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Karnataka, with its capital at Bangalore, is
home to a fascinating legacy of richly
carved temples, imposing mosques and
trappings of a royal past. Bangalore, with
its many hotels and fine restaurants, is a
good base for exploring the state. At once a
modern industrial city, a shopper’s paradise
and a gracious legacy of the British. Mysore,
the capital of the erstwhile princely state,
has a profusion of palaces and museums.
Nearby Srirangapatnam is linked to the
memory of one of the old state’s best known
rulers – Tipu Sultan. Somnathpur, a few
miles away, has a |
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magnificently carved temple. Belur and
Halebid have between them a series of carved
stone temples. For perfection of finish,
wealth of detail and sheer artistry, they
are unrivaled specimens of the art of temple
sculpture. Hassan, with a comfortable hotel,
makes the perfect base from which to explore
the riches of Belur and Halebid. Also a
short distance away, Shravanbelgola is
famous as the pinnacle of the sculptor’s
art. A figure 120 meters tall has been
carved out of a single piece of granite in
183 AD. Every 12 years, the figure of
Gomateswara is ritually bathed by priests
and witnessed by millions of devotees in one
of the most colorful festivals of the
austere Jain religion. |
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Bangalore |
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Capital of Karnataka State, Bangalore is
famous as the city of gardens. It is one of
the most attractive cities in India with its
beautiful parks avenues and impressive
buildings. Bangalore is renowned as much for
its industrial plants as for its silk saris,
and for the sprawling Cubbon Park which lies
at the heart of the city, as also its
prestigious race course. |
| Altitude: 920 meters, Temperature:
(deg C)-Summer- Max:35, Min:20; Winter-
Max:28, Min:14., Rainfall: 86 cms
(June and October),Best
Season: Throughout the year (Sep. to
March is the best time). |
Places Of Interest:
Aquarium, Bull Temple, Fort & Tippu's
Palace, Ulsoor Lake, Lal Bagh, Venkatappa
Art Gallery, Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha,
Vishveswaraya Industrial & Technological
Museum. |
Excursions:
Bannerghat National Park- 21 kms, Nandi
Hills-60 kms, White Field (Kadugodi)- 16 kms,
Kolar Gold Fields- 98 kms, Ramohalli- 25 kms,
Sati Subramanya- 52 kms, Mysore- 140 kms,
Kaivara (Temples of Pandavas)- 79 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Linked with Calcutta, Delhi,
Madras, Bombay, Pune, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore,
Goa, Hyderabad, Calicut and Trivandrum.
By Rail: Directly connected with
Ahmedabad, Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Delhi,
Guwahati, Howrah, Hyderabad, Mangalore,
Madras, Mysore, Nagpur, Trivandrum, Vasco-da-Gama
(Goa).
By Road: Bandipur- 220 kms, Belur-
322 kms, Madras- 334 kms, Bombay- 998 kms,
Cochin- 526 kms, Dandeli- 481 kms, Halebid-
214 kms, Jog Falls- 377 kms, Kodaikanal- 430
kms, Mysore- 140 kms, Panaji- 595 kms,
Sravanabelagola- 160 kms, Tirupati- 250 kms. |
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Belur -
Halebid |
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Belur is famous for the Chennakesava Temple
built in the Hoysala style. Started in 1116
AD it took 103 years to complete this
temple. The temple commemorates the victory
of Hoysala over the Cholas in the great
battle of Talakad. The temple is intricately
carved with sculptures, friezes & pillars. |
| Altitude: 968 meters, Temperature:
(deg C) Summer- Max. 34, Min. 20.
Winter- Max. 28, Min. 14., Rainfall:
86 cms. (June to October), Best Season:
Throughout the year. |
Places Of Interest:
Chenakesava Temple, Veernarayan Temple,
Kappe Chennigaraya Temple. |
Excursions:
Halebid- 16 kms, Sravanabelagola- 86 kms,
Gorur- 61 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest airport
Mangalore- 154 kms is connected to
Bangalore, Bombay and Madras.
