Koppal district

Koppala district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. In the past Koppala was referred to as 'Kopana Nagara'. Hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppala District. It is situated approximately 38 km away. Anegundi, is also a famous travel destination.

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Koppala.
Koppal District
District
Koppal Fort
Coordinates: 15°34′31″N 76°0′48″E
Country India
StateKarnataka
DivisionGulbarga
Established24 August 1997
HeadquartersKoppala
TalukKoppala, Gangavathi, Yelburga, Kushtagi, Kanakagiri, Kukanur, Karatagi
Government
 • Deputy CommissionerP. Sunil Kumar IAS
Area
 • Total7,190 km2 (2,780 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total1,389,920
 • Density190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialKannada
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
5832
Telephone code08539
ISO 3166 codeIN-KA
Vehicle registration
Websitekoppal.nic.in

History

Koppala, now a district headquarters, is ancient Kopana, a major Jain holy site. Palkigundu is described as the famous Indrakila parvata of mythology. There is an ancient Shiva temple called the Male Malleshwara. There are two Ashoka inscriptions at Palkigundu and Gavimatha. Koppala was the capital of a branch of Shilaharas under the Chalukyas of Kalyan. In Shivaji's times it was one of the eight prants or revenue divisions of Southern Maratha Country.[2] During India's First War of Independence, Mundargi Bheema Rao and Hammige Kenchanagouda died fighting the British here in June 1858. Kinhal 13 km away from Koppala is famous for its traditional colourful lacquerware.

Towns in Koppala District

Geography

The district occupies an area of 7,190 km² and has a population of 1,196,089, of which 16.58% was urban as of 2001.[3] Koppala district was carved out of Raichur district in 1997.

Taluks

Koppala district has the following seven talukas: Koppala, Gangavathi, Yelburga, Kushtagi, Kanakagiri, Kukanur and Karatagi.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Koppal district has a population of 1,389,920,[1] roughly equal to the nation of Swaziland[4] or the US state of Hawaii.[5] This gives it a ranking of 350th in India (out of a total of 640).[1]

The district has a population density of 250 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi) .[1] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.32%.[1] Koppal has a sex ratio of 983 females for every 1000 males,[1] and a literacy rate of 67.28%.[1]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901284,184—    
1911305,145+0.71%
1921290,083−0.50%
1931317,262+0.90%
1941355,851+1.15%
1951421,043+1.70%
1961465,545+1.01%
1971611,928+2.77%
1981748,222+2.03%
1991958,078+2.50%
20011,196,089+2.24%
20111,389,920+1.51%
source:[6]

Tourist attractions
Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Koppal district, 1112 CE, an example of Karnata-Dravida articulation with a nagara superstructure

Most notable of the many buildings dating from this period[7] is the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Yelabarga taluk.

The Mahadeva Temple
Open mantapa (hall) at the Mahadeva Temple in Itagi, the Koppal district, 1112 CE
Figure sculpture at Mahadeva Temple

The Mahadeva temple at Itagi dedicated to Shiva is among the larger temples built by the Western Chalukyas and perhaps the most famous. Inscriptions hail it as the 'Emperor among temples'.[8] Here, the main temple, the sanctum of which has a linga, is surrounded by thirteen minor shrines, each with its own linga. The temple has two other shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, parents of Mahadeva, the Chalukya commander who consecrated the temple in 1112 CE.[9] Soapstone is found in abundance in the regions of Haveri, Savanur, Byadgi, Motebennur and Hangal. The great archaic sandstone building blocks used by the Badami Chalukyas were superseded with smaller blocks of soapstone and with smaller masonry.[10] The first temple to be built from this material was the Amrtesvara Temple in Annigeri in the Dharwad district in 1050 CE. This building was to be the prototype for later, more articulated structures such as the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi.[11] The 11th-century temple-building boom continued in the 12th century with the addition of new features. The Mahadeva Temple at Itagi and the Siddhesvara Temple in Haveri are standard constructions incorporating these developments. Based on the general plan of the Amrtesvara Temple at Annigeri, the Mahadeva Temple was built in 1112 CE and has the same architectural components as its predecessor. There are however differences in their articulation; the sala roof (roof under the finial of the superstructure) and the miniature towers on pilasters are chiseled instead of moulded.[12]

9th century old Kannada inscription at Navalinga temple in Kuknur, Karnataka

The difference between the two temples, built fifty years apart, is the more rigid modelling and decoration found in many components of the Mahadeva Temple. The voluptuous carvings of the 11th century were replaced with a more severe chiselling.[13]

Kukanur

In Karnataka their most famous temples are the Kashivishvanatha[14] temple and the Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.[15] Other well known temples are the Parameshwara temple at Konnur, Brahmadeva temple at Savadi, the Settavva, Kontigudi II, Jadaragudi and Ambigeragudi temples at Aihole, Mallikarjuna temple at Ron, Andhakeshwara temple at Huli, Someshwara temple at Sogal, Jain temples at Lokapura, Navalinga Temple at Kuknur, Kumaraswamy temple at Sandur, at Shirival in Gulbarga and the Trikunteshwara temple at Gadag which was later expanded by Kalyani Chalukyas. Archeological study of these temples show some have the stellar (multigonal) plan later to be used profusely by the Hoysalas of Belur and Halebidu.[16] One of the richest traditions in Indian architecture took shape in the Deccan during this time and one writer calls it Karnata dravida style as opposed to traditional Dravida style.[17]

Hideout for Balkrishna Hari Chapekar
Domical ceiling in Mahadeva Temple at Itagi, the Koppal district

In 1897 Balakrishna Hari Chapekar, one of the three Chapekar brothers, involved in the shooting of Ryand and Ayrest in Pune,[18] was arrested by one Mr. Stephenson in the district of Raichur. For this arrest the Hyderabad Police received a reward from the Government of Bombay. Balakrishna Hari Chapekar seems to have stayed for more than six months in the hills between Koppal and Gangavathi which were then in the district of Raicur. He attracted a great deal of sympathy from the local people. In spite of the enquiries made by the Government of Bombay, the Hyderabad Police refused to reveal the names of the informers who were responsible for the arrest of Balakrishna Hari Chapekar. Their names have not been mentioned, in the statement of the distribution of rewards. This demonstrates the strong sympathy among the local population for the Chapekars and how deeply were the informers afraid of the revelation of their names. The arrest of Chapekar, which took place at the end of 1898, reveals the movements of Maratha revolutionaries in the State of Hyderabad.[19]

See also

References
  1. "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  2. Chitnis, Krishnaji Nageshrao (1994). Glimpses of Maratha socio-economic history. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 155. ISBN 81-7156-347-3. Retrieved 2010-12-14.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved August 27, 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. Swaziland 1,