Thirthahalli
Encyclopedia
Thirthahalli is a panchayat town
located in the Shimoga District
of the state of Karnataka
, India
. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga
and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.
legend, the sage Parashurama
using an axe, chopped off his mother Renuka's head on the orders of his father, the great sage Jamadagni
. Later, Parashurama
tried to wash the blood stains off the axe by dipping it in various rivers. Despite his best efforts, a sesame
-sized blood stain remained on his axe. It was washed away only when he dipped his axe in the Tunga
river near Thirthahalli. This place is now called as Parashurama Thirtha (or RamaThirtha) and is the origin of the name Thirthahalli (halli means village in the native Kannada language). Near RamaThirtha, there is a stone mantapa called Rama Mantapa. This legend has made Thirthahalli a holy place for Hindus with a belief that a dip in the river Tunga
here will cure one of all sins.
, indicates that Maricha
, a relative of the Lanka
king Ravana
came in the disguise of a golden deer to enchant Sita
, the wife of Rama
. When Sita
requested Rama
to get her the deer, Rama
followed the deer and killed it. This incident is supposed to have happened near a place called Mrugavadhe in Thirthahalli Taluk. Mrugavadhe means Killing of an animal in the local Sanskrit
language.
Thirthahalli has a rich archaeological history with Neolithic
sites uncovered in Kunda Hill near Agumbe
and porthole
d burial chambers found at Arehalli near Thirthahalli.
A small fort was constructed at Kavaledurga, near Thirthahalli at around 9th century AD. The king of Belagutti, Cheluvarangappa strengthened this fort in the 14th century. Venkatappa Nayaka, a Keladi
king, acquired this fort and constructed seven battlements to protect this fort in the 16th century. Hyder Ali
conquered this fort in the 18th century and later the fort came under the rule of Tipu Sultan
and became part of the domain of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore.
it is located in the midst of dense forests of the Western Ghats
.
, one has to take the National Highway NH-206 to reach Shimoga and then take the above mentioned route. The total distance from Bangalore to Thirthahalli is 332 km. From Mangalore
, one can take NH-13 to reach Thirthahalli. The distance from Mangalore to Thirthahalli is around 146 km.There are numerous mini-buses from Udupi to Thirthahalli. From Udupi Railway Station,the distance to Thirthahalli is about 86 km.
.
which connects Thirthahalli on one side to a place called Kuruvalli on the other side. Now, Kuruvalli has become an extension of Thirthahalli.
temple
of Thirthahalli. This temple is made of stone and is on the banks of the river Tunga
. It is near the place Parashurama Thirtha. The sanctum sanctorum
of the temple has a Lingam
which is said to have been installed by Sage Parashurama
himself. The day when Parashurama
cleansed his axe to remove the sesame
-sized blood stain; is supposed to be the New Moon Day of Margashira month in the Hindu calendar
. That particular day is termed as Yellu Amavasya day (Yellu meaning sesame
and Amavasya meaning New Moon day) and every year on this day a festival termed as Yellu Amavasya Jatre is held in Thirthahalli.
Even though the festivities last for more than five days, three days are very important for the common public. On the day of Yellu Amavasya, the Utsava Moorthi (main idol) of Lord Sri Rameshwara is taken to the river and holy Abhishekam (consecration) is carried out on the idol in the Parashurama Thirtha. After this, the devotees take a holy dip at this place.
On the second day, the decorated temple chariot is pulled along the main street of Thirthahalli. This street; called as Car Street is a narrow street having a width of approximately 30 feet. The big chariot of the temple which occupies almost the whole width of the street, is pulled by devotees and the chariot even climbs a steep gradient on this road.
On the third day, the Utsava Moorthi is taken on a Teppa (raft) on river Tunga
to the river bank at Kuruvalli and brought back. This celebration is called Teppotsava (raft-festival). On this day, a lot of colourful crackers are lit and also the river banks, Tunga Bridge and Rama Mantap are decorated with lights.
This festival normally falls on last half of December or the first half of January. This festival attracts thousands of people from other cities.
this is the most holy place of thirthahalli and pradanaarchakaru was sri. Rajashekar bhat.
