Karnataka, a state of great history and tourist places (Part V)

Contd from Pàrt IV

Karnataka:

• Jog Falls: the highest waterfalls in India, is located about 30 km fromSagara City, Karnataka. The Sharavati river drops 253 metres in 4 separate falls known as Rani-the Rocket and Raja-the Roarer. The highest is the Raja with the fall of 253 metres and a pool below 40metres deep. The best time to visit is Late November to early January. The 50 km long Hirebhasgar Reservoir and the Linganamkki damregulates the flow of the Sharavati river to generate the hydro electricity.
• Mekedatu: It is a picnic spot by the river Cauvery. It tumbles down through a deep ravine, on top of which is a chasm around 5 meters wide. Mekedatu is on Kanakapura Road.
• Hesaraghatta: Hesaraghatta has an artificial lake, a dairy and a horticulture farm. Boating and windsurfing are the other attractions. Also here is the Nrityagrama where young dancers are trained in all disciplines of traditional dance.
• Shivaganga: A hill with four faces, rising to a height of 4599 ft looks like a Nandi from the East, Ganesh from the West, A Linga from the South and Cobra with it hood spread from the North side. It is accessible by road.
• Shivanasamudram: The waterfalls, theGanganchukki and the Bharachukki, cascade down 90 meters. These falls are the source of Asia's first Hydro Electric Power Statin called "Shimsa". The falls are in full splendour during July–August. The falls are 22 km from the Bangalore.
• Hogenekkal Falls: These are also known as the 'smoking rocks' because of the mist. At the bottom of the 90 ft water falls, one can ride in a coracle.
• Devarayanadurga: This is a hill station of Tumkur road perched at a height of 3940 feet. A few kilometres from foot of the hills is a natural spring called Namada Chilume.

Hill stations

See also: Chikkamagaluru district andKodagu

The Hill stations in Karnataka are generally unexplored and more pristine than better known ones in South India.

Shola Grasslands in Kudremukh, Karnataka.

• Agumbe, Shimoga District
• Kodachadri, Shimoga District
• Biligiriranga Hills, Chamarajanagar District
• Baba Budangiri, Chikkamagaluru District
• Kemmangundi, Chikkamagaluru District
• Kudremukh, Chikkamagaluru District
• Mullayanagiri
• Pushpagiri(or Kumara Parvatha)
• Nandi Hills, Chikkaballapur district
• Kundadri
• Tadiandamol
• Talakaveri
• Male Mahadeshwara Hills
• Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta
• Ambaragudda
• Antara Gange
• Savandurga
• Kurinja
• Yedakumeri
• Siddara Betta
• Bananthimari Betta
• Skandagiri
• Devarayanadurga
• Madhugiri

National parks and wildlife

Kudremukh National Park

Karnataka in all has 21 wildlife sanctuaries and 5 National parks. Well known among them are Bandipur National Park in Mysore District,Bannerghatta National Park in Bangaloredistrict, Nagarhole National Park inMysore District and Kodagu district,Kudremukh National Park in Dakshina Kannada and Chickmagalur district,Dandeli & Anshi National Park in Uttara Kannada district, Gudavi and Mandegadde bird sanctuaries andSharavati WLS in Sagara Taluk, Shimoga District, Biligirirangan Hills WLS inChamarajanagar district, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Mandya district,Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary andPushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Kodagudistrict. Interior dry areas have their own unique wildlife.

There are twenty one wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks in all.

Recently, the government of India has proposed to the UNESCO to include important ecosystems in the Western Ghats as a World Heritage Site. Two subclusters of natural areas occurring in the list are entirely in the Karnataka region covering several wildlife sanctuaries and some reserve forests. Fragile and exotic ecosystems likeKudremukh NP, Brahmagiri WLS,Pushpagiri WLS, Agumbe, TalakaveriWLS, Someshvara WLS figure in this list. As such, the Western Ghats that run south-north through the Karnataka is considered as one among the twenty five bio-diversity hotspots of the world.

The Niligiri Biosphere Reserve (also a designated UNESCO Biosphere reserve) is located at the junction of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerela. Nagarahole National Park WLS and Bandipur National Park and Nugu WLS in Karnataka are included in this biosphere reserve.

The state is home to the largest concentration of Asian Elephants along Kabini River in Nagarahole and Bandipur parks. These two parks are also hold among the most viable population of the highly endangered Indian Tiger. Ranebennur Blackbuck sanctuary inHaveri district is home to one of the largest populations of blackbuck anywhere in India. The Doraji wildlife sanctuary and areas in Karnataka likeBellary district, Chitradurga are strongholds of the sloth bear.

Karnataka is home to more than 500 species of birds.^[22]

Wildlife sanctuaries

• Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, near to Hubli-Dharwad (70 km), Uttara Kannada: spread over 834.16 km², it is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka and is contiguous with the Mahaveer sanctuary in Goa.
• Ghataprabha Bird Sanctuary: small bird sanctuary incorporating the wetland along the river. It was established in 1974 and encompasses an area of 29 km².
• Daroji Bear Sanctuary, 15 kilometers from Hampi.^[23]
• Peacock sanctuary in Bankapura,Shiggon taluk: Bankpur Fort is the second sanctuary in India exclusively engaged in the conservation and breeding of peacocks. It is also home to a variety of other birds.
• Ranebennur blackbuck sanctuary,Haveri district: declared a wildlife sanctuary on 17 June 1974, with a core area of 14.87 km and a buffer zone of 104.13 km for tourists. It is divided into three blocks namely Hulathi, Hunasikatti and Alageri for administrative purposes. The vegetation comprises mainly scrub forests and eucalyptus plantations. Other resident fauna include wild pigs, foxes, jackals and wolves.
• Deva Raya Wildlife Sanctuary, nearHampi, Bellary District: A privately owned sanctuary, named after kings of the Vijayanagar Empire.
• Attiveri Bird Sanctuary, near to Hubli-Dharwad, Uttara Kanada district: spread over an area of about 2.23 km², the sanctuary is located in and around the Attiveri reservoir.
• Anshi National Park, Uttara Kannada: A habitat for tigers, leopards and elephants, about 340 square kilometres in size. Adjoins the Dandeli wildlife sanctuary.
• Magadi Bird Sanctuary, ShirahattiTaluk, Gadag District
• Bhimagada Sanctuary,^[24] Belgaum District
• Adichunchanagiri Wildlife Sanctuary:^[25]
• Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary:^[26]
• Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary:^[27] This is located in Mandya district
• Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary:* Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary inSagara Taluk:
• Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary:
• Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Udupi district
• Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Kodagu district
• Gudavi Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is spread over 0.73 km². The tree species that dominate this sanctuary are Vitex leucoxylon and Phyllanthus polyphyllus. 191 species of birds are recorded here including white ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana, purplr moorhen and little grebe.
• Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary
• Kaggaladu Heronry: This is located inTumkur district and is one of the largest painted storks sanctuary in South India. Some of the birds that nest here are painted storks, grey herons, pelicans, black stilts and ducks.
• Kokkare Bellur
• Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary: This is located in Haveri district and spread over an area of 139.10 acres (0.5629 km²). This sanctuary was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks.
• Bonal Bird Sanctuary : This is located about 10 km from Shorapur city inYadgir district.

Contd..... Part VI