Sirsi Karnataka

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Uttarkannad district map

Sirsi (सिरसी) is a town and tahsil in the North Canara District of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Location

Sirsi is located at 14.62°N 74.85°E. It has an elevation ranging between 1860 feet to 2600 feet above sea level, and is situated in the heart of the Western Ghats. Sirsi is about 399 km from Bangalore. The nearest airport is located in Hubli, about 104 km from Sirsi. River Aghanashini begins at a place near Sirsi called "Shankara Honda" and flows towards the Arabian Sea in the west. The river also creates many waterfalls along its path.

Variants

• Kalyanapattana

History

Sirsi was also known as Kalyanapattana during the Sonda Dynasty. Sirsi is also known as "Gate way of Malenadu" or "Gateway of Western Ghats".

Economy

Sirsi is a tourist destination with a population of 155,079 (as per 2018 election votes)[dubious – discuss]. It is the largest city, a main commercial centre and a business hub in Malenadu. The city is surrounded by forest, and the region has a number of waterfalls. The main businesses around the city are mostly subsistence and agriculture-based. Adike (also known as supari, areca nut or betel nut) is the primary crop grown in the villages that surround the city, making it one of the major trading centres for areca nut. The region is also known for spices such as cardamom, pepper, betel leaves, and vanilla. The major food crop is paddy.

Arecanut is extensively grown in this region. The arecanut grown in Sirsi has unique features like a round and flattened coin shape, particular texture, size, cross-sectional views, taste, etc. Its average dry weight is 7.5 g and average thickness is 16 mm. This unique arecanut has secured a GI tag.'

Tourism

Prominent places in and around the Taluk of Sirsi are:

• Banavasi, the capital of an ancient kingdom in Karnataka (state) ruled by the Kadamba Dynasty is 24 km away from the Sirsi town center. Banavasi is considered as the "first" capital of Karnataka state, with the current capital being Bangalore. Although most of the ancient grandeur of the dynasty in Banavasi has been lost, an ancient temple for Madhukeshwara (Lord Shiva) is still largely intact, and has been declared a monument of historical importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

• Sahasralinga (Sanskrit for a thousand Shiva (deity) lingas) is another place of significance, where Shiva's sculptures carved out of stones thousands of years ago can be found in the middle of a flowing river. The river is surrounded by lush green forest; the place is about 10 km from the town center. The place is quite secluded, except during "Maha Shivaratri" celebrations, when it receives a huge number of pilgrims from the surrounding areas.

• Sonda, known for its Sri Vadiraja Matha, and Swarnavalli Mutt are about 15 km (9.3 mi) away from Sirsi.

• Unchalli Falls, (also known as Keppa Joga, referring to the other waterfall nearby, Jog falls) is situated about 30 km from Sirsi, and is one of the biggest tourist attractions near Sirsi. The waterfall is a 116-meter drop.

• Yana, known for the unusual rock formation. It is located 40 km from Sirsi.

