Bhatkal
Encyclopedia
Bhatkal is also known as Batecala in some historical text especially in Portuguese history.Once ruled by Jain King Bhattakalanka and thus the name. Bhatkal is a port
town in Uttara Kannada
district of Karnataka
, India
126 km from Karwar. The town lies on NH-17 running between Mumbai
and Mangalore
. Bhatkal is one of the major stations along the Konkan Railway
line running between Mumbai and Mangalore
.The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport
.
in 1291 to 1343, Bhatkal later fell into the hands of the Vijayanagara empire
. After the disintegration of the empire, the Saluva (Jain) rulers of Hadwalli (a town on the State Highway towards Jog Falls
) brought this coveted town under their control. Many temples and basadis were constructed during this period. Vestiges of this period can be found in Mudbhatkal, where a few temples of that era still stand.
Chola emperors under Aditya I
, his son Parantaka I
and successor Sundara Chola also known as Paranta Chola II initially inavaded and conquered territories in the Kannada country between Gangavadi on the Mysore plateau and Bhatkal on the Sahyadri coast 880-975 AD. The Cholas invaded Bhatkal during 10th century. As a sign of their victory in Kannada country, they built Solesvara
Temple, believed to be the oldest temple, in commemoration of their conquest. Inscriptions from successive kings from Parantaka Chola I to Kulothunga Chola III
mention their generals as 'Lords of the Konkana' which included Bhatkal and of paying obesience to Lord Solesvarar of Konkana(**). The Portuguese also made their presence felt here in the beginning of the 16th century. From the Keladi rulers, Bhatkal was passed on to Hyder Ali
and Tipu Sultan
and later to the British in 1799 after Tipu Sultan
died.
, Bhatkal had a population of 31,785. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Bhatkal has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 73%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The Muslim [Nawayath] and the Hindus communities are predominant in Bhatkal. The people of Bhatkal are typically called "Bhatkalis" and have since the 1960s spread afar, including UK, America, Australia but more so across the Middle East especially Bahrain,Dubai,Oman,Qatar,Saudi.Kannada is the predominant language of the people of Bhatkal. Nawayati is the most widely spoken language of the town by nawayathi muslims.
The Bhatkal Nawayath is known as owned business like Garment showroom, House material, Real Estate , Hotel , Super Market,Construction Business, Other Engineering Industries, Whole Seller of Import item,travel.etc
The place has been attracting a wide range of tourists to this place.
As far as cuisine is concerned its widely large because of amalgamation of different cultures.
.
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
town in Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada also known as North Canara or North Kanara, is a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belgaum District to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shimoga District and Udupi District to the south and the...
district of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
126 km from Karwar. The town lies on NH-17 running between Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
. Bhatkal is one of the major stations along the Konkan Railway
Konkan Railway
The Konkan Railway is a railway line which runs along the Konkan coast of India. It was constructed and is operated by the Konkan Railway Corporation...
line running between Mumbai and Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
.The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport
Mangalore International Airport
Mangalore Airport, formerly known as Bajpe Airport, is a domestic and customs airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India...
.
History
By virtue of its strategic location, Bhatkal has a chequered history. Bhatkal witnessed the rise and fall of several dynasties and rulers. A part of Hoysala empireHoysala Empire
The Hoysala Empire was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga empire that ruled most of the modern day state of Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu....
in 1291 to 1343, Bhatkal later fell into the hands of the Vijayanagara empire
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
. After the disintegration of the empire, the Saluva (Jain) rulers of Hadwalli (a town on the State Highway towards Jog Falls
Jog Falls
Jog Falls , created by the Sharavathi River falling from a height of is the second-highest plunge waterfall in India Located in Sagara, Karnataka Shimoga District of Karnataka state, these segmented falls are a major tourist attraction...
) brought this coveted town under their control. Many temples and basadis were constructed during this period. Vestiges of this period can be found in Mudbhatkal, where a few temples of that era still stand.
Chola emperors under Aditya I
Aditya I
Aditya I , the son of Vijayalaya, was the first great Chola king of South India who extended the Chola dominions by the conquest of the Pallavas.- Pallava Civil War :...
