Mangalore

Mangalore (pronounced /ˈmæŋɡəlɔr/ ( listen); Tulu: Kudla, ಕುಡ್ಲ; Kannada: ಮಂಗಳೂರು, Mangalūru; Konkani: Kodial, ಕೊಡಿಯಾಲ್; Beary: Maikala, ಮೈಕಾಲ) is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bounded by the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada (formerly South Canara) district in southwestern Karnataka.

Mangalore derives its name from the local Hindu deity Mangaladevi. It developed as a port on the Arabian Sea – remaining, to this day, a major port of India. Lying on the backwaters of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, Mangalore is often used as a staging point for sea traffic along the Malabar Coast. The city has a tropical climate and lies on the path of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-West monsoons. Mangalore's port handles 75% of India's coffee exports and the bulk of the nation's cashew exports.[4]

Mangalore was ruled by several major powers, including the Kadambas, Vijayanagar dynasty, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, and the Portuguese. The city was a source of contention between the British and the Mysore rulers, Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan. Eventually annexed by the British in 1799, Mangalore remained part of the Madras Presidency until India's independence in 1947. The city was unified with the state of Mysore (now called Karnataka) in 1956.[5]

Mangalore is demographically diverse with several languages, including Tulu, Konkani, Kannada, and Beary commonly spoken and understood. The city's landscape is characterized by rolling hills, coconut palms, freshwater streams, and hard red-clay tiled-roof buildings.

Etymology

Mangalore was named after the local Hindu deity Mangaladevi, the presiding deity of the Mangaladevi temple.[7] According to local legend, Matsyendranath, the founder of the Nath tradition, arrived in the area with a princess from Kerala named Parimala or Premaladevi. Having converted Premaladevi to the Nath sect, Matsyendranath renamed her Mangaladevi.[8] After her death, the Mangaladevi temple was consecrated in her honour at Bolar in Mangalore.[9] The city got its name from the Mangaladevi temple.[10]

One of the earliest references to the city's name was made in 715 CE by the Pandyan King Chettian, who called the city Managalapuram.[11] The 11th-century Arabian traveler Ibn Battuta referred to Mangalore as Manjarur in his chronicles.[12] In Kannada, the city is called Mangalūru, a reference to Mangaladevi (the suffix ūru means town or city in Kannada).[9] During the British occupation in 1799, Mangalore (anglicized from Mangalūru), stuck as the official appellation.[13]

Mangalore's diverse communities have different names for the city in their languages. In Tulu, the primary spoken language, the city is called Kudla meaning junction, since the city is situated at the confluence of the Netravati and Phalguni rivers. In Konkani, Mangalore is referred to as Kodial. The Beary name for the city is Maikala, meaning wood charcoal, an attribution to the early practice of producing charcoal from wood on the banks of the Netravati river.[9] On the occasion of Suvarna Karnataka (Golden Karnataka) in 2006, the Government of Karnataka stated that the city would be renamed Mangalooru, though this change in name is not implemented.

History

The area that is now Mangalore has been mentioned in many ancient works of Hindu history. In the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama ruled over the region, while in the epic Mahabharata, Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandavas, governed the area.[9] Arjuna, the hero of Mahabharata, also visited the area when he travelled from Gokarna to Adur, a village near Kasargod.[17] Mangalore's historical importance is highlighted by the many references to the city by foreign travelers. Cosmas Indicopleustes, a Greek monk, referred to the port of Mangalore as Mangarouth.[18] Pliny the Elder, a Roman historian, made references to a place called Nitrias,[19] while Greek historian Ptolemy referred to a place called Nitra.[20] Ptolemy's and Pliny the Elder's references were probably made to the Netravati River, which flows through Mangalore. Ptolemy also referred to the city as Maganoor in some of his works.[21]

In the third century BCE, the town formed part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha. The region was known as Sathia (Shantika) during the Mauryan regime. From second century CE to sixth century CE, the Kadamba dynasty ruled over the region. From 567 to 1325, the town was ruled by the native Alupa rulers.[22] The Alupas ruled over the region as feudatories of major regional dynasties like the Chalukyas of Badami, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas of Kalyani, and Hoysalas.[23] Mangalapura (Mangalore) was the capital of the Alupa dynasty until the 14th century.[24] The city, then an important trading zone for Persian merchants, was visited by Adenese merchant Abraham Ben Yiju.[25] The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who had visited the town in 1342, referred to it as Manjarun, and stated that the town was situated on a large estuary.[26] By 1345, the Vijayanagara rulers brought the region under their control.[23] Later, the Jain Kings and the Muslim Bangara Kings ruled the town as feudatories of the Vijayanagar Empire, and brought the town firmly under an efficient and centralised administration.[22] In 1448, Abdul Razak, the Persian ambassador of Sultan Shah Rukh of Samarkand, visited Mangalore, and was amazed at a glorious temple he saw in the city, en route to Vijayanagara.[27]

