Mangalore has been an important port on the Arabian coast for centuries. In the 14th and 15th century, it traded with Persian and Arab merchants. It was a Shipbuilding centre during the reigns of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. With Tipu's defeat by the British in 1799, the city was incorporated as the capital of South Kanara district.
The modem port, 10 kms away from the city centre is today India 's 9th largest cargo handling zone and is the major centre for the export of cashew nuts and coffee. The completion of a deep-water port in 1976 coupled with the influx of large industries including petrochemical and power plants has made this once quiet hilly city into a bustling metropolis and one of the fastest growing cities of southwest
India . However, Mangalore has a nonchalant tropical ambience and makes a pleasant and relaxing stopover between Goa and Kerala.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Museum :
The Shremmanti Bai Memorial museum about 1 km from the KSRTC bus stand is open on all days except Mondays and second Saturdays from 9am to 5pm . The collection here includes archaeology, ethnology, porcelain and woodcarvings.
The Mahatma Gandhi museum at the Canara High school has a collection, which includes zoology, anthropology, sculpture, art, coins and manuscripts. It is open on all days except Sundays and holidays.
St Aloysius College Chapel :
This chapel on Lighthouse Hill is renowned for its mural-covered walls and ceilings and is often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of South India. Reverend Antonio Moscheni an Italian trained Jesuit priest painted these in the beginning of the 20th century. Rosario Cathedral built in 1910 is a large plain-whitewashed edifice with a dome modeled along the lines of the St Peter's Basilica in Rome .
The Mangala Devi Temple : A short distance south of the Rosario Cathedral is this tiny modem temple built in memory of a famous princess of Kerala of the same name, who is said to have accompanied Matsyandranath, the protagonist of the Nath cult. Mangalore is named after this temple.
Kadri Hills:
The Kadri hills are home to some stone caves often referred to as the Pandava Caves . It is believed that the Pandava brothers spend some time here during their exile. There is a beautiful Children's recreational park cum animal conservatory in the Kadri hills. There are a few animals here including deer, sambar, leopard, jackal and a large variety of snakes.
The Sri Manjunatha Temple also located here is a Kerala style temple with surprisingly little ornamentation. The temple dedicated to Lord Manjunatha who is believed to be of Buddhist origin dates back to 1068. Its central statue of Lokeshwara is a remarkable bronze was cast in 968 and is reputed to be one of the best bronzes in India . The temple has a perennial source of fresh spring water arising from a cavern that is believed to be a tributary of the Ganga .
Sultan Battery : About 4 kms from the centre on the headland of the old port at Boloor are the remnants of the last remaining bastion built by Hyder Ali. It is made of rough blocks of laterite and really does not merit a visit.
Ullal Beach :
Lying about 13kms south of Mangalore is one of the few good beaches of Karnataka. Facing the Arabian Sea , it offers an incomparable view. There is an excellent resort also located here.
Dharmastala : The Manjunatha Temple at Oharmastala is a very important centre of Jain pilgrimage. Situated about 75 kms east of Mangalore on the lower slopes of the Western Ghats , Oharmastala is frequented by hundreds of pilgrims every day. Regular buses connect Oharmastala to Mangalore.
Mudabidri
: 35 kms northeast of Mangalore is the town of Mudabidri that has 18 Jain bastis. The oldest of them is the 15th century Chandranatha Basti colloquially known as the IOOO-pillared hall. This impressive temple has a stone roof surmounted by a gabled and tiled wooden roof! Mudubidri is sometimes described as the Jain Varanasi.
Venur :
The tiny hamlet of Venur is about 15kms from Mudabidri with eight bastis and the ruins of a Mahadeva temple. On the banks of the River Gurupur stands an 11m-tall Bahubali statue dating back to 1604.
Karkal : Karkala situated 20kms north of Mudubidri has several important temples and a 13m-high Bahubali statue completed in 1432. To the north is the Chaturmukha Basti built in the 16th century.
Udupi : Situated 60 kms north of Mangalore is Karnataka’s most important pilgrimage town of Udupi . It is the birthplace of the 12th century saint Madhavacharya, who set up 8 monasteries in this town. There is an important Krishna Temple in the heart of the town that draws pilgrims here from all over the country. The Sri Ananthasana Temple , where Madhavacharya is believed to have dematerialized while teaching his followers is in the centre of the temple square.
Udupi is associated across South India with authentic vegetarian Brahmin cosine at its best. According to local legend, the popular South Indian dish Masala Dosa was first created here. It is a small town and easy to get around. There are a few good hotels offering descent accommodations, you can easily
visit here for a day from Mangalore as it is extremely well connected by very frequent buses to Mangalore that take less than an hour to cover the distance.
