The name
Karnataka is derived from Karunadu, literally
lofty land. The history of Karnataka dates
back to the period of epics.
The capital of Bali and Sugreeva, 'Monkey
Kings' of the Ramayana is said to have been
Hampi in the Bellary district. In the 4'th
century BC, a local dynasty Satavahana came
to power and his dynasty's rule lasted nearly
300 years. With the disintegration of the
Satavahana dynasty, the Kadambas came to power
in the north, and the Gangas in the south
of the state. The gigantic monolithic statue
of Gomateswara is considered to be the monument
of the Ganga period. The Chalukyas of Badami
(500 to 735 AD) ruled over a wider area, from
the Narmada to the Kaveri from the days of
Pulikeshi II (609 to 642 AD) who had even
defeated Harshvardhana of Kannauj. This dynasty
created fine monuments at Badami, Aihole and
Pattadakal, both structural and rock-cut.
Aihole has been one of the cradles of temple
architecture in the country. The Rastrakatas
(753-973 AD) of Malkhed who succeeded them
levied tribute on the rulers of Kannauj successively
in the so-called Age of 'Imperial Kannauj'.
Kannada literature developed in this period.
Outstanding Jain scholars of India lived in
their court. The Chalukyas of Kalyana (973
to 1183 AD) and their feudatories, the Hoysalas
of Halebidu built fine temples, encouraged
literature and fine arts. Noted jurist Vijnaneshwara
(work-Mitakshara) lived at Kalyana. The great
religious leader Basaveshwara was a minister
at Kalyana. Vijaynagar empire (1136 to 1646
AD) fostered indigenous traditions and encouraged
arts religion and literature in Sanskrit,
Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. Overseas trade
flourished. The Bahamani Sultans (Capital-Gulbarga,
later Bidar and Bijapur) Adilshahis raised
fine Indo-Saranic buildings and encouraged
Urdu and Persian literature. Advent of the
Portuguese resulted in the introduction of
new crops (tobacco, chillies, potato etc.).
After the fall of Peshwa (1818 AD) and Tipu
(1799 AD) Karnataka came under the British.
After independence, the new united Mysore
State was created in 1956 and was renamed
Karnataka in 1973 AD. |