By Rail: Nearest railhead Hassan- 37
kms is connected to Mangalore.
By Road: Bangalore- 222 kms, Halebid-
16 km, Hassan- 37 kms, Mangalore- 154 kms,
Mysore- 155 kms, Shravanabelagola- 86 kms,
Belur- 91 kms, Halebid- 117 kms. |
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Mysore |
Somnathpur in Mysore has one of the finest
13th century Hoysala temple in the shape of
a star with 16 points. Sravanabelgola has
the 1000 year old colossal statue- 57 feet
tall of the hermit Gomateswara.
Hotels:
Deluxe – Lalitha Mahal Palace,
Rajendra Vilas Palace. Krishnarajasagar
Hotel.
Standard – Metropole, Dasaprakash
Paradise. |
Excursions:
Somnathpur- 40 kms, Sravanabelgola- 99 kms,
Belur- 91 kms, Halebid- 117 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest Airport is
Bangalore.
By Road: 140 kms from Bangalore. |
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Badami |
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Badami, the one time capital of the
Chalukyas, is noted for several temples,
some structural and others rock-cut, of the
sixth-seventh century A.D. |
| Area: 10.3 sq.km., Altitude:
176.7 mts., Temperature: (deg C)
Summer- Max. 38, Min. 23. Winter- Max. 29,
Min. 15., Rainfall: 50 cms., Best
Season: October to March. |
Places Of Interest:
Badami Caves, Badami Fort, Sculpture
Gallery. |
Excursions:
Aihole- 44 kms, Banashankari Temple- 50 kms,
Guledgud- 24 kms, Lakkundi- 82 kms,
Mahakuta- 14 kms, Naganath Temple- 10 kms,
Pattadakal- 22 kms, Kada Siddeswara Temple,
Jambulinga Temple, Galaganatha Temple,
Sanghameswara Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple,
Virupaksha Temple, Papanatha Temple, Jain
Temple, Shivayoga, Mandira- 11 kms,
Pattadakal. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest airport Belgaum-
192 kms is connected to Bombay.
By Rail: Nearest railhead Badami.
By Road: Connected to important
places in the south. |
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Aihole |
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It is historically famous as the cradle of
the Hindu temple architecture. There are
almost 125 temples divided into 22 groups
scattered all over the village.
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Area: 4 sq. km., Altitude: 593
meters., Temperature: (deg C) Summer
Mean Max. 41 deg. Mean Min 28 deg. Winter
Mean Max 31 deg. Mean Min 20 deg.,
Rainfall:58.4 cms., Best Season:
October to March. Places of Interest: Durga Temple,
Ladh Khan Temple, Gowda Temple, Suryanarayan
Temple Konti Group of Temples, Hucchimalli
Temple, Meguti Temple, Ravanphadi Cave. |
Excursions:
Badami- 44 kms,
Koodalasangama- 45 kms, Pattadakal- 22 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest airport is
Belgaum - 189 kms.
By Rail: The nearest railhead is
Bagalkot- 34 kms.
By Rail: Badami- 44 kms, Aminagad- 10
kms, Bagalkot- 34 kms, Bangalore- 510 kms,
Bijapur- 135 kms, Pattadakal- 22 kms. |
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Hampi |
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Hampi was once the glorious capital of
mighty Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565), from
the Deccan Plateau to the tip of the
Peninsula. Founded in the middle of the 14th
century by two local princes, Hukka & Bukka,
the Vijayanagara empire came to be
celebrated for its might and wealth and as a
showpiece of imperial magnificence. The
emperors of this dynasty were great patrons
of art and architecture which can still be
seen in the vast ruins of Hampi. In an
effort to resurrect this abandoned capital,
the government has been involved in the
restoration, excavation and protection of
the ruins which spread over an area of 26
sq. kms. The terrain is dominated by rocky
hills and the mighty Tungabhadra river which
flows through this rugged landscape. |
| Temperature: (deg C) Summer- Max. 41,
Min. 37. Winter- Max. 27, Min. 24., Best
Season: October to March. |
| Places of Interest: Virupaksha
Temple, Monolithic Ganeshas, Krishna Temple,
Monolithic Narsimha, Hazara Rama Temple,
Elephant Stables, Zenana Enclosures, Royal
Performance Zone, Royal Residences, Quieen's
Bath, Vittala Temple, Achyuta Raya Temple,
Kodandarama Temple. |
| Excursions: Tungabhadra Dam-17 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest airport is
Bellary- 77 kms, Belgaum- 259 kms,
Bangalore- 353 kms.