Road near Balebailu. Both are reachable by walk from the town. One can climb Anandagiri Gudda during any time of the year. Its height may be around 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 m). There is large mantapa with a big doom on this hill. One can relax on this mantapa and can enjoy scenic beauty. Tunga College is on the base of this hill. For climbing Siddeshwara Hill, the preferred months are October and November. This hill is also about 200 feet in height. From the top of this hill, one will be able to see the other big hills of Shimoga District such as Kodachadri
and Kundadri
.
is the native place of the great Kannada poet and playwright Kuvempu
. Kavishaila and Kavimane are two historical places to see in Kuppalli
.
is a small town in Thirthahalli Taluk famous for being the location where the television serial Malgudi Days
(based on a novel of the same name by the famous writer, R K Narayan) was shot. This town also attracts tourists who come to see a beautiful sunset over the valleys of the Western Ghats
. On a clear day, the Arabian Sea
can be seen from here. You can also see places such as barkana falls, jogi gundi, nishani hills and onake abbe falls which are very beautiful.
This place is also known for its wild life, mainly king cobras. This is referred to as the world's first king cobra sanctuary.
hills is situated near to Thirthahalli and Agumbe which has a beautiful pond and an old jain temple and also a very good view of the nearby villages you can get. It is 30 km from Thirthahalli town and 20 km from Agumbe
near Megaravalli.
and U R Ananthamurthy.
Other noted persons associated with Thirthahalli are
, Another is Government Degree College and a Polytechnics college, Sahyadri Polytechnic.
One of the famous Degree college in Thirthahalli. Affiliated to Kuvempu University. It offers graduation courses BA, B Sc., B Com., BCA and BBM. And also offers Pre-university courses in Arts, Science and Commerce.
One of the famous polytechnic in shivamogga district. It offers the courses like Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Science and Commercial Practice.
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Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in the Shimoga District
Shimoga District
Shimoga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga District lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats, a hilly area known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, and as the source of many of the area's rivers. Shimoga City is the administrative centre...
of the state 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...
, 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...
. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga
Tunga
Tunga may refer to:* Tunga River, a river in India* Tunga, Leyte, a municipality in the Philippines* Tunga, Trondheim, a location in Trondheim, Norway* Tunga , a Unicode typeface included in Windows XP that displays Kannada script...
and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.
Etymology
According to a HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
legend, the sage Parashurama
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...
using an axe, chopped off his mother Renuka's head on the orders of his father, the great sage Jamadagni
Jamadagni
Jamadagni is one of the Saptarishis in the seventh, i.e. the present Manvantara. He was a descendant of the sage Bhrigu, one of the Prajapatis created by Brahma, the God of Creation...
. Later, Parashurama
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...
tried to wash the blood stains off the axe by dipping it in various rivers. Despite his best efforts, a sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....
-sized blood stain remained on his axe. It was washed away only when he dipped his axe in the Tunga
Tunga
Tunga may refer to:* Tunga River, a river in India* Tunga, Leyte, a municipality in the Philippines* Tunga, Trondheim, a location in Trondheim, Norway* Tunga , a Unicode typeface included in Windows XP that displays Kannada script...
river near Thirthahalli. This place is now called as Parashurama Thirtha (or RamaThirtha) and is the origin of the name Thirthahalli (halli means village in the native Kannada language). Near RamaThirtha, there is a stone mantapa called Rama Mantapa. This legend has made Thirthahalli a holy place for Hindus with a belief that a dip in the river Tunga
Tunga
Tunga may refer to:* Tunga River, a river in India* Tunga, Leyte, a municipality in the Philippines* Tunga, Trondheim, a location in Trondheim, Norway* Tunga , a Unicode typeface included in Windows XP that displays Kannada script...
here will cure one of all sins.
History
Another legend related to the times of RamayanaRamayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, indicates that Maricha
Maricha
Maricha or Mareecha was a rakshasa who played a small but important part in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was thrown into a remote island by the arrow of Lord Rama when he tried to interrupt Sage Vishwamitra's yagna. After that he became very afraid of the very mention of the name Rama...
, a relative of the Lanka
Lanka
Sri Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata...
king Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
came in the disguise of a golden deer to enchant Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, the wife of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. When Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
requested Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
to get her the deer, Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
followed the deer and killed it. This incident is supposed to have happened near a place called Mrugavadhe in Thirthahalli Taluk. Mrugavadhe means Killing of an animal in the local Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language.