, his son Parantaka I
Parantaka I
Parantaka Chola I ruled the Chola kingdom in southern India for forty-eight years. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success and prosperity.-The Invasion of the Pandya Kingdom:...
and successor Sundara Chola also known as Paranta Chola II initially inavaded and conquered territories in the Kannada country between Gangavadi on the Mysore plateau and Bhatkal on the Sahyadri coast 880-975 AD. The Cholas invaded Bhatkal during 10th century. As a sign of their victory in Kannada country, they built Solesvara
Solesvara
The Solesvara temples were in honor of the Chola kings, who were believers in Shiva, the Hindu god.Other Shiva temples built by Chola:* Sundaresvara temple at Tirukattalai * Komganatha temple at Srinivasanallur...
Temple, believed to be the oldest temple, in commemoration of their conquest. Inscriptions from successive kings from Parantaka Chola I to Kulothunga Chola III
Kulothunga Chola III
Kulothunga Chola III was the ruler of the Chola empire from 1178 to 1218 AD, after succeeding Rajadhiraja Chola II. Kulothunga Chola III gained success in war against his traditional foes. He gained victories in war against the Pandyas of Madurai, Cheras of Venad, Hoysalas of Mysore, the Sinhala...
mention their generals as 'Lords of the Konkana' which included Bhatkal and of paying obesience to Lord Solesvarar of Konkana(**). The Portuguese also made their presence felt here in the beginning of the 16th century. From the Keladi rulers, Bhatkal was passed on to Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
and Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
and later to the British in 1799 after Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
died.
Communal Violence
Bhatkal known for its communal tension between Hindu and Muslim community,has on various occasions seen communal riots dating from 1968,1978,1985,1994.The tension has never panned down because of the demographics of the town mainly.Geography
Bhatkal is located at 13.97°N 74.57°E. It has an average elevation of 4 metres (13 ft).Demographics
As of 2001 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Bhatkal had a population of 31,785. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Bhatkal has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 73%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The Muslim [Nawayath] and the Hindus communities are predominant in Bhatkal. The people of Bhatkal are typically called "Bhatkalis" and have since the 1960s spread afar, including UK, America, Australia but more so across the Middle East especially Bahrain,Dubai,Oman,Qatar,Saudi.Kannada is the predominant language of the people of Bhatkal. Nawayati is the most widely spoken language of the town by nawayathi muslims.
The Bhatkal Nawayath is known as owned business like Garment showroom, House material, Real Estate , Hotel , Super Market,Construction Business, Other Engineering Industries, Whole Seller of Import item,travel.etc
Tourism and Cuisine
Bhatkal has been quite a hustling tourist spot mainly because of Murdeshwara Temple, World Renowned Shiva Statue and Beaches.The place has been attracting a wide range of tourists to this place.
As far as cuisine is concerned its widely large because of amalgamation of different cultures.
Educational institutions
The town is strewn with educational institutions managed by Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen, a pioneering education trust founded in 1919. It has played a prominent role in spreading education across all sections of society in Bhatkal. The Bhatkal Education Trust also runs a few institutions. The Jamia Islamia is a centre for Islamic studiesIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
- Anjuman Institute of Technology and Management
- Anjuman Arts, Science & Commerce College
- Anjuman Nursery and Primary School
- Anjuman Girls High School
- Anjuman Engineering College
- Anjuman Pre-University College for Women
- Anjuman College for Women
- Anjuman Institute of Management
- Anjuman Boys High School
- Anjuman Noor Primary School
- Anjuman Girls High School, Navayath Colony
- Anjuman Azad Primary School
- Zangi Girls High School
- The New English School
- The New English Pre-University college
- Shree Guru Sudhindra College
- Shree Guru Sudhindra BBA & BCA College
- Shree Jnaaneshwari College of Education (B.Ed)
- Shree Jnaaneshwari College of Education (M.Ed)
- H.H. Swami Parijnanashram College of Education (D.Ed)
- Vidyanjali Public School (CICSE Syllabus) Bhatkal
- Vidyabharati English Medium School Bhatkal
- Anand Ashram Convent School Bhatkal
- Jamia Islamia Bhatkal, Karnataka, India
- Jamia Saliha
- Jamia Maktab
- Karavali High School
- Shams English Medium High School
- Shams Nursery and Primary School
- Islamia Anglo Urdu High School
- Naunihaal Central School
- Navayath Colony School
- Shams English Medium High School
- Shams Nursery and Primary School