By Rail: The nearest railhead is
Hospet- 13 kms which is connected to
Bangalore, Hubli and Guntakal.
By Rail: Connected to Aihole- 156
kms, Badami- 189 kms, Bangalore- 353 kms,
Bellary- 77 kms, Bidar- 379 kms, Bijapur-
254 kms, Hungund Gadag- 91 kms, Gulbarga-
264 kms, Guntakal- 133 kms, Hassan- 335 kms,
Hospet- 13 kms, Hubli- 154 kms, Hyderabad-
416 kms, Mysore- 366 kms, Raichur- 194 kms. |
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Nagarhole
National Park |
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The name Nagarhole is derived from the
Kannada `Naga' meaning `snake' and `Hole'
meaning `streams'. A number of streams snake
through the rich tropical forests of
Nagarhole which is situated in picturesque
districts of Kodagu and Mysore in Southern
Karnataka. |
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Area: 572.90 sq.km.
Altitude: 800-850 meters,
Temperature: (deg C) Max. 33 Deg.C. Min.
14 Deg.C., Rainfall: 1300 - 1800 mm.
(June to September), Best Season:
September to May. Places Of Interest:
Forest Types:
Southern tropical semi-evergreen forests.
Southern tropical dry deciduous forests.
Southern tropical moist mixed deciduous
forests. Scrub forests. Lush, green, grassy
swamps.
Fauna:
Lots of animals and birds. |
Excursions:
Bandipur National Park- 100 kms, Madikeri-
93 kms, Mysore- 96 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: The nearest airport is
Mysore- 96 kms, Bangalore- 236 kms.
By Rail: The nearest railway station
is Mysore- 96 kms.
By Road: Bangalore- 236 kms,
Madikeri- 93 kms, Mysore- 96 kms. |
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Bandipur
National Park |
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The Moyer River forms a natural boundary
between the Mudumalain Wildlife Sanctuary in
Tamilnadu and the Bandipur National Park in
Karnataka. Nestling at the foothills of the
Nilgiris, the Bandipur National Park was
formed by extending the Venugopal Wildlife
Park which was set up in 1931 by the Mysore
Maharajas. A popular game resort of the
rulers of Mysore, the flora in the forest
comprises of teak, rosewood, honne, mathi,
bamboo, sandal trees. The important animals
in the park are the tiger, elephant, gaur,
leopard, chital, samber, etc. Birds like the
pea fowl, partrige, quail, hornbill, Ibis,
etc., are also found here. The Bandipur
National Park is one of the fifteen Tiger
Reserves in the country, launched under the
Project Tiger scheme during 1973. |
| Area: 874 sq.kms.,
Altitude: 780 to 1454.5 meters,
Temperature: (deg C)-Maximum 29 Deg.
Minimum 17 Deg., Rainfall: 1000 mm.,
Best Season: May to June & September
to November. |
Places Of Interest:
Forest Types:
Southern Tropical Moist-mixed deciduous
forests, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous
Forests, Scrub Forests. Flora Forests
consists predominantly of teak (tectona
grandis) with its main associate species
like rosewood.
Fauna:
Lots of wild animals tiger, elephant, deer,
wild boar etc., |
Excursions:
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary- 19 kms,
Mysore- 80 kms, Udhagamandalam (Ootacamund)-
79 kms, Gopalaswamy Hills- 20 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Mysore- 80
kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Mysore-
80 kms.
By Road: Bangalore- 220 kms,
Coimbatore- 168 kms, Mysore- 80 kms.
Udhagmandalam ( Ooty)- 79 kms. |
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