List of Villages in Sirsi tahsil

1. Achanalli, 2. Adalli, 3. Adnalli, 4. Agasal, 5. Ajjarni, 6. Ajjibal, 7. Amblihonda, 8. Andgi, 9. Andolli, 10. Angodkoppa, 11. Arasapur, 12. Audala, 13. Bachagaon, 14. Badagi, 15. Badanagod, 16. Bakkal, 17. Balavalli, 18. Balegadde, 19. Balekaimane, 20. Balgar, 21. Banavasi, 22. Bandal, 23. Bankanal, 24. Bappanalli, 25. Baroor, 26. Belale, 27. Bellankeri, 28. Benagaon, 29. Benagi, 30. Bengle, 31. Betkoppa, 32. Bhairumbe, 33. Bhasi, 34. Bidralli, 35. Bilgalmane, 36. Bilur , 37. Bislakoppa, 38. Bommanalli, 39. Boppanalli, 40. Bugadi, 41. Byagadde, 42. Chikkadugli, 43. Chipgi , 44. Danaganahalli, 45. Dasangadde, 46. Devanalli, 47. Devanmane, 48. Devarkoppa, 49. Devimane, 50. Dhoranagiri, 51. Dodnalli, 52. Fharsi, 53. Gadgeri, 54. Gadihalli, 55. Golikatta, 56. Golikoppa, 57. Gongatta, 58. Gonsar, 59. Gonur, 60. Goudalli, 61. Gudnapur, 62. Guruvalli, 63. Hadalagi, 64. Hakkigadde, 65. Halgadde, 66. Hallikoppa, 67. Hallusargi, 68. Halsinkoppa , 69. Hanagar, 70. Hancharata , 71. Hannondugudde, 72. Hanumanthi, 73. Harehulekal, 74. Harepal, 75. Hebballi, 76. Hebbatti, 77. Hebre, 78. Hedigemane, 79. Heepnalli, 80. Heggar, 81. Hostota, 82. Hosur, 83. Hudelkoppa, 84. Huldevansar, 85. Hulgol, 86. Hunsekoppa, 87. Husri, 88. Hutgar, 89. Isloor, 90. Itaguli, 91. Jaddigadde, 92. Jaganalli, 93. Janmane, 94. Kabbe, 95. Kadbal, 96. Kadgod, 97. Kageri, 98. Kakkalli, 99. Kalangi, 100. Kalgadde Kanchigadde, 101. Kalgar, 102. Kalgundikoppa, 103. Kalkai, 104. Kalkardi, 105. Kalkoppa, 106. Kalkuni, 107. Kallalli, 108. Kalli, 109. Kalugar, 110. Kalve, 111. Kambigar, 112. Kanalli, 113. Kanamuski, 114. Kandraji, 115. Kangod, 116. Kankoppa, 117. Kantraji, 118. Karjigimane, 119. Karoor , 120. Karsulli, 121. Kelgin Onikeri, 122. Kelginkeri, 123. Kerekoppa, 124. Khurse, 125. Kirwatti, 126. Kodgibail, 127. Kodigar, 128. Kodnagadde, 129. Kogod, 130. Koligar, 131. Kondalgi, 132. Koppa, 133. Kotekoppa, 134. Kotgehalli, 135. Kudragod, 136. Kugtemane, 137. Kukri, 138. Kulve, 139. Kuppagadde, 140. Kuppalli , 141. Kyadgikoppa , 142. Landakanahalli, 143. Madankeri, 144. Madralli, 145. Malalgaon, 146. Malanji, 147. Malenalli, 148. Manadur , 149. Manajavalli, 150. Manjaguni, 151. Margundi, 152. Mashigadde, 153. Mathadeval, 154. Mattigar, 155. Mattihalli, 156. Melin Onikeri, 157. Mensi, 158. Modur , 159. Mogadde, 160. Mudebail , 161. Mudgar , 162. Mugilkoppa, 163. Mugvalli , 164. Mundagesar, 165. Mundganmane, 166. Mundgehalli, 167. Muregar, 168. Muski, 169. Naigar, 170. Nakshe, 171. Narebail, 172. Naroor, 173. Navanageri, 174. Navilgar, 175.Neelkani, 176. Neggu, 177. Nerlavalli, 178. Nurkalkoppa, 179. Onigadde, 180. Padageri, 181. Pura , 182. Puttanamane , 183. Sadashivalli, 184. Sahasralli, 185. Salkani, 186. Sampakhanda, 187. Sankadmane, 188. Sannakeri, 189. Sannalli, 190. Santolli, 191. Sarguppa , 192. Shigehalli, 193. Shirgani, 194. Shivagaon, 195. Shivalli, 196. Singanalli, 197. Sirsi , 198. Sirsimakki, 199. Somanalli, 200. Sonaginmane, 201. Sonda, 202. Sugavi, 203. Tataguni, 204. Tattisar, 205. Teppar, 206. Terkanalli, 207. Tigani, 208. Tuduguni, 209. Ullal, 210. Umblekoppa, 211. Ummadi, 212. Unchalli, 213. Uplekoppa, 214. Uratota , 215. Vaddinakoppa, 216. Vanalli, 217. Waddal, 218. Wadgeri, 219. Yachadi , 220. Yadalli, 221. Yekkambi,