About Karnataka

"Hail ! the beloved daughter of the Mother India;
Hail ! the Motherland Karnataka!
Hail ! the land of beautiful mountains and forests,
Hail ! thy abode of gifted saints and poets! "

This Kannada poem by greatest Kannada poet K.V.Puttappa (Kuvempu - Pen Name) gives the best description of Karnataka. The name of the land Karnataka has come from `Kari-nadu` meaning the land of black soil, & some others hold that `Karunadu` also means beautiful country; either way the land is celebrated as beautiful throughout its ancient literature. Karnataka is the eighth largest state in India in both area and population. It was formerly  known as Mysore. On November 1,1973, the name Mysore was changed to Karnataka. It is situated on the western edge of the Deccan plateau and is surrounded by Maharashtra and Goa on the north, Andhra Pradesh on the east, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the south. On the west, it opens out on the Arabian Sea. It has an area of around 192,000 km� and the population of the state is over 55,868,200. Kannada is the official language of the state. The major rivers the Cauvery, the Krishna and the Godavari flow through the state with their tributaries.

Karnataka with all its Richness in Culture and Traditional Grandeur is also one of the fastest growing States in terms of Industries and Facilities. Karnataka is also known as the Capital of Agarbathi (Incense Sticks), Arecanut, Silk, Coffee and Sandal Wood. It is the nature's kaleidoscope at its best with lush green forests, cool blue seas, sparkling white waterfalls, seemingly endless plains and sky touching hills.