European influence in Mangalore can be traced back to 1498, when the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed at St Mary's Island near Mangalore.[28] In 1526, the Portuguese under the viceroyship of Lopo Vaz de Sampaio succedded in defeating the Bangara King and his allies and conquered Mangalore.[29][30][31] The trade passed out of Muslim hands into Portuguese hands.[22] In the mid-16th century, Goud Saraswat Brahmins and Roman Catholics from Goa migrated to Mangalore as a result of Goa Inquisition.[32][33] In 1640, the Keladi Nayaka kingdom defeated the Portuguese and ruled the town until 1762. The Portuguese were allowed to have trade relations with Mangalore.[22] In 1695, the town was torched by Arabs in retaliation to Portuguese restrictions on Arab trade.[34]

Hyder Ali, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, conquered Mangalore in 1763,[36] consequently bringing the city under his administration until 1767. Mangalore was ruled by the British East India Company from 1767 to 1783,[37] but was subsequently wrested from their control by Hyder Ali's son, Tippu Sultan in 1783.[38] The Second Anglo–Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Mangalore, signed between Tippu Sultan and the British East India Company on March 11, 1784.[39] After the defeat of Tippu at the Fourth Anglo–Mysore War, the city remained in control of the British, headquartering the Canara district under the Madras Presidency.[13][40][41]

The city was largely peaceful during British rule, with urban and infrastructural developments being affected during the period. Mangalore flourished in education and in industry, becoming a commercial centre for trade.[22] The opening of the Lutheran German Basel Mission in 1834 brought many cotton weaving and tile manufacturers to the city.[42] When Canara (part of the Madras Presidency until this time) was bifurcated into North Canara and South Canara in 1860, Mangalore was transferred into South Canara and became its headquarters.[13] South Canara remained under Madras Presidency, while North Canara was transferred to Bombay Presidency in 1861.[43] The enactment of the Madras Town Improvement Act (1865) mandated the establishment of the Municipal council on May 23, 1866, which was responsible for urban planning and providing civic amenities.[17] Roman Catholic missions to Mangalore like the Italian Jesuit "Mangalore Mission" of 1878 played an important role in education, health, and social welfare.[44] The linking of Mangalore in 1907 to the Southern Railway, and the subsequent proliferation of motor vehicles in India, further increased trade and communication between the city and the rest of the country.[45]

As a result of the States Reorganisation Act (1956), Mangalore (part of the Madras Presidency until this time) was incorporated into the dominion of the newly created Mysore State (now called Karnataka).[5] Mangalore is a major city of Karnataka, providing the state with access to the Arabian Sea coastline. Mangalore experienced significant growth in the decades 1970–80, with the opening of New Mangalore Port on May 4, 1974 and commissioning of Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited on March 15, 1976.[46][47] The late 20th century saw Mangalore develop as a business, commercial and information technology (IT) centre, although the traditional red tile-roofed houses are still retained in the city.

Transport

Mangalore's location makes it accessible via all forms of transport. Transport systems in Mangalore include private buses, KSRTC buses, trains, taxis and autorickshaws.

Three National Highways pass through Mangalore. NH-17, which runs from Panvel (in Maharashtra) to Edapally Junction (near Cochin in Kerala), passes through Mangalore in a north–south direction, while NH-48 runs eastward to Bangalore. NH-13 runs north-east from Mangalore to Solapur.[137] National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is upgrading the national highways connecting New Mangalore Port to Surathkal on NH-17 and BC Road junction on NH-48. Under the port connectivity programme of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), a 37.5-kilometre (23.3 mi) stretch of these highways will be upgraded from two-lane to four-lane roads.[138]

Mangalore's city bus service is operated by private operators and provides access within city limits and beyond. Two distinct sets of routes for the buses exist – city routes are covered by city buses, while intercity routes are covered by service and express buses. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operates long distance bus services from Mangalore to other parts of the state.[139] The other key players who run bus services from Mangalore are the Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators Association (DKBOA) and the Canara Bus Operators Association (CBOA).[140] These buses usually ply from the Mangalore Bus Station. White coloured taxis also traverse most of the city. Another mode for local transport is the autorickshaw.

Rail connectivity in Mangalore was established in 1907. Mangalore was also the starting point of India’s longest rail route.[45] The city has two railway stations – Mangalore Central (at Hampankatta) and Mangalore Junction (at Kankanadi).[141] A metre gauge railway track, built through the Western Ghats, connects Mangalore with Hassan. The broad gauge track connecting Mangalore to Bangalore via Hassan was opened to freight traffic in May 2006 [142] and passenger traffic in December 2007.[143] Mangalore is also connected to Chennai through the Southern Railway and to Mumbai via the Konkan Railway.[144]

The Mangalore Harbour has shipping, storage, and logistical services, while the New Mangalore Port handles dry, bulk, and fluid cargoes. The New Mangalore Port is also well equipped to handle petroleum oil lubricants, crude products and LPG containers. It is also the station for the coast guard. This artificial harbour is India's ninth largest port, in terms of cargo handling, and is the only major port in Karnataka.[52][145]

Mangalore International Airport (IATA: IXE) is near Bajpe, and is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-east of the city centre. It is the second airport in Karnataka to operate flights to international destinations