Major Tourist Places in Karnataka

• Kabini

  The Kabani, also called Kabini or Kapila, is one of the major tributaries of the river Cauvery in southern India. It originates in the Wayanad District of Kerala state by the confluence of the Panamaram River and the Mananthavady River

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• Jog Falls

  Jog Falls, Gerosoppa Falls or Joga Falls, located in sagara taluk, is one of the highest plunge waterfalls in India. It is a segmented waterfall which, depending on rain and season, becomes a plunge waterfall. The falls are a major tourist attraction and is ranked 13th in the world by the waterfall database.

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• Shimoga

  Shimoga (Shivamogga) is a city in Karnataka state, southwest India. Shivappa Nayaka Palace Museum has 16th- to 18th-century stone carvings displayed on its lawns. Nearby is the huge, modern Sacred Heart Cathedral. Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is home to species such as egrets and cormorants. The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary shelters elephants, tigers and panthers. Northwest of Shimoga are the powerful, towering Jog Falls.

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• Karwar

  Karwar is a port city in the South Indian state of Karnataka. It???s known for beaches like Rabindranath Tagore Beach, with dive spots, and black-sand Tilmati Beach to the north. The INS Chapal (K94) Warship Museum, in a former missile boat, has artifacts and videos on the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The hilltop Sadashivgad Fort has a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga, plus views of the Kali River and Arabian Sea

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• Bandipur National Park

  Bandipur National Park, an 874-sq.-km forested reserve in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is known for its small population of tigers. Once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Mysore, the park also harbors Indian elephants, spotted deer, gaurs (bison), antelopes and numerous other native species. The 14th-century Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple offers views from the park's highest peak.

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• Coorg Hills

  Kodagu, also known as Coorg, is a rural district in the southwest Indian state of Karnataka. In the area???s north, Madikeri Fort has 2 life-size elephant statues at its entrance, plus a Gothic-style church with a museum on its grounds. Nearby, the Hindu Omkareshwara Temple dates back to the 19th century. Farther north are the domed Raja???s Tomb, a burial place of Kodava kings, and cascading Abbi Falls.

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• Gol Gumbaz

  Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of king Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur. Construction of the tomb, located in Vijayapura, Karnataka, India, was started in 1626 and completed in 1656. The name is based on Gola gummata derived from Gol Gombadh meaning "circular dome". It follows the style of Deccan architecture.

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• Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

  Virupakha temple also known as Pampapati temple is considered the most sacred of the temples at the ancient town of Hampi. Situated on the southern bank of Tungabhadra and north of the Hemakuta hill, the temple complex is a long rectangular enclosure. The sanctum enshrines the Virupaksha linga (a representation of Lord Shiva). The vimana or the temple shrine towers over the surrounding landscape. Exquisite carvings and sculptures adorn the temple walls and ceilings. The mandapa (pillared outdoor hall) and ardhamandapa have intrinsically carved pillars, a common feature of all temples at Hampi.

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• Vitthala Temple, Hampi

  Perhaps no other structure or building in Hampi can compare with Vitthala temple in terms of its magnificence. It is the culmination of the Vijaynagar style of art and architecture. It is situated inside a rectangular enclosure and all along the enclosure walls are pillared colonnades. The gopura, the hundred-pillared mandapa, indeed, each structure within the complex are exquisite displays of craftsmanship, symbols of perseverance and architectural brilliance of the artists at Hampi.

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• Pattabhirama Temple, Hampi

  The Pattabhimara Temple with its spellbinding architecture is another stunner from Hampi. The richly carved and highly ornamental pillars of the mandapa facing the courtyard are mesmerising creations and a superb example of the Vijaynagara style of composite pillar architecture.

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• Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore

  Located atop Chamundi Hills 13 km from Mysore is the temple of Chamundeshwari or Durga, a fierce form of Shakti. The hill is named after Goddess Chamundi, an incarnation of Lord Shiva’s consort, Parvati. She was the patron goddess of the Wodeyar dynasty who ruled Mysore. A popular pilgrimage centre, pilgrims believe that a darshan of the goddess will help fulfil their desires. A flight of 1000 steps take the visitors to the hill top where they are greeted by the sight of the towering gopuram of the temple. The gopuram is one of the finest examples of the Dravidian style of architecture.

  Shakti Pithas

• Chennakesava Temple, Belur

  A stunner from the Hoysala period, the Chennakesava Temple at Belur will sweep you off your feet by its sheer beauty and grandeur. The temple structure has elaborate filigree works which gleams and shines like metal. Ornately sculptured pillars adorn the open mantapa which, according to art critic Gerard Foekema, is the most magnificent in all of medieval India. The Chennakesava Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is part of the temple complex which is listed under UNESCO World Heritage Site at Belur.

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