Kanara
Encyclopedia
The Kanara or Canara region (Kannada/Tulu
: Karavali ಕರಾವಳಿ & Konkani:करावली ) comprises three coastal districts of Karnataka
, namely Dakshina Kannada
, Udupi and Uttara Kannada
and Kasaragod
district of Kerala
in southwestern India
. Kanara forms the southern part of the Konkan
coast. The length of this region from north to south is around 300 km and width varies from 30 km to 110 km. The region is characterised by swaying palms
and swift brooks running towards the Arabian Sea
.
According to legend Parashurama
, the avatar of Vishnu
, retrieved this place from the sea by throwing his axe into the sea. The sea fell back to the place where his axe fell. Hence this place is also called Parshurama Kshetra.
According to Historian Severino da Silva in his book History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, he mentioned that ancient names for this region are Kol Kannam (Tamil
: no man's land) or Parashuram Srashti (creation of Parashuram). According to Mr. Severine Silva, a former advocate at Karwar
and Stephen Fuchs author of the work The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India The name Canara is the invention of Europe
an traders (Portuguese
, Dutch
and English
) who for the purpose of trade came to this tract from the early 16th century onwards. The Bednore Dynasty, under whose rule this tract was at that time, was known to them as the Kannada Dynasty, i.e., the dynasty speaking the Kannada language
. The letter 'd' being always pronounced like 'r' by the Europeans, the district was named by them Kanara (or Kannada). This name was retained by the British
after their occupation of the district in 1799, and ever since this name has remained. However according to them the controversy over the meaning of the place-name 'Canara' does not end with this explanation. It is a complicated question which cannot be discussed here.
, probably from the word Tulavu which in Tulu language means - to row (the boat), since most of the early settlements of Tuluvas were on the banks estuary or rivers. It is impossible to state at what period this name was introduced; but it is certain that it came into existence only after the coastal strip of Canara was reclaimed from the sea and populated. The people who first settled here were called Tuluvas. Since very little research has been done about the prehistory of Canara, it is difficult to know who the earliest inhabitants of Tuluva were. Tuluvas probably migrated to this region from North western India around 1500 B.C.
(North Canara) whose administrative headquarters is Karwar
, Udupi district
whose district headquarters is Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada
(South Canara), whose administrative headquarters is Mangalore
. The region is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats
and on the west by the Arabian Sea
. The coastal strip between the Western Ghats and the sea, including Kanara and the state of Goa
and coastal Maharashtra
to the north, is known as the Konkan
coast, while the coast of Kerala
is known as the Malabar coast
. Kanara is also known as the Karavali coast.
and Konkani
there are many common factors in food, culture, rituals, traditions. Rice, fish and coconut
oil are commonly used ingedients in the food of the people of Karavali region. Spirit worship (Bhuta Kola), Serpent worship (Nagaradhane
), Buffalo race (Kambala
), Yakshagana
are some of common traditional rituals followed.
Major ethnic groups are the Kannadigas
, Tuluvas and Konkanis .
The main languages spoken in this area are Kannada, Tulu
and Konkani. Konkani is mainly spoken in the northern part while Tulu
is predominantly spoken in the south.But language Kannada is predominantaly spoken in the Taluk of Kundapur in Udupi district
& in the major parts of Uttara Kannada
District. The majority of the people follow Hinduism
. Other religions practiced include Christianity
and Islam. Tulu speakers are exclusively Hindus. This region has many sites of Hindu pilgrimage including Kollur
, Kadri Manjunath Temple
, Sharavu, Mangaladevi, Dharmasthala
, Kukke Subramanya Temple, Udupi Srikrishna Matha (Temple)
, Kateel
, Murdeshwara, Idagungi and Gokarna
.
The region is known for its wide variety of vegetarian dishes. Fish is the staple diet among the non-vegetarians here. Coconut
is used generously in all the dishes.
and Udupi have provided a lot of employment.
runs through the length of this region. The largest railway terminus in this region is at Mangalore
. There are two major ports, New Mangalore Port and Karwar.
The only airport in this region is Mangalore International Airport
, with air connections to major cities in India
and the Middle East
. The southern part of this region is one of the most industrialised regions of Karnataka, with Karnataka's only petroleum refinery, iron ore pelletisation plants, steel plants, and fertiliser plants.
