Karnataka is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west, Goa in the northwest, Maharashtra in the north, Andhra Pradesh in the east, Tamil Nadu in the south and Kerala in the southwest. Topographically, Karnataka consists of the Arabian Sea Coast , Western Ghats , Deccan Plateau and Eastern Ghats. Karnataka's history is as old as 3rd Century BC. Karnataka has been ruled by administrators like Hoysalas, Chalukyas and the mighty Vijayanagara. The Mughals ruled Karnataka in the 17th century and the British in the 18th Century, they have also contributed to the mixture of culture and heritage of mighty Karnataka.

Karnataka is well known for Carnatic Music all over the World, a unique form of classical music learned by many across the continents. Karnataka is also one of the progressive states in the country with all its richness in culture and traditional grandeur. Karnataka is also known as the Capital of Agarbathi (Incense Sticks), Arecanut, Silk, Coffee and Sandal Wood.

Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, is a mix of various races and cultures. This Garden City has lovely parks, gardens, long avenues of blossoming trees and a soothing climate. Rising as the hi-tech capital of India, it regains its oriental charm. Established in 1537 by a local chieftain Kempe Gowda, Bangalore has progressed dramatically over the years. There are many sights in Bangalore that cannot be missed like the magnificent Vidhana Soudha, sprawling Cubbon Park, Colourful Lalbagh etc.

Mysore, another important city of Karnataka, in-spite of being ruled by different rulers and kingdoms for ages, still retains its old charm and stately beauty. Mysore also has many 'not-to-be-missed' sights - like the glorious Mysore Palace, Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery, St. Philomena's Church, KRS Brindavan Gardens.

Karnataka has a 320 km long coastline, marked with numerous beaches, that summon invitingly to those who desire for some respite, from the exasperating grind of urban life. The calm and serene atmosphere of Karnataka, along with the folk culture and cuisine attracts one and all.

Karwar, is a wonderful beach, which is a good starting point, for the journey of exploring the natural scenic beauty. Other attractions at Karwar, include the Sadashivgad Hill fort with a Durga temple, the unique Octagonal Church, and the 300 year old Venkataramana Temple, that owns some fine Ochre paintings. The Dandeli Game Park is a perfect destination for wildlife lovers, just 157 km away from Karwar.

Marwanthe is another unique seaside town, where the West Coast Highway cruises along with the Arabian Sea on one side. The river Sauparnika rushes against an abundant mountainous backdrop on the other side. Sea, sun and sand together creates a spell bounding atmosphere. Water sports and beach resorts are an added attractions making your holiday more enjoyable.

Mangalore, the seaport town owns Ullal, another silvery beach resort, with exciting views of the sunset, especially, when viewed through the casuarina groves.

Some of the other attractions in Karnataka are Bijapur, Raichur, Karwar, Shimoga and Gulbarga, Nandi Hills, Bridavan Gardens, Kemmanagundi, Jog Falls, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Belur & Halebedu, Shravanabelagola, Bijapur, Hampi, Gokarna, etc.
 

Historical and Religious Attractions
The state also has many attractions of historical and religious importance. Places like Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal in Bijapur district are famous for their enchanting temples. The temples of Halebedu, Belur and Somanathapura are also rich in architectural beauty and are one of their kinds in the world. The temples and palaces at Hampi are regarded as world heritage sites because of their exclusive sculptural magnificence.
 

LANGUAGES

Kannada is the main language of the region. The other languages are Telugu, Urdu, Tamil, Tulu, Konkani, Coorgi, Hindi etc. The foreign languages spoken are English, Persian, and Tibetan. Kannada script is derived from the Asoka script. It is identical with that of Telugu.

How to Reach

¤ Architectural Splendor
Karnataka tourism offers some majestic monuments that are contributions of the Muslims and Christians who have ruled it in the past. The Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim-Roza at Bijapur, the Daria Daulat Bagh (Summer Palace) of Tippu Sultan at Srirangapatna, the Khwaja Bandenawaz Darga at Gulbarga are some of their remarkable contributions. The churches at Mysore, Mangalore, Bangalore and Bijapur are some exquisite contributions of Christians to the Karnataka's culture. With all these stimulating attractions, Karnataka invites tourists from all over the world.
 

By Air : The capital of Karnataka, Bangalore has its own airport, which is connected to all the major cities in the country like Thiruvananthpuram, Hyderabad, Goa, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Mangalore.
Bangalore is also directly connected to other countries, cities of the world like Singapore, Dubai, London, Oman, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia by means of Airways.

By Rail: Bangalore is connected to the major cities in India by a good network of railways. There are regular trains from Chennai, Mysore, New Delhi, Calcutta, and Mumbai.

By Road: National highways and numerous other roadways connect Karnataka with major cities and important towns. There are regular bus services to and from Bangalore for the nearby cities and towns.

Local Transportation : Auto rickshaws and rickshaws are widely used for local transportation. Apart from this, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) run buses within the city while the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operates the buses within the state as well as outside.