1st November is knocking on us & Bangalore (or do we call it Bengaluru?)& we will be flooded with red & yellow flags flashed with great patriotism especially by Bus & Auto drivers. Thanks to social media ten year old Forwards(which I have attempted to compile from the net & books) will get remixed & recirculated once again about Karnataka & its stalwarts down the decades. But how many amongst us are ‘pure’ Kannadigas? The ‘real’ Kannadigas?
Or for that matter do we know our own basic History correct?
In 1950 India became a republic & in 1956 with the passage of the States Reorganization Act -the State of Mysore was formed & in 1973 it was renamed as Karnataka -the largest state in South India & the sixth largest in India with population of approx. 6.1Crore & capital city Bangalore with 1.2 Crore & barely 70 years back in 1950 Bangalore was at 7.5 Lacs !
- State Tree: Sandalwood
- State Emblem : Gandaberunda
- State Bird: Indian Roller
- State Flower: Lotus
- State Animal: Asian Elephant
The National Flag
The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyog Samyukta Sangha in Hubli is the only unit in the whole country that is authorized for the manufacture and supply of the National Flag of the Republic of India. The unit was found on 1 November 1957 at a village near Dharwad City in Dharwad district, Karnataka. Ever since then they remain the sole manufacturer of Indian flags approved by the Government of the country.
The 18 Meter Monolith Statue
With a height of 18 Meters, the Gomateshwara Statue is considered the world’s largest Monolith Statue. This colossus of Gomateshwara is a famous pilgrimage spot of Jains in South India. The statue is situated in Shravanabelagola & was built by Thimmanna Ajila in 1604 AD.
Million-year-old Rock Formation
The city of Bangalore has one of the oldest rock formations in the world. The rock formation protected in Lalbagh Botanical Garden is 3000 million years old and hence a geological hotspot and protected area.
Raw Silk Production
The average milk production of the state is around 8,200 metric tonnes per year. This accounts for nearly one-third of the total silk production of the country making the state the largest raw milk producer in India. The Ramanagara district in Karnataka is the main hub of raw silk production in the state. It is also the is the largest market for silk cocoons in Asia.
Oldest Library
Built in the year 1891, the Oriental Library, located in Mysore is the oldest in India.
State Tree: Sandalwood State Emblem : Gandaberunda State Bird: Indian Roller State Flower: Lotus State Animal: Asian Elephant 
The Indian National Flag Connect with Hubli,Karnataka 
1874-Built ,Current Owner-HH-Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, Bangalore Palace, Bangalore, Karnataka The 5 Tiger Reserves in Karnataka-Bandipur, Bhadra, Nagarahole, Dandeli-Anshi & Biligirirangana Hills 
Oldest Library in India,1891 Built Oriental Library Mysore, Karnataka 
Largest Coffee Exporter In India, Coorg, Karnataka 
1897 Construction commenced, Opened 1912,Architect- Irwin Henry, Mysore Palace, Mysore, Karnataka 
Gol Gumbaz,Bijapur,Karnataka 
Jnanpith award (Highest Literary Award In India)instituted in 1961 (Cash INR 5 Lacs, Citation Plaque, Bronze Replica Of Saraswati- the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and wisdom/learning. Karnataka has 8 Winners 
Professor M.V.Gopalswamy established India’s First Private Radio Station in 1934,Mysore,Karnataka 
Shut down in 2011, Kolar Gold Mine,Karnataka was the World’s Second Largest Deepest Mine at 3000mtrs 
The Only Company In India Authorised To Produce Indelible Ink-Mysore Paints & Varnish Limited,Mysore,Karnataka 
The Lalbagh Botanical Garden houses the 3000 million years old Rock Formation,Bangalore,Karnataka 
Oldest Surviving Manuscript in India-Arthashastra is an ancient Indian Sanskrit manuscript written by Kautilya aka Chanakya around 321–296 BCE is Housed in Mysore,Karnataka 
Retail Sales From KSIC & Raw Silk Production Ramnagara, Karnataka 
Mattur Village, Shivamogga, Karnataka known for the usage of Sanskrit for day-to-day communication 
The Dubare Elephant Camp, Coorg, Karnataka 
Gomateshwara Statue (18 mtrs height)is considered the world’s largest Monolith Statue built in 1608 AD by Thimmanna Ajila,Shravanbelagola,Karnataka
The Oldest Manuscript
Arthashastra is an ancient Indian Sanskrit manuscript written by Kautilya aka Chanakya around 321–296 BCE. It is subjected to statecraft, economic policy & military strategy. It is currently the Oldest Surviving Manuscript in India & is preserved in the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore, Karnataka
The Bangalore Palace
The Bangalore Palace is known for its incredible structures and architecture, which was built and owned by Rev. J.Garrett for the then Royal Family. He was the first principal of the Central High School, Bangalore, which is now known as the Central College. The palace is in midst of a massive 454-acre premise and is spread over an area of over 45,000 sq. ft. That is around 1 acre of land. Its interiors are embellished with elegant wood carvings, motifs, and exotic paintings while the exterior of the palace is surrounded by well-maintained flower gardens with a lot of different species of flowering plants that keep the premise colorful throughout the year
The Sanskrit Village
Sanskrit is a language of much prominence in the context of the history of India. Most of the ancient Indian manuscripts and sacred texts are written in the language, even though the language does not exist as a common means of communication as earlier. The Mattur or Mathur village in the state of Karnataka however still uses Sanskrit as a language of communication.
Gold Mine
Located about 100 kms from Bangalore, the Kolar Gold Fields used to be one of the largest gold mines in the country before its shutting down in 2011. With a depth of 3000m, the field was the world’s second deepest gold mine.
The Elephant & Tiger Population
The state has the highest population of Elephants and the Second largest population of Tigers in the country.
Jnanapith Awardees
The state has the second-highest number of Jnanapith Award winners in India.
Private Radio
The first private radio station in the country was set up by Professor MV Gopalaswamy in Karnataka in the year 1934.
The Mysore Palace
The palace is the second most popular royal tourist spot in India after the Taj Mahal.
Election Ink
Karnataka is known to be the producer of the black ink that is used for the elections in the country.
Other Facts
- Karnataka is the largest exporter of coffee in the country.
- The Gol-Gumbaz in Bijapur is the second-largest pre-dome in the country.
- The city of Mysore was the first to publish a weekly newspaper in the language Kannada in the year 1859.
Happy Rajyotsava !
