Karnataka Pincodes

Karnataka, also known as Karunāḍu, is a state in the southwestern part of India. It was originally called Mysore State until it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. This change came about through the States Reorganisation Act on November 1, 1956. The state has a rich history and was historically part of the Carnatic region during British rule. Its capital and largest city is Bengaluru, often referred to as Bangalore. Karnataka is known for its diverse culture, landscapes, and significant contributions to various fields, including technology and culture.

History: 

Karnataka’s history goes way back, starting with evidence of ancient cultures like the Paleolithic hand-axe culture, where they found hand axes and cleavers. Neolithic and megalithic cultures also left their mark. Gold from Karnataka made its way to Harappa, suggesting contact with the Indus Valley civilization around 3300 BCE.

Before the 3rd century BCE, Karnataka was part of the Nanda Empire and later the Mauryan empire. After that, the Satavahanas ruled for four centuries. Then came the Kadambas and Western Gangas, the first native kingdoms to use Kannada in administration.

Next, we had the Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, and Western Chalukyas as powerful empires in the region. The Cholas briefly occupied parts of Southern Karnataka, followed by the Hoysalas.

In the 14th century, the Vijayanagara Empire emerged under Harihara and Bukka Raya. It thrived, defending South India against Muslim invasions. In 1537, Kempe Gowda I founded Bangalore.

However, in 1565, the Vijayanagara Empire fell to Islamic sultanates. Later, the Bahmani and Bijapur rulers promoted Urdu, Persian literature, and Indo-Saracenic architecture.

During the 16th century, Konkani Hindus migrated to Karnataka, and Goan Catholics followed in the 17th and 18th centuries due to various reasons.

In the following period, different powers, including the Nizam of Hyderabad, Marathas, and the British, ruled parts of northern Karnataka. In the south, the Mysore Kingdom, once a Vijayanagara vassal, became independent under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, who fought against the British but eventually lost, leading to Mysore becoming part of the British Raj in 1799. Later, the Kingdom of Mysore was restored to the Wodeyars.

In 1830, before the Indian Rebellion of 1857, leaders like Kittur Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna rebelled against British rule in Karnataka. Other uprisings occurred in places like Supa, Bagalkot, Shorapur, Nargund, and Dandeli during the 1857 Rebellion, led by figures like Mundargi Bhimarao and Raja Venkatappa Nayaka. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the independence movement gained momentum with leaders like Karnad Sadashiva Rao and Kengal Hanumanthaiah.

After India’s independence, Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar agreed to merge his kingdom with India. In 1950, Mysore became a state, and the Ekikarana Movement led to the inclusion of Kodagu- and Kannada-speaking areas from neighboring states in 1956. The state was renamed Karnataka on November 1, 1973. Visionaries like Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya contributed to Karnataka’s industrial growth from the early 1900s to the post-independence era.

Geography: 

Karnataka’s geography is diverse, with the bulk in the Bayaluseeme region, including India’s second-largest arid zone. The highest point is Mullayanagiri hills at 1,925 meters. Major rivers are the Krishna with tributaries like Bhima, and the Kaveri with tributaries like Hemavati. Most rivers flow east to the Bay of Bengal, while some like Sharavati and Netravati flow west to the Lakshadweep Sea. Dams aid irrigation and hydroelectricity.

Geologically, it has Archean complexes, Proterozoic sedimentary layers, Deccan trappean deposits, and recent laterites. Eleven soil types serve diverse agricultural needs.

About 16% of Karnataka’s area, around 38,284 square kilometers, is covered by forests, categorized as reserved, protected, unclosed, village, and private forests. This is lower than the national average and the 33% target set by the National Forest Policy.

Demographics:

In 2011, Karnataka had a total population of 61 million, with slightly more males (50.7%) than females (49.3%). This means there were 1,000 males for every 973 females. The population grew by 15.60% since 2001. On average, there were 319 people per square kilometer, and about 38.67% lived in cities. As for education, 75.36% of the population could read and write. Among them, 82.47% of males and 68.08% of females were literate.

In Karnataka, Kannada is the main language, spoken by most people (66.46% of the population). It’s also one of India’s classical languages. Urdu is the second most spoken language, used by 10.83% of the population, mainly by Muslims in areas away from the coast. Telugu (5.84%) is important near Andhra Pradesh and Bangalore, while Tamil (3.45%) is significant in Bangalore and Kolar district. Marathi (3.29%) is common in areas near Maharashtra. Lambadi is spoken by Lambadis in North Karnataka, Hindi is used in Bangalore, and Tulu (2.61%), Konkani (1.29%), and Malayalam (1.27%) are found in Coastal Karnataka, which also has various unique dialects like Are Bhashe, Beary Bhashe, and Nawayathi. In Kodagu, Kodava Takk is the spoken language.