Thirthahalli has a rich archaeological history with Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
sites uncovered in Kunda Hill near Agumbe
Agumbe
Agumbe is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South". It is also the home of the Agumbe...
and porthole
Porthole
A porthole is a generally circular, window used on the hull of ships to admit light and air. Porthole is actually an abbreviated term for "port hole window"...
d burial chambers found at Arehalli near Thirthahalli.
A small fort was constructed at Kavaledurga, near Thirthahalli at around 9th century AD. The king of Belagutti, Cheluvarangappa strengthened this fort in the 14th century. Venkatappa Nayaka, a Keladi
Keladi
Keladi is a temple town in Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka in India.Located about 8 KM from Sagara town.-History:It is interesting as the place whence the Ikkeri chiefs derived their origin, which is thus related :-...
king, acquired this fort and constructed seven battlements to protect this fort in the 16th century. Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
conquered this fort in the 18th century and later the fort came under the rule of Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
and became part of the domain of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore.
Geography
Thirthahalli is located at 13.7°N 75.23°E. It has an average elevation of 591 metres (1938 feet).it is located in the midst of dense forests 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...
.
By Road
Thirthahalli is at a distance of about 60 km. from the district headquarters, Shimoga. From Shimoga, one has to take the National Highway NH-13 (Thirthahalli road) to reach Thirthahalli. From BangaloreBangalore
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...
, one has to take the National Highway NH-206 to reach Shimoga and then take the above mentioned route. The total distance from Bangalore to Thirthahalli is 332 km. From 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...
, one can take NH-13 to reach Thirthahalli. The distance from Mangalore to Thirthahalli is around 146 km.There are numerous mini-buses from Udupi to Thirthahalli. From Udupi Railway Station,the distance to Thirthahalli is about 86 km.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is in Shimoga. Numerous trains run from Bangalore and Mysore to Shimoga.By Air
Thirthahalli is a typical Malnad region, the best time to visit is between October and March. The nearest airport is Mangalore International AirportMangalore International Airport
Mangalore Airport, formerly known as Bajpe Airport, is a domestic and customs airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India...
.
Tunga Bridge
This town has a unique bridge built by Sir. M.Visvesvaraya across the Tunga RiverTunga River
The Tunga River is a river in Karnataka state, southern India. The river is born in the Western Ghats on a hill known as Varaha Parvata at a place called Gangamoola. From here, the river flows through two districts in Karnataka - Chikmagalur District and Shimoga District. It is 147 km long and...
which connects Thirthahalli on one side to a place called Kuruvalli on the other side. Now, Kuruvalli has become an extension of Thirthahalli.
Sri Rameshwara Temple
Sri Rameshwara Temple is the main HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
of Thirthahalli. This temple is made of stone and is on the banks of the river Tunga
Tunga
Tunga may refer to:* Tunga River, a river in India* Tunga, Leyte, a municipality in the Philippines* Tunga, Trondheim, a location in Trondheim, Norway* Tunga , a Unicode typeface included in Windows XP that displays Kannada script...
. It is near the place Parashurama Thirtha. The sanctum sanctorum
Sanctum sanctorum
The Latin phrase sanctum sanctorum is a Latin translation of the biblical term: "Holy of Holies" which generally refers in Latin texts to the Holiest place of the Tabernacle of Ancient Israel and later the Temples in Jerusalem, but also has some derivative use in application to imitations of the...
of the temple has a Lingam
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
which is said to have been installed by Sage Parashurama
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...
himself. The day when Parashurama
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...
cleansed his axe to remove the sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....
-sized blood stain; is supposed to be the New Moon Day of Margashira month in the Hindu calendar
Hindu calendar
The hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. Nepali calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, Kannada...
. That particular day is termed as Yellu Amavasya day (Yellu meaning sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....
and Amavasya meaning New Moon day) and every year on this day a festival termed as Yellu Amavasya Jatre is held in Thirthahalli.
Even though the festivities last for more than five days, three days are very important for the common public. On the day of Yellu Amavasya, the Utsava Moorthi (main idol) of Lord Sri Rameshwara is taken to the river and holy Abhishekam (consecration) is carried out on the idol in the Parashurama Thirtha. After this, the devotees take a holy dip at this place.
On the second day, the decorated temple chariot is pulled along the main street of Thirthahalli. This street; called as Car Street is a narrow street having a width of approximately 30 feet. The big chariot of the temple which occupies almost the whole width of the street, is pulled by devotees and the chariot even climbs a steep gradient on this road.
