Literature and Culture 739
Literature and Culture 739 CHAPTER XIV LITERATURE AND CULTURE Mandya district is known in the Puranas to have been a part of Dandakaranya forest. It is said there that sages such as Mandavya, Mytreya, Kadamba, Koundliya, Kanva, Agasthya, Gautama and others did penance in this area. Likewise, literature and cultural heritage also come down here since times immemorial. The district of Mandya is dotted with scenic spots like Kunthibetta, Karighatta, Narayanadurga, Gajarajagiri, Adicunchanagiri and other hills; rivers such as Kaveri, Hemavathi, Lokapavani, Shimsha and Viravaishnavi; waterfalls like Gaganachukki, Bharachukki and Shimha; and bird sanctuaries like Ranganathittu, Kokkare Bellur and Gendehosalli, which are sure to have influenced the development of literature and culture of this area. Places like Srirangapattana, Nagamangala, Malavalli, Melukote, Tonnur, Kambadahalli, Bhindiganavile, Govindanahalli, Bellur, Belakavadi, Maddur, Arethippur, Vydyanathapura, Agrahara Bachahalli, Varahnatha Kallahalli, Aghalaya, Hosaholalu, Kikkeri, Basaralu, Dhanaguru, Haravu, Hosabudanuru, Marehalli and others were centers of rich cultural activities in the past. In some places dissemination of knowledge and development of education, arts and spiritual pursuits were carried out by using temples as workshops. Religious places such as Tonnur and Melukote from where Ramanujacharya, who propounded Srivaishanva philosophy; Arethippur, 740 Mandya District Gazetteer Kambadahalli and Basthikote, the centers of Jainism; the temples of Sriranganatha and Gangadharanatha
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