Channarayapatna

Channarayapatna
city
Channarayapatna Mini Vidhanasoudha
Channarayapatna Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 12°54′N 76°23′E / 12.9°N 76.39°E / 12.9; 76.39Coordinates: 12°54′N 76°23′E / 12.9°N 76.39°E / 12.9; 76.39
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Hassan
Area
• Total	6.53 km2 (2.52 sq mi)
Elevation	827 m (2,713 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	33,240
• Density	5,090.35/km2 (13,183.9/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	573 116
Telephone code	08176
Vehicle registration	KA-13
Website	channarayapatna.kar.nic.in

Channarayapatna is a town and taluka in Hassan district in Karnataka, India. The town is an administrative headquarters of the taluka which is in Shravanabelagola MLA Constituency. The town is located on the Mangalore–Bangalore National highway 48, at a distance of 148 km from Bangalore and 37 km from the district headquarters, Hassan. The nearest railway stations are at Holenarasipura, which is at a distance of 26 km, and Hassan, at a distance of 37 km.

Jai Hanuman Channarayapatna

Channarayapatna is a transport hub with a national highway NH 48 and 6 state highways intersecting here. The six state highways connect channarayapatna to Mysore, Arsikere, Holenarasipura(2 highways), Tiptur and Shravanabelagola while the national highway connects to Hassan and Mangalore.

Channarayapatna is a junction for pilgrims of lord Bhaghavan Bahubali of Shravanabelagola which is at a distance of 13 km and which is of great historical and cultural interest, nationally and internationally.

History

In the 1850s, a local chieftain named Channigaraya ruled this town and hence the name became Channarayapatna. There are records to show that the place was also named Kolattooru and Amritanathapura, before becoming Channarayapatna. The then Holenarasipura palegar “MR Lakkapanayak and his wife Smt.Puttagiraja” was blessed with a child by the grace of Shree Channakeshava swamy. Later in 1600, the palegar Lakkapanayaka gave area’s sourrounding channarayapatna town as “jahagir” to his son “channaraya”. Thus the name Channarayapatna. Channarayapatna Territory was under the territorial ruling of Mysore wodeyars.

Lakshminarasimha temple at Nuggehalli north western closeup view

Taluka

Channarayapatna Taluka is one of the eight talukas in Hassan district of Karnataka state. There are 40 panchayat villages in Channarayapatna Taluka,^[1][2] for 407 villages.^[3]

Geography

Channarayapatna is in Hassan District in Karnataka state, India and located at 12°54′N 76°23′E / 12.90°N 76.39°E / 12.90; 76.39.^[4] It has an average elevation of 827 metres (2716 ft).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Channarayapatna has a population of 34,515. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Channarayapatna has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 68%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.^[5]

Vokkaligas are the most prominent caste in the community.^{[citation needed]}

Tourism

The most notable tourist attraction in the taluk is the statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola, the largest monolithic statue in the world.^[6] This place has religious and historical importance. On August 5, 2007, the statue of Shravanbelagola was voted by readers of The Times of India as the first of India's seven wonders.^[7]

There are also many temples in the area. The most popular ones are Chandramouleshwara Temple and Channakeshava Temple, both located in the fort area. The Gadde Rameshwara and Olegeramma temples are also worth noting. A carnival is held around the month of November every year at the Olegeramma temple. Nuggehalli is famous for its Lakshmi Narasimha Temple.^{[citation needed]}

Bahubali statue

Transport

In terms of geographical area, Channarayapatna is the second largest taluk in Hassan district. It is well connected to all the main commercial cities in Karnataka. Channarayapatna is situated on the Bangalore–Mangalore national highway, at a distance of about 150 km from Bangalore and about 208 km from Mangalore, the Main port city of Karnataka. It is also connected to the Mysore and on the other side to Karwar, an emerging commercial port.

Shravanabelagola, an important tourist and pilgrimage place, is just 11 km away, and regular shuttle buses are run from here. It is also possible to reach Channarayapatna by railway via Hassan.

Religion

Channarayapatna has three main temples. Chandramouleshwara Temple, with an imposing Basava on the Garudadwara, Channakeshava Temple carved in an exclusive Chalukya style, and a Kote Ganapati Devasthana, at the place where main door of the fort of Channigaraya existed. In addition to this there is the Olageramma temple on the outskirts of the city.

The Chandramouleshwara Temple is believed to be the only Shiva temple to have a standing idol of Lord Shiva (Chandramouleshwara). A 10-day puja celebration is held during the Hindu month Kartika that peaks with a 'Rathotsava' A chariot ride for the Lord. The whole town joins in this colourful occasion. This event coincides usually with the 'Danagala Jaatre' an animal fair, held annually.

'Kotebaagilu' Ganapati temple is a temple complex by itself. As a tradition, Ganapati or Vighneshwara is installed at the entrance of the erstwhile fort, to bless one and all who enters and exits the town. This complex hosts other temples like, a Navagraha Temple, A Sitarama mandira and at a stone throwing distance a Raghavendra swamy mandira.

The Olageramma temple hosts an annual fair sometime around November, or Kartika masa. Thousands of people from around the town gather here to celebrate and take the blessings of 'Olagere amma'. Exotic, visually colourful rituals are associated with this festival. These include 'Fire walking' and taking newborn infants and young babies by a priest tieed to a cantiliver through a circular ride known as 'Sidi', which is believed to be a blessing ride for the babies. All these follow a day long ritual and Drum beating. The carnival itself lasts a week.

Channarayapatna also has a large population of Muslims, who have been accepted as a part and parcel of the growth of the town.

Economy

Coconut Tree Farm

Agriculture is the major economic activity. Sugarcane is the leading commercial crop, while food crops include ragi, coconut and potato.^[8] The taluk also has mineral reserves, most notably chromite.^[8]

Industries

KMF Milk Product Plant

Hemavathi Sahakara Sakkare Kharkane(HSSK) A Sugar Factory operates at Srinivasapura near Channarayapatna.

KMF Karnataka Milk Federation has built a milk powder plant near Chamadihalli. Many small-scale and COIR industries are also situated here.

Education

Navodaya Vidhya Samste,Adhichunchanagiri Vidya Samste,Government Degree College,Government Women's ITI College,Government PU College are some premier educational institutions.There are other private institutions for Primary and Higher primary education such as Hemavathi Convent, Cambridge Convent, Chitanya Vidya Shale, Shalini Vidya Samste, Nagashree Vidhya Samste,Gnayana Sagara,Poorna Chandra Public school and many more.

Politics

Janata Dal Secular (JDS) and Congress(INC) are the two major political parties in Channarayapatna.^{[citation needed]}

Prominent Personalities

• H.C Srikantaiah (Former Cabinet Minister (Govt Of Karnataka) and Senior Congress Leader)
• S. L. Bhyrappa Writer Novelist and Professor
• C.N Manjunath 2007 'Padmashree' Awardee,Renowned Cardiac Surgeon and State owned Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology Director,
• Nanditha Playback Singer
• C.S Putte Gowda(Ex MLA)
• C.N Balkrishna MLA

Link for prominent personalities please click references option 9.: ^[9]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Channarayapatna.

External links

• NRDMS Centre/ZP/Hassan. "Map: Channarayapatna Taluka". Hassan district.