On the third day, the Utsava Moorthi is taken on a Teppa (raft) on river Tunga
Tunga
Tunga may refer to:* Tunga River, a river in India* Tunga, Leyte, a municipality in the Philippines* Tunga, Trondheim, a location in Trondheim, Norway* Tunga , a Unicode typeface included in Windows XP that displays Kannada script...
to the river bank at Kuruvalli and brought back. This celebration is called Teppotsava (raft-festival). On this day, a lot of colourful crackers are lit and also the river banks, Tunga Bridge and Rama Mantap are decorated with lights.
This festival normally falls on last half of December or the first half of January. This festival attracts thousands of people from other cities.
this is the most holy place of thirthahalli and pradanaarchakaru was sri. Rajashekar bhat.
Ambuthirtha
its a place where river Sharavathi originates,this river with several tributaries forms a water falls in jog near Shimoga,popularly known as jog falls,it is believed in mythology that when Rama & Sitha were in period of vanavasa,Sitha got thirsty and asked Rama to fetch water..at that time there was no water source in that place,so Rama shot the arrow to a place from where the goddesses Ganga came and quenched her thirst,now also 24*7 water flows from that place.jog falls is the vital part of power source in Karnataka..Anandagiri and Siddeshwara Gudda
Two hills adorn Thirthahalli town. First one is Anandagiri Gudda and the second one is Siddeshwara Gudda. Anandagiri Gudda is located on Shimoga Road and Siddeshwara Gudda is located on AgumbeAgumbe
Agumbe is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South". It is also the home of the Agumbe...
Road near Balebailu. Both are reachable by walk from the town. One can climb Anandagiri Gudda during any time of the year. Its height may be around 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 m). There is large mantapa with a big doom on this hill. One can relax on this mantapa and can enjoy scenic beauty. Tunga College is on the base of this hill. For climbing Siddeshwara Hill, the preferred months are October and November. This hill is also about 200 feet in height. From the top of this hill, one will be able to see the other big hills of Shimoga District such as Kodachadri
Kodachadri
Kodachadri [kannada: ಕೊಡಚಾದ್ರಿ ] is a mountain peak with dense forests in the Western Ghats in South India . The name comes from native word "Kodacha" or "Kodashi" which means hill and "Adri" a Sanskrit word, both combined together coined the word Kodachadri. It is also called "Kudajadri" and...
and Kundadri
Kundadri
Kundadri [kannada: ಕುಂದಾದ್ರಿ ] is a mountain peak with dense forests in the Western Ghats in South India . This well-preserved land of Karnataka is home to 17th century Jain temple that is not much given to architecture. Two small silent ponds formed by the rock on one side of this temple leave...
.
Kuppalli
Located at a distance of 18 km from Thirthahalli[Thirthalli - Koppa road], KuppalliKuppalli
Kuppali , also known as Kuppalli , is a small village in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of the renowned Kannada playwright and poet Kuvempu...
is the native place of the great Kannada poet and playwright Kuvempu
Kuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
. Kavishaila and Kavimane are two historical places to see in Kuppalli
Kuppalli
Kuppali , also known as Kuppalli , is a small village in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is famous for being the birthplace and childhood home of the renowned Kannada playwright and poet Kuvempu...
.
Agumbe
AgumbeAgumbe
Agumbe is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South". It is also the home of the Agumbe...
is a small town in Thirthahalli Taluk famous for being the location where the television serial Malgudi Days
Malgudi Days
Malgudi Days is an Indian television series based on the works of R.K. Narayan. The series was directed by the late Kannada actor and director, Shankar Nag and Carnatic musician L. Vaidyanathan composed the score. R. K Narayan's brother and acclaimed cartoonist R. K. Laxman was the sketch artist....
(based on a novel of the same name by the famous writer, R K Narayan) was shot. This town also attracts tourists who come to see a beautiful sunset over the valleys 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...
. On a clear day, 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...
can be seen from here. You can also see places such as barkana falls, jogi gundi, nishani hills and onake abbe falls which are very beautiful.
This place is also known for its wild life, mainly king cobras. This is referred to as the world's first king cobra sanctuary.