Manipal : Four kilometers to the east of Udupi is the university campus town of Manipal , renowned for its educational institutions including the Kasturba Medical College and Engineering College . Manipal is also famous through out Karnataka as the centre of Yakshagana, a local dance drama similar to Kathakali in Kerala.
Malpe Beach: Malpe is about 5 kms west of Udupi and is one of the best port sites in southern Karnataka. Close to the harbor is the peaceful beach, which is quite picturesque but not safe for swimming. Malpe is an important fishing port today.
St.Mary’s Island: A couple of kilometers off the coast is St Mary's Island where Vasco da Gama first landed when he arrived in India and set up a cross. The island is barely 300m long and about 100m wide composed of dramatic hexagonal basalt and is a popular spot for day-trippers especially on weekends. Boats connect the island to Malpe and it is possible to swim in the sandy inlets at the south end of the island.
Mookambika Temple: Eighty kilometers northeast of Udupi, nestled in the forested slopes of the Western Ghats In the tiny town of Kollur is the Mookambika Temple , one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Karnataka. There has been a shrine on this site for over 1000 years. It is best to visit here during the main annual festival here in March.
The surrounding hillsides contain one of the largest forestry areas in the state, and a part of this region is designated, as the Mookambika Nature Reserve. There is a lovely Nature Camp Site here about 4kms south of Kollur town within the woods, where there are a few concrete bases for pitching tents. It is a serene and beautiful place to relax in the lap of Mother Nature for a couple of days. There is a water hole close by where you can swim.
HOW TO REACH
Air : Indian Airlines flies daily to Mumbai and four times a week to Chennai via Bangalore . Air India has an office here at the Pancha Mahal from where you can make bookings and reconfirm tickets.
Rail : The railway station on the southern fringe of the city connects Mangalore to Goa , Mumbai, Coimbatore and Madras including the entire length of Kerala from Kozhikode to Trivandrum . The ticket bookings are computerized and bookings can be made to and from anywhere in the country.
Road : Mangalore is well connected by national highways to Bangalore , Kerala and Goa with frequent buses commuting to and from these places. The KSRTC bus stand is located about 3 kms from the city centre and is well organized. There are daily buses to Bangalore , Goa , Hassan, Hospet, and Karwar via Udupi, Madikeri and Mysore apart from services to Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Dharmastala. There are private bus services to all neighboring towns and villages. Several private operators also offer luxury bus services to Bangalore , Goa and Mumbai.
The airport is about 20 kms away and is connected by frequent bus services to the city including a convenient airport bus operating between the Indian Airlines office and the airport. Share taxis to the airport are also usually available from the front of the Poonja International and the Moti Mahal hotels. Taxis and autos are available in plenty and are ideal for getting around in the city.
HOTELS IN MANGALORE
STAR CATEGORY
NAME OF HOTEL
4 Star
Manjarun Hotel
3 Star
Hotel Moti Mahal,Hotel Srinivas
Others
Hotel Pentagon, Hotel Poonja Internatioanl, Summer Sands Beach Resort
SRINGERI
Telephone Area Code : 08265
About 100 Kms northeast of Mangalore is the small, unspoiled village of Sringeri surrounded by dense forests. The focus of attraction here is the Vidyashankar Temple that dates back to the 14th century. Built of golden-colored stone the temple has 12 zodiac pillars, known as rasikambhas, which are placed so that the early morning sun falls on a different one during each solar month.
Sringeri is associated with Sankaracharya, the 7th century Advaitin philosopher who established a monastery here, which is the southern seat of the orthodox Hindu hierarchy. There is a range of pilgrims' accommodation available including private lodges in the village. Buses link Srigeri with Udupi and Chitradurga and many long distance destinations include Mangalore, Bangalore and Mysore .
About 60kms uphill at the top of the Ghats is the picturesque village of Agumbe . It offers an excellent view of the plains below and is famous for its wonderful sunsets. There is a PWD guesthouse offering accommodation, which has to be booked in advance
CHICKMAGLUR
Telephone Area Code: 08262
This small town is at the centre of one of India 's major Coffee growing areas. Chikmagalur literally means 'younger daughter's town' as it was the legendry dowry for the daughter of a local chieftain. In addition to the Hoysala style Kodandarama Temple , there are mosques, a Roman Catholic Cathedral and a fort accessed over a boat.
Between Chikmagalur and Shimoga, based around the huge Bhadra reservoir is the 425 sq km Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Most of the park is a mixture of dense moist and dry deciduous forest with plenty of bamboo and teak. Wildlife here includes elephants, panthers, wild boars, striped hyenas, flying squirrels and a variety of birds. Accommodation in the sanctuary will have to be booked in Chikmagallur at the office of the Assistant Conservator of Forests and the best time to visit is between October and May.
SHIMOGA
Telephone Area Code : 08182
Shimoga is a rundown town although a good place to break journey between Bangalore and Goa and visit nearby attractions. The archaeological museum also known as the Keladi Shivappa Nayaka Palace is an interesting 17th century building on the banks of the Tungabhadra River that has a collection of carvings and statues.
The Tunga Anicut Dam is good for short hikes and picnics. The dam is on the rocky Tungabhadra River within the Shettihalli Sanctuary and is open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM. Boats are available on rent for trips around the lake which has plenty of otters and water birds. The 395 sq km sanctuary is home
to spotted deer, sambar, Malabar squirrels etc. There is a small Tiger reserve also here known as Thyvare Koppa Lion & Tiger Reserve, which has a playground and some caged birds. The sanctuary is only twenty minutes by bus from Shimoga.
JOG FALLS
Telephone Area Code: 08186
These spectacular waterfalls are the highest in India and are well worth a visit, especially immediately after the monsoons. However, the Linganamakki Dam further up the Sharavati River limits the water flow. There are actually four falls; the longest drop of 253m is known as the 'Raja', and the others are known as the 'Rani', the 'Rocket' and the 'Roarer'. The setting is superb, the scenery picturesque and the countryside perfect for long walks.
Jog falls is very well connected by bus to Shimoga, Karwar, Gokarna and Bhatkal. The nearest train station is at Talguppa, which has two trains a day to Shimoga. There are a few private tourist homes and lodges offering accommodation apart from the state owned KSTDC's Hotel Mayura and the forest
rest house and a PWD Bungalow. Close to Jog falls are the Gudavi Bird Sanctuary and the Sharavathi Sanctuary both of which are well worth exploring.
GOKARNA
Telephone Area Code : 08386
This quiet un spoilt town, about 50kms south of Karwar has some very popular beaches that rival those of Goa and is frequented by an unlikely mixture of Hindu pilgrims, Sanskrit scholars and beach lovers.
The Mahabaleshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is where the sacred lingam is housed. Nearby is the Ganapati Temple and at the eastern end of the main street is the Venkatraman Temple . For Hindus, Gokama is one of the most sacred sites in India . Lord Siva's birthday festival in February is celebrated here with gusto and attracts thousands of pilgrims from allover the country annually.
There are a series of four lovely beaches, hemmed in by headlands and backed by the foothills of the Western Ghats . They are Kundle Beach , Om Beach, Half Moon Beach and the Paradise Beach . All the beaches offer very basic accommodations and it is advisable to stay in the town about 20 minutes away. The Komkan Railway passes close by and passenger trains halt at the Gokama Road Station about 9kms from the town. There are regular buses to Karwar and Goa apart from two daily buses to Bangalore and one to Mysore .
KARWAR
Telephone Area Code : 08382
Bordering Goa is this dull sleepy port town near the mouth of the Kali Nadi River . The town itself has nothing much to offer, but the area immediately to the south is very picturesque as the foothills of the Western Ghats come right down to the coast forming rocky outcrops that are often separated by sweeping sandy bays. The nearest beaches to Karwar are Binaga and Arga both close to the town and generally deserted. At the town of Ankola , about 37kms away are the ruins of King Sarpamalika's Fort and a long deserted beach at Belekeri, 4kms north of Ankola.
Karwar is a main station on the Konkan railway and hence is well connected by rail to Mangalore and Margoa. There are also frequent bus services to all major towns. Karwar has a few good places that
offer descent accommodations that are not too highly priced.
DANDELI
Telephone Area Code : 08284
Dandeli is the headquarters for a large timber industry and is located along the Kali River . This quaint town is the gateway to the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. This 834 sq km park is the second largest in Karnataka [after Bandhipur] and was established in 1975. It is well maintained and makes for an interesting detour en route to or from Goa . The park is mainly mixed deciduous and semi-evergreen forest with plenty of teak and bamboo. The wildlife here includes wild dogs, barking deer, mouse deer, common langur etc., apart from some elephants, wolves and a large variety of bird.
The park is only open strictly only from 6am to 8am and 4pm to 6pm every day. The only way into the sanctuary is by private vehicles, which can be hired at Dandeli town. The best time to visit is between December and May and the park is off limits to visitors during the monsoons between June and October. There are plenty of good accommodations available at Dandeli town.
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