ISSN (Online) : 2455 - 3662 SJIF Impact Factor :4.924 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Monthly Peer Reviewed & Indexed International Online Journal Volume: 4 Issue:9 September 2018 Published By : EPRA Journals CC License Volume: 4 | Issue: 9 | September 2018 SJIF Impact Factor: 4.924 ISSN (Online): 2455-3662 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) A STUDY ON GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF KARNATAKA STATE Prof. S.A. Kerutagi Associate professor, Geography Dept. C.M.Managuli Arts, Science and Commerce college, Sindagi, Karnataka, India INTRODUCTION 180451 North and longitudinally from 740121 to 780 The state of Karnataka is a tourist paradise and 1 (map2.1) geographers‟ workshop with its special geographical 40 of East . The maximum latitudinal extent is location and features. It has rivers, hills and 70 141 from Aurad taluk of Bidar district in the North to mountains, valleys, plains and Plateau, varieties of Moyar River in the South (Chamarajanagar) for a Plants and animals, forests and mineral resources. It is distance of 750 Km. The maximum longitudinal not only rich in Sandalwood, and Spices but also the extent is 40 281 from Karwar of Uttar Kannada world‟s richest bio-diversity center. Karnataka has a rich district in the west to Mulbagilu taluk of Kolar heritage and history; it inspires people to create a bright district in the extreme east for a distance of 400 future in many ways. kms (Dr.Ranganatha 2012). It is the eighth largest states Location and extent of the study area: of the Indian union with a total Geographical area of 1, The Southern state of Karnataka is a Pioneer in 91,791 sq. Kms, It is accounting for 5.83percent of the many fields among the Indian states. According to one total area of the country (Karnataka gazetteer 1981, ancient text, the poetics entitled “Kaviraja magra” N.B.K. Reddy and G.S.Murty 1967). belongs to th ORIGIN OF THE NAME 9 century that land of Karnataka stretched from There are no scholarly consents on the exact Cauvery to Godavari (Karnataka gazetteer 1981, 2005). evidence for the term Karnataka. According to a group, it Now it is located in the western part of Decca plateau. It is derived from Kar+nadu literally black land or the land has both water and land boundaries. It has common of the black soil. No doubt major parts of the Karnataka border with Maharastra in the North, Andrapradesh in covered by black soil. Others have held that it is derived the East, Tamilnadu in the South and Southeast, from Karu+Nadu which mean elevated land or country. Kerala in the Southwest and Goa in the North West. Compared to the eastern parts, western part is more Western part is flanked by the Arabian Sea. The State elevated (Karnataka gazetteer1981). shape resembles like cashew nut. It extends Latitudinally from 110311 to www.eprajournals.com Volume: 4 | Issue: 9 | September 2018 54 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) | ISSN (Online): 2455 -3662 | SJIF Impact Factor: 4.924 Map: Location Map of Karnataka REORGANIZATION OF THE STATE remained as Karnataka on 1st November 1973. It took There is nothing in a United Karnataka, United seventeen years for renaming the state as Karnataka. study and history of Karnataka before 1st November PHYSIOGRAPHY OF KARNATAKA 1956. Because, The Kannada speaking are as were Physiographically Karnataka State forms two spread in various 19 administrative provinces. In the later well-designed macro regions of Indian union, they are: part of the nineteenth century, the people of Karnataka The Deccan plateau and the coastal plains or lowlands were involved in two large scale political movements. and Islands (Karnataka gazetteer 1981). On the basis of They are (1) Karnataka Ekikarana or Unification geographical structure and relief features the state can be Movement and (2) Congress movement. The demand of divided into three major physiographic regions: the Karnataka Unification was to reconstitute the 1. The Coastal Region Kanndigas in to a single province based on the principle 2. The Malnad Region of one language and one province. Because, at the time 3. The Maidan Region. of independence, Kannada speaking people were These broad natural divisions naturally unfolded scattered in almost 19 different provinces and after the themselves, although several studies further divided independence all these were brought under 5 (Learmonth A.T.A. et.al.1962, N.B.K. Reddy and administrative units. Under the state reorganization act of G.S.Murty1967, Karnataka state gazetteer 1982, 1956, the new Mysore state was formed on1st November Handbook of Karnataka 2005) on the basis climate and 1956, declared Bangalore as its capital. Later it has natural conditions. The chart above 2.1 shows the Physiographic divisions of Karnataka. www.eprajournals.com Volume: 4 | Issue: 9 | September 2018 55 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) | ISSN (Online): 2455 -3662 | SJIF Impact Factor: 4.924 Physiographic Divisions of Karnataka THE COASTAL REGION Devirammanagudda(1817m) Rudragiri (1715m), Meruti (1641m) Ballalarayanadurga (1500m) Varahaparvata It is a narrow strip of land about 400 Km length situated (1434m) Kodachadri (1323m), Puspagiri or Subramanya between the WesternGhats and Arabian Sea (Learmonth (1731m) Brahmagiri, Mertigudda (1677m) etc. 0 1 0 1 A.T.A. et.al.1962). It lies between 11 4 to 14 21 North Charmudighat, Agumbeghat and Kollurghat in the latitudes. It stretches from Karwar town in the North to a Western Ghats provide communication between the little beyond Mangalore city in the South varies between coastal plain and the Malnad region. The Malnad with 25 and 65 Kilometers. Its unity lies in its openness to its high elevations, steep slopes, rugged relief and maritime influence. It is a plain of low relief built up of heavy rainfall is a potential source of hydro-electric sands alluvium and lateritic materials. It is transitional power. The world famous Jog falls is and well in character, because it lies between the submerging known Shivanasamudram falls situated here. It is a Bombay coast (Konkana coast) in the North and source of many useful rivers. Its dark forest covers a Emergent Kerala (Malbar) coast in the South continuous source of fuel timber and other. The slope of consequently. It has number of sandy bays like Karwar the Western Ghats contains coffee and tea plantations. Its bay, the Belekere bay and the Bhatkal Bay (.B.K. Reddy delightful natural beauty spots provide excellent centers and G.S.Murty1967). There are no large deltas along the for tourists. It has deep gorges and valleys lofty ranges coast probably due to most active South West Monsoon. and evergreen forest. As a result of these N.B.K.Reddy Learmonth A.T.A (1962) broadly divided the coastal belt and G.S. Murthy says (1967) Himalayas are the into three longitudinal and parallels belts. They are “National Mountain of India” and the “Sahyadris are the Coastal Plain :- It is a low plain of river Mountains of Karnataka State” deposition Semi-malnad: - It is a long Narrow zone situated Coastal low plateau:-. It is the between Malnad and Maidan and running north to south product of marine denudation and so can for the whole length of the State. be described as “Marine Platform”. Coastal Malnad: - The rest of the The Maidan Region: - The Maidan which is a dissected hill with more forested and less flat and rolling open area situated in the east of the cleared for field of Agriculture area, semimalnad. Its monotonous landscape and unvaried Learmonth termed as coastal Malnad. relief represents a senile topography. The Maidan gently Malnad Region: - According to Learmonth, it is the slop is towards the east and its height increases from mainly forested hilly area lying east of the Ghats edge North to South like Bidar to Chamarajanagara. The and west of Maidan boundary. It is also known studies (Learmonth A.T.A 1962, N.B.K.Reddy and as„Sahyadris‟. It extends continuous belt through the G.S.Murthy 1967, Karnataka state gezeteer1982) divide state, from Northwest to South east, almost close to the the Maidan in to two regions. They are: Northern Arabian Sea, finally culminating or joining in the mighty Maidan Region and Southern Maidan region. Nilgiris. There are many peaks in the Western Ghats. The Northern Maidan Region: -It is also termed These were formed by the erosional action of rivers on as “lower erosion surface” and the height varies from the flat topped residual plateau. The most important 1200 to 1500 m. It is the land North of the peaks are Mullayyanagiri (1913m) in Bababudangiri hills Tungabadra river and to the east of the Western Ghats. It which is the highest peak of the state. Kalhatgiri is a Monotonous, seemingly endless plateau, covered (1893m), Kuduremukh (1872m) www.eprajournals.com Volume: 4 | Issue: 9 | September 2018 56 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) | ISSN (Online): 2455 -3662 | SJIF Impact Factor: 4.924 with rich block cotton soils and large open treeless fields. Karnataka region itself is more elevated and Major part of this region is occupied by the Krishna river rugged than the northern Karnataka region. Basin. This is highly eroded and dissected by the Geological Features: Geological structure Bhima, Don, Krishna, Tungabhadra rivers. A low of the region represents the relief features, extension of Mahadevo range ending at Bijapur, forms distribution of minerals, rocks and soils. These the watershed between the Bhima and the Krishna rivers. effects on the economic activities of the human In some of the Limestone areas faulting has resulted in beings. CKR is formed by the Deccan Traps and giving rugged appearance to the landform of the east of Recent laterite or Tertiary/Alluvial Deposits.