Kollegal
Encyclopedia
Kollegal is one of the major taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State
in the south of India
. Kollegal is well known for its silk
industry which attracts traders from all over the state.
. After Independence
, it was switched to Karnataka primarily for linguistic reasons. Kollegal is the name derived from the names of two hermits namely 'Kauhala' and 'Galava' who were believed to be instrumental to the development of the place.
This city is famous for its handloom silk saree industry. This city is also called "silk city". Kollegal is one of the larger taluks in Karnataka and was previously the largest. Plans are underway to divide Kollegal taluk with Hanur
as the capital of the new taluk in the Chamrajnagar District. This separation has been ongoing for years but without becoming entirely effective yet. The population of Kollegal city in 2005 has been estimated as 52,000. Kollegal serves as a centre for Pre-University education in the region. Well known schools in Kollegal are Lions High School, Sree Vasavi Vidya Kendra,Nisarga Independent PU college, St. Francis Assisi, Seventh Day Adventist, and Mudigundam Gurukaar Subappa Veerappa (MGSV). Mahadeshwara degree college is an addition to the education arena. Lions High School, run by the prestigious Lions Club of Kollegal, also started its Junior College in the 1990s offering courses in Science (PCMB) and commerce (EGCA). St. Francis Assisi, which was only Kannada medium before, has started English medium education for high school.
Kollegal was one of the areas which played host to the activities of Veerappan
, a notorious bandit who smuggled sandalwood
and poached elephants.
Many tourists visit the Kollegal area. The Malai Mahadeshwara Hills, and the waterfalls at Hogenakal near to Male Mahadeshwara hills and the waterfalls of Gagana Chukki and Bhara Chukki at Shivana Samudra (also known as Bluff) are popular destinations. In kollegal there is a small hill called "Maradi Gudda" this is the unique attraction of Kollegal, and Gundal dam is just 15 km (9.3 mi) away from Kollegal.
Kollegal is connected by two national highways:
The nearest Railway stations are Chamarjnagar 30 km (18.6 mi) and Mysore (MYS) 60 km (37.3 mi). Nearest airport is Bangalore International Airport (BIA), 150 km (93.2 mi) away. Kollegal is the main junction where you can enter Salem, Coimbatore, Ooty, Kozhikode, Mysore & Bangalore. The Biligiri Rangana Betta (known as BR hills) is just 30 km (18.6 mi) away from the town.
The K.Gudi (Kyathadevara Gudi) Wilderness camp run by the Jungle lodges and resorts (a govenrment of Karnantaka undertaking) is near the B.R hills.
There are two bus routes from Bangalore to Kollegal:
Kollegal is located at 12.15°N 77.12°E. It has an average elevation of 588 m (1,929.1 ft). Since the town is on the foothills of the Western Ghats
, it is home to a mixed topography. Temperature is moderate.
Geologically Kollegal is a safe place as no disasters like flooding,earthquake etc. occur.
, Kollegal had a population of 52,450. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Kollegal has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 64%. In Kollegal, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
People in Kollegal speak a variation of Kannada
distinct from that spoken in Mysore and Bangalore
. This dialect of Kannada at times suffixes da when spoken among pals. Kannada as spoken in Kollegal was used in the 2005 film Jogi starring Shivarajkumar.
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...
in the south of 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...
. Kollegal is well known for its silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
industry which attracts traders from all over the state.
History
Until 1956, Kollegal taluk was part of Coimbatore district of the Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. After Independence
Independence Day (India)
The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in...
, it was switched to Karnataka primarily for linguistic reasons. Kollegal is the name derived from the names of two hermits namely 'Kauhala' and 'Galava' who were believed to be instrumental to the development of the place.
This city is famous for its handloom silk saree industry. This city is also called "silk city". Kollegal is one of the larger taluks in Karnataka and was previously the largest. Plans are underway to divide Kollegal taluk with Hanur
Hanur
Hanur is a town and a newly formed taluk in Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka State, India. Previously, it was under Kollegal Taluk.-Description:...
as the capital of the new taluk in the Chamrajnagar District. This separation has been ongoing for years but without becoming entirely effective yet. The population of Kollegal city in 2005 has been estimated as 52,000. Kollegal serves as a centre for Pre-University education in the region. Well known schools in Kollegal are Lions High School, Sree Vasavi Vidya Kendra,Nisarga Independent PU college, St. Francis Assisi, Seventh Day Adventist, and Mudigundam Gurukaar Subappa Veerappa (MGSV). Mahadeshwara degree college is an addition to the education arena. Lions High School, run by the prestigious Lions Club of Kollegal, also started its Junior College in the 1990s offering courses in Science (PCMB) and commerce (EGCA). St. Francis Assisi, which was only Kannada medium before, has started English medium education for high school.
Kollegal was one of the areas which played host to the activities of Veerappan
Veerappan
Koose Muniswamy Veerappan commonly known as Veerappan, was a notorious dacoit, or robber bandit, of India. He was active for a period of years in a broad swath of land covering 6,000 km² in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu...
, a notorious bandit who smuggled sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
and poached elephants.
Many tourists visit the Kollegal area. The Malai Mahadeshwara Hills, and the waterfalls at Hogenakal near to Male Mahadeshwara hills and the waterfalls of Gagana Chukki and Bhara Chukki at Shivana Samudra (also known as Bluff) are popular destinations. In kollegal there is a small hill called "Maradi Gudda" this is the unique attraction of Kollegal, and Gundal dam is just 15 km (9.3 mi) away from Kollegal.
Kollegal is connected by two national highways:
- NH 209 this starts from Bangalore-Dindugal via kollegal
- NH-212 this starts from Salem to Kozhikide(Calicut) kerala via kollegal.
The nearest Railway stations are Chamarjnagar 30 km (18.6 mi) and Mysore (MYS) 60 km (37.3 mi). Nearest airport is Bangalore International Airport (BIA), 150 km (93.2 mi) away. Kollegal is the main junction where you can enter Salem, Coimbatore, Ooty, Kozhikode, Mysore & Bangalore. The Biligiri Rangana Betta (known as BR hills) is just 30 km (18.6 mi) away from the town.
The K.Gudi (Kyathadevara Gudi) Wilderness camp run by the Jungle lodges and resorts (a govenrment of Karnantaka undertaking) is near the B.R hills.
There are two bus routes from Bangalore to Kollegal:
- Bangalore->Maddur->Malvalli->Kollegal
- Bangalore->Kanakapura->Malvalli->Kollegal
Geography
Kollegal is located at 12.15°N 77.12°E. It has an average elevation of 588 m (1,929.1 ft). Since the town is on the foothills of 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...
, it is home to a mixed topography. Temperature is moderate.
Geologically Kollegal is a safe place as no disasters like flooding,earthquake etc. occur.
Demographics
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...
, Kollegal had a population of 52,450. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Kollegal has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 64%. In Kollegal, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
People in Kollegal speak a variation of Kannada
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...
distinct from that spoken in Mysore and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. This dialect of Kannada at times suffixes da when spoken among pals. Kannada as spoken in Kollegal was used in the 2005 film Jogi starring Shivarajkumar.