, a prosperous region of Karnataka
and Kerala
, is based on fact that Tuluvas are culturally very distinct from the rest of Karnataka. Spirit worship (Bhuta Kola), Serpent worship (Nagaradhane
) are can see only in Tulunadu. So this Tuluvas have been demanding a separate state, or at least autonomy. Both the Karnataka and Kerala state governments have created Tulu Sahitya Academy- for the preservation and promotion of Tuluva culture, and to counter this accusation of cultural neglect.
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
: Karavali ಕರಾವಳಿ & Konkani:करावली ) comprises three coastal districts 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...
, namely Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
, Udupi and 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...
and Kasaragod
Kasaragod
Kasaragod is a town and a municipality in Kasaragod district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district as well as of Kasaragod Taluk...
district of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in southwestern 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...
. Kanara forms the southern part of the Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
coast. The length of this region from north to south is around 300 km and width varies from 30 km to 110 km. The region is characterised by swaying palms
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
and swift brooks running towards the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
.
Etymology
Parashurama
Parashurama , is the sixth avatar of Vishnu and belongs to the treta yuga, and is the son of a Brahmin father Jamadagni and mother Renuka. He is considered one of the seven immortal human. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of...
, the avatar of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, retrieved this place from the sea by throwing his axe into the sea. The sea fell back to the place where his axe fell. Hence this place is also called Parshurama Kshetra.
According to Historian Severino da Silva in his book History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, he mentioned that ancient names for this region are Kol Kannam (Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
: no man's land) or Parashuram Srashti (creation of Parashuram). According to Mr. Severine Silva, a former advocate at Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...
and Stephen Fuchs author of the work The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India The name Canara is the invention of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an traders (Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and English
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
) who for the purpose of trade came to this tract from the early 16th century onwards. The Bednore Dynasty, under whose rule this tract was at that time, was known to them as the Kannada Dynasty, i.e., the dynasty speaking the Kannada language
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
. The letter 'd' being always pronounced like 'r' by the Europeans, the district was named by them Kanara (or Kannada). This name was retained by the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
after their occupation of the district in 1799, and ever since this name has remained. However according to them the controversy over the meaning of the place-name 'Canara' does not end with this explanation. It is a complicated question which cannot be discussed here.
History
One of the main indigenous groups of this district are called TuluvaTuluva
The Tuluva -Geographic Distribution :Though most of the Tuluva population is found in the Tulu Nadu region, migrant poplulations are found the world over. In recent times, the first period of migration started at the beginning of the 20th century to places such as Mumbai and Chennai and other...
, probably from the word Tulavu which in Tulu language means - to row (the boat), since most of the early settlements of Tuluvas were on the banks estuary or rivers. It is impossible to state at what period this name was introduced; but it is certain that it came into existence only after the coastal strip of Canara was reclaimed from the sea and populated. The people who first settled here were called Tuluvas. Since very little research has been done about the prehistory of Canara, it is difficult to know who the earliest inhabitants of Tuluva were. Tuluvas probably migrated to this region from North western India around 1500 B.C.
Geography
The three districts in the region are Uttara KannadaUttara 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...
(North Canara) whose administrative headquarters is Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...
, Udupi district
Udupi district
Udupi district , ಉಡುಪಿ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ) in the Karnataka state of India was created in August 1997. The three northern taluks, Udupi, Kundapur and Karkal, were separated from Dakshina Kannada District to form Udupi district. Udupi district is surrounded by Uttara Kannada district in north, Dakshina Kannada...
whose district headquarters is Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
(South Canara), whose administrative headquarters is 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 region is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
and on the west by the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. The coastal strip between the Western Ghats and the sea, including Kanara and the state of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and coastal Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
to the north, is known as the Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
coast, while the coast of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
is known as the Malabar coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. Kanara is also known as the Karavali coast.
Culture
Even though many languages are spoken here including Kannada, TuluTulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
and Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
there are many common factors in food, culture, rituals, traditions. Rice, fish and coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
oil are commonly used ingedients in the food of the people of Karavali region. Spirit worship (Bhuta Kola), Serpent worship (Nagaradhane
Nagaradhane
Nagaradhane is a form of snake worship which, along with Bhuta Kola, is one of the unique traditions prevalent in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada , Udupi and Kasaragod alternatively known as Tulu Nadu- Origin of Nagaradhane :...
), Buffalo race (Kambala
Kambala
Kambaḷa is a traditional water buffalo race in muddy waters held from December until March. It is the native sport of Tulu Nadu region of South India.-Format :...
), Yakshagana
Yakshagana
Yakshagana is a musical theater popular in the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, India. Yakshagana is the recent scholastic name for what are known as kēḷike, āṭa, bayalāṭa, bayalāṭa, daśāvatāra . It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during Bhakti movement...
are some of common traditional rituals followed.
Major ethnic groups are the Kannadigas
Kannadigas
Kannadiga , or Kannadati is a reference to the people who natively speak the Kannada language. Kannadigas are mainly located in the state of Karnataka in India and in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra...
, Tuluvas and Konkanis .
The main languages spoken in this area are Kannada, Tulu
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
and Konkani. Konkani is mainly spoken in the northern part while Tulu
Tülu
A Tülu Camel is a breed of camel that results from mating a male Bactrian camel with a female Dromedary. This breed is sometimes called an F1 Hybrid Camel. The resulting camel is larger than either a Bactrian or a Dromedary, and has traditionally been used as a draft animal. This breed of camel...
is predominantly spoken in the south.But language Kannada is predominantaly spoken in the Taluk of Kundapur in Udupi district
Udupi district
Udupi district , ಉಡುಪಿ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ) in the Karnataka state of India was created in August 1997. The three northern taluks, Udupi, Kundapur and Karkal, were separated from Dakshina Kannada District to form Udupi district. Udupi district is surrounded by Uttara Kannada district in north, Dakshina Kannada...
& in the major parts of 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. The majority of the people follow Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. Other religions practiced include Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Islam. Tulu speakers are exclusively Hindus. This region has many sites of Hindu pilgrimage including Kollur
Kollur
Kolluru is a tiny hamlet situated about from Kundapur Town, about away from Mangalore City in Karnataka state in the southern part of India...
, Kadri Manjunath Temple
Kadri Manjunath Temple
The Kadri Manjunatha Temple located in Mangalore in the state of Karnataka, India, dates back to approximately 1068 The square temple built with nine water tanks, nestles at the foot of the highest hill at Kadri in Mangalore.-Description:...
, Sharavu, Mangaladevi, Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala is a temple village on the banks of the Nethravathi River in the Belthangadi taluk of the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka....
, Kukke Subramanya Temple, Udupi Srikrishna Matha (Temple)
Udupi Krishna Temple
Udupi Sri Krishna Matha is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to god Krishna located in the town of Udupi in Karnataka, India....
, Kateel
Kateel
Kateel or Kateelu is a temple town in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, India. It is about 29 kilometers away from Mangaluru and is considered one of the holiest temple towns in Hinduism...
, Murdeshwara, Idagungi and Gokarna
Gokarna, India
Gokarna is a village in the Uttara Kannada district of the Karnataka state, India. It is a Hindu pilgrimage centre as well as a tourist destination in India. Gokarna is a temple town and is referred to in a number of Hindu historical literature pieces. The main deity is Lord Mahabhaleshwara, a...
.
The region is known for its wide variety of vegetarian dishes. Fish is the staple diet among the non-vegetarians here. Coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
is used generously in all the dishes.
Occupation
The people of this region have always been known for farming and fishing. But since the last few years, an influx of a large number of BPOs and IT companies (especially in and around MangaloreMangalore
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...
and Udupi have provided a lot of employment.
Commerce
This region is also known as 'the cradle of Indian banking'. Konkan railwayKonkan 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...
runs through the length of this region. The largest railway terminus in this region is at 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...
. There are two major ports, New Mangalore Port and Karwar.
The only airport in this region 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...
, with air connections to major cities in 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...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The southern part of this region is one of the most industrialised regions of Karnataka, with Karnataka's only petroleum refinery, iron ore pelletisation plants, steel plants, and fertiliser plants.
Demand for Statehood
The demand for creation of a separate state of Tulu NaduTulu Nadu
Tulu Nadu is a Tulu-speaking region spread over to parts of present Karnataka and Kerala States of India. It consists of the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and the northern parts of the Kasaragod district of Kerala up to the Payaswini River...
, a prosperous region 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...
and Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, is based on fact that Tuluvas are culturally very distinct from the rest of Karnataka. Spirit worship (Bhuta Kola), Serpent worship (Nagaradhane
Nagaradhane
Nagaradhane is a form of snake worship which, along with Bhuta Kola, is one of the unique traditions prevalent in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada , Udupi and Kasaragod alternatively known as Tulu Nadu- Origin of Nagaradhane :...
) are can see only in Tulunadu. So this Tuluvas have been demanding a separate state, or at least autonomy. Both the Karnataka and Kerala state governments have created Tulu Sahitya Academy- for the preservation and promotion of Tuluva culture, and to counter this accusation of cultural neglect.