to be ready in a year. The project is expected to be completed at a cost of Rs 50 lakh, according to deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim.
Titled Mangalore Darshana volume 1 and 2, the book, Ibrahim, who is also the chairman of Muda, said will chronicle the past and growth of the city limited to the present boundaries of the Corporation. Plans are afoot to print 1,000 copies each of the two volumes, with each volume containing 752 pages. A reader can go through 65 articles with each article running in to 10 pages. Scholar B A Viveka Rai will be the chief editor of the book.
Rai, also former vice-chancellors of Karnataka State Open University, Mysore and Kannada University, Hampi, said Mangalore Darshana volumes will record development based on evidence as well as oral narrative from memory relating personal experiences. The socio-economic, cultural, trade, commerce, education, lifestyle and other aspects of people in the coastal city from pre-history to 21st Century will go on record in this official effort.
Old photographs including those from archives of Bassel Mission will go into embellishing the visual appeal of this book. While oral narratives of leading citizens such as VIPs may not form part of the book, Rai said, experiences of aam aadmi including an old time bus conductor, fish or vegetable sellers, a farm worker or those involved in such routine and sundry chores will form part of this effort at chronicling the city’s history.
Trivia such as Karnataka’s first printing press being set up in this city and the first Kannada newspaper too getting published here will add value. Mangalore Darshana will focus on aspects such as city administration, sports, industry, and politics. Vamana Nandavara, former president, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy and Muddu Moodubelle, writer will be assistant editors and a 14-member honorary advisory committee will assist them.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalore / TNN / April 24th, 2014
The first meeting of newly-constituted Design & Development Management Board (DDMB) by the government to strengthen design and development in aerospace and promote self-reliance in the critical areas of India’s defence preparedness was held here today at HAL Corporate Office.
The Board comprises key members of India’s premier defence organizations involved in research, production and manufacturing activities.
“We need to have clear road map to take on the challenges in defence sector as issues concerned range from basic and applied research, involvement of academia, production, spotting and retaining talent,” Chairman of HAL and DDMB, R K Tyagi said.
The meeting brain-stormed on how to build a strong foundation for R&D by synergizing the core competency of all the organizations involved, creating conducive environment for research and support business academia collaboration.
The meeting also felt that all the concerned organizations must share the lessons learnt from the past programs and make combined efforts to ensure success of future programs with thrust on indigenization.
Acquiring of modern technology and measures to be taken to retain quality manpower were also discussed.
The forum would act as a platform for stimulating initiatives and suggest policy interventions for bringing inclusive growth. The DDMB members will deliberate at length most of these issues in their future meetings and the recommendations will be communicated to the stakeholders.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore / by Chethan Kumar, TNN / March 28th, 2014
Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji is seen releasing the book ‘Karnataka: A delight for tourists’ authored by Prof. K.S. Nagapathi (third from left), Director, Mahajana Tourism Development Institute, at a function in the Institute premises here this morning. Others seen are (from left) Dr. Vijayalakshmi Bhagavat, Vice-President, Mahajana Education Society (MES), Dr. C.K. Renukarya, Director, Mahajana PG Centre, R. Vasudeva Murthy, President, MES, Dr. Niranjana Vanalli, Director, CPDPS, University of Mysore and Prof. K.V. Prabhakara, Principal, Mahajana First Grade College.
Mysore :
“Prof. K.S. Nagapathi’s book on Karnataka tourism provides a deep insight into the tourist spots across the State,” opined Dr. Niranjana Vanalli, Director, CPDPS, University of Mysore.
He was speaking at a function organised to release Prof. K.S. Nagapathi’s book ‘Karnataka: A delight for tourists’ and also the inauguration of a new auditorium and Life Sciences laboratory at Mahajana Tourism Development Institute (MTI) Auditorium, KRS Road, in city this morning.
Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji, who inaugurated the new auditorium and the Lab, also released the book.
Regretting that tourism has not grown as an industry in the State, Dr. Vanalli said hospitality and treating guests are part of our culture.
Noting that we have failed in developing tourist spots in attracting larger number of tourists, he said the State lacked circuit tourism, besides poor road network connecting prominent tourist destinations and improper development of tourist spots. This is mainly due to lack of vision, Dr. Vanalli added.
Asserting that there are very few books on tourism, Dr. Vanalli lauded Prof. Nagapathi, Director, Mahajana Tourism Development Institute, for coming up with a book, which provides a comprehensive information on tourism.
Pointing out that the growth of tourism would boost employment opportunities, Prof. Vanalli said that the book, despite the highly valuable contents, had some drawbacks such as non- inclusion of index and no mentioning of several other lesser known tourist spots in the State.
He also suggested that the book be digitised for the benefit of tourists across the globe.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 02nd, 2014