Chibbalagudde
Famous temple of Sri Siddi Vinayaka and Matsyadhama which has lot of fishes at Tunga River. Chibbalagudde, is 10 KM apart from Thirthahalli, and is also near to Kuppalli.Mathiga
Madaga is a beautiful place which is situated near Thirthahalli a 15 km distance from the town, where you can find the backwater and a submerged remains of the temple, and also it has a beautiful view of the backwater. It is between Kaimara and Yedur on the road from Thirthahalli to Kundapura via Mastikatte with a view of the backwater of Varahi Dam.Kundadri Hill
KundadriKundadri
Kundadri [kannada: ಕುಂದಾದ್ರಿ ] is a mountain peak with dense forests in the Western Ghats in South India . This well-preserved land of Karnataka is home to 17th century Jain temple that is not much given to architecture. Two small silent ponds formed by the rock on one side of this temple leave...
hills is situated near to Thirthahalli and Agumbe which has a beautiful pond and an old jain temple and also a very good view of the nearby villages you can get. It is 30 km from Thirthahalli town and 20 km from Agumbe
Agumbe
Agumbe is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South". It is also the home of the Agumbe...
near Megaravalli.
Sunset Point
Agumbe has the significant number of visitors to view a unique and beautiful sunset. The sun settles in the Arabian sea which is distance away from Agumbe and one of the good places to see the sun setting down most beautifully.Notable People
Thirthahalli has a unique record that two persons who are natives of this Taluk are the recipients of the top most literary award of India, the Jnanapith Award. They are KuvempuKuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
and U R Ananthamurthy.
Other noted persons associated with Thirthahalli are
- KuvempuKuvempuKuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
- RASTRAKAVI. - Sri Shantaveri Gopala GowdaShantaveri Gopala GowdaShantaveri Gopala Gowda was one of the pioneers of the socialist movement in Karnataka. He was influenced by Ram Manohar Lohia....
, great opposition leader of Karnataka Assembly, Leader of socialist movement, a great politician, very famous for "Kagodu Satyagraha" - Sri Kadidal ManjappaKadidal ManjappaKadidal Manjappa was the chief minister of the old Mysore state for a short period of time in 1956 . He hailed from nature rich Tirthahalli, Shimoga district. Manjappa was a leading Gandhian and a lawyer who led many struggles in the state for probity in public life...
, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka - Justice N D Venkatesh :Former Justice of Karnataka High Court and the former President of Kuvempu Prathishtana
- Sri Nagaraja Rao H S, Freedom Fighter from Humchadakatte
- Sri. T S Ramachandra Rao (popularly known as TSR): Former editor of PrajavaniPrajavaniPrajavani is a leading Kannada-language newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a sister publication of the Deccan Herald. , it had a circulation of 364,000, making it the second-largest-circulation newspaper in Karnataka , and the largest-circulation Kannada-language newspaper in the...
, a well known Kannada newspaper - Dr. B.V. Balakrishna, Radiologist and Founder Principal of Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences.
- Smt. M. K. IndiraM. K. IndiraM. K. Indira was a well known novelist in the Kannada language. She has written novels like Phaniyamma which has won many awards. She started writing novels only after her age of forty-five....
: A popular Kannada novelist. - Sri. S V Parameshwara Bhatta: A popular Kannada writer.
- Sri.M.R.Dharmaiahgowda - 8th Director of Technical education board and one of division engineer.
- Justice. M Rama Jois: A popular judge; he was the former governor of the JharkhandJharkhandJharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
state of India and also has been the Chief Justice of PunjabPunjab (India)Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and HaryanaHaryanaHaryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
High Courts. - Sri.E V Sathyanarayana: News Editor Prajanvai. Popularly known as EVS.
- Sri. Girish KasaravalliGirish KasaravalliGirish Kasaravalli is a noted film director, and one of the pioneers of the Parallel Cinema in Kannada cinema, who has won the National Film Award for Best Film four times, Ghatashraddha , Tabarana Kathe , Thaayi Saheba and Dweepa...
: A well known Kannada film director with four Golden LotusNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
awards against his name. - Sri. Poornachandra TejaswiPoornachandra TejaswiKuppali Puttappa Poornachandra Tejaswi was a prominent Kannada writer and novelist who has made a great impession in "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya or "protest literature" with his short-story collection Abachoorina Post Offisu.At early stages of his writing...
: Son of KuvempuKuvempuKuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
and a well known Kannada writer himself. - Smt K V Lalithamma: Sportsperson
- Dr.Y.B.Prabhudeva, M.S.(Ay)., Well known ayurveda consultant, Dhanvantari Ayurveda Clinic & research Centre, kuvempu road, shimoga.
- Sri Anthony D'Souza (Mankikuppe) was a Ayurvedic doctor in the early 1900s. Social Service was his forte, gave medicines free of cost.
- Sri Alaka Thirthahalli, a noted playwright, story writer, poet; has secured prizes in literary at national and state levels.
- Sri Ramanna Gowda from Devangi, was born in 1870. He introduced education in Malnad region for women.
- Mr. Araga Jnanendra who has been elected as MLA from Thirthalli continuously 15 years (three terms).
- Presently Mr. Kimmane Rathnakar is elected as MLA 2007.
- C S Sudheer - Founder & CEO of India's First and the Only Financial Literacy Company IndianMoney.com.
- Prominent Kannada writer Ha.Ma.Nayak (Harogadde Manappa Nayak)
- B.S.Vishwanathan from basaravalli ex MLC and known for co-operative movement
- DiganthDiganthDiganth Manchale, known as Diganth , is an Indian actor and former model, He is mainly active in Kannada cinema.-Early life:He was born in Sagara, Karnataka. Diganth completed his schooling in Seva Bharathi and Pre-University in Tunga Mahavidyalaya, Thirthahalli where his father, Mr. Krishnamurthy,...
- Kannada cinema actor and former model. - Kaviraj - one of the lyric writer of sandalwood.
- Shamita Malnad - one of the play back singer of sandalwood.
- Archana Udupa - one of the play back singer of sandalwood.
- Kodlu Ramakrishna - One of the Director of kannada film industry.
- Praveen - Upcoming young kannada actor.(jolly days)
- Rakesh -Upcoming young kannada actor.(josh)
Education
Thirthahalli has 2 degree colleges. One is Tunga MahavidyalayaTunga Mahavidyalaya
Tunga Mahavidyalaya is located at the foothills of Anandagiri in Thirthahalli Town. Tunga Mahavidyalaya "is the offspring of" Tunga Vidyavardhaka Sangha" - an association of the philanthrophists. Thirthahalli Taluk is the birth place of great writers, artists, Jurists and political leaders. It...
, Another is Government Degree College and a Polytechnics college, Sahyadri Polytechnic.
- Tunga MahavidyalayaTunga MahavidyalayaTunga Mahavidyalaya is located at the foothills of Anandagiri in Thirthahalli Town. Tunga Mahavidyalaya "is the offspring of" Tunga Vidyavardhaka Sangha" - an association of the philanthrophists. Thirthahalli Taluk is the birth place of great writers, artists, Jurists and political leaders. It...
One of the famous Degree college in Thirthahalli. Affiliated to Kuvempu University. It offers graduation courses BA, B Sc., B Com., BCA and BBM. And also offers Pre-university courses in Arts, Science and Commerce.
- Sahyadri PolytechnicSahyadri PolytechnicSahyadri Polytechnic is a polytechnic located in Thirthahalli, Karnataka, India. It is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education.-History:...
One of the famous polytechnic in shivamogga district. It offers the courses like Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Science and Commercial Practice.
- Govt Higher Primary Boys School.(Kuvempu Studied.)
- Govt High School.
- Govt Degree College.
- Govt Pre-university College.
- Sahyadri Higher Primary School
- Sevabharathi Higher Primary School.
- Sahyadri High School
- Sahyadri Pre-university College.
- St.Marry Higher Primary and High school.
- Vaghdevi Higher Primary and High school.
- Vaghdevi College of Education.(B ed)
Press & Media
Thirthahlli local News Papers ListDaily News Papers
- 1. Chalagara - Near marikamba Temple (Morning)
- 2. Bruhaspathivani - Near Gandhichowka (Morning)
- 3. Neladha Dhwani - Near S.B.M (Morning)
Weekly News Papers
- 1. Varadhi - Kushavathi
- 2. Vidhatha - Near S.B.M
- 3. Nimma Antharanga - Balebylu
- 4. Sahyadri Varthe - Azad Road
- 6. Lakshmeesh Pathrike - Near Taluk office
Cable Media
- Amoggh Cable Network - Seebinakere Circle