Karnataka : Kaleidoscope of Culture and Crafts

Articles : Karnataka's history and culture - Vijayanagar empire, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and Wodeyars

Called as Karunadu (elevated land) in ancient times, Karnataka is made up of a series of uplands with an average height of 610 meters above sea level. The Bababudan range in the western ghats has one of the highest mountain peaks between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris.

And boasting of one the wettest regions in India at Agumbe are the Western ghats rich in teak and rosewood as also the world famous sandalwood. These widely beautiful locales where tuskers still thrive have paved the way for the legendary craftmanship of Karnataka in sandalwood, rosewood and ivory. Swift flowing rivers criss-cross to create a network of water sources and at many a place cascade down majestically to form an awesome splendour.

The course of Karnataka's history and culture takes us back to the pre-historic times. The earliest find of the stone age period in India was an hand axe at Lingasugur in Raichur district. The Ashokan rock edicts found in the state indicate that major parts of Northern Karnataka were under the Mauryas. Chandragupta Maurya, the great Indian emperor abdicted the throne and embraced Jainism at Shravanabelagola.

Adding new dimensions to the cultural and spiritual ethos of the land, many great dyansties left their imprint upon the aesthtic development of Karnataka's art forms. Prominent among them were the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the mighjty Vijayanagara Empire. The Chalukyans built some of the very early Hindu temples in India at Badami in Northern Karnataka, setting the trend and the style for structural temples. Aihole turned up as an experimental base for the dynamic creations of the architects.

The Hoysalas who ruled from the 11th to the 13th century chiselled their way into the pages of glory by building more than 150 temples, each a marvel upon marvel of sculptural skill. The amazing dexterity and fluidity of expressions at Somanathpur, Halebid and Belur open themselves to the wide eued wonder in our eyes.

Vijayanagara, the greatest of all medieval Hindu empires and one of the greatest the world over fostered the development of intellectual pursuits and fine arts. Under the enlightened rule of Krishnadevaraya, the empire rose to its zenith and drew rave appreciations from foreign travellers who came to the court of the King. Abdur Razaaq, the Persian amabassador had remarked, " The eye of the pupil has never seen a place like it and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world".

The Vijayanagar empire with its capital at Hampi fell a victim to the marauding army of the Deccan Sultan in 1565 A.D. As a consequence of this, Bijapur became the most important city of the region. This city except Delhi has many monuments as Bijapur. The Bahmani Shahis and the Adilshahis of Bijapur have played a notable part in the history of Karntaka by their contribution to the field of art and architecture and also by their propogation of Islam in the state.

Hyder Ali and his valiant son Tipu Sultan are notable figures in the history of this land. They expanded the Mysore Kingdom on an unprecedented scale and by their resistance against the British, became personages of world fame. Tipu was a great scholar and a lover of literature. His artistic pursuits were also many and he made rich gifts to the Hindu temples. The Tiger of Karntaka was killed in 1799 A.D., and the Mysore throne was handed over to the Wodeyars.

The whole Karnataka came under the control of the British in the bewginning of the 19th century. The new state was named as new Mysore and the Maharaja of Mysore was appointed the Governor by Independent India. This unified state was renamed as Karnataka on November 1, 1973.

The varied and tumultous history coupled with architectural excellence and religious fervour have turned Karnataka into a tourist bonanza. Nature has also not lagged behind in bestowing her bounties on the land with the result Karnataka abounds in awe-inspiring waterfalls, exotic beaches, wildly beautiful thick forests, and sancturies. The state also offers excellent facilities for trekkers, the anglers and the golfers. In short, it caters to every need of the tourists.

Karnataka is also famous for its aesthetic craftmanship in Sandalwood and Rosewood. Karntaka's folk theatre has an ancient and rich tradition, the two principal art forms being Yakshagana and the Puppet theatre. Bootada Kunita (Dance of Divine Cult), Nagamandala and the demon dance are some quaint rituals prevalent over Dakshina Kannada Coastal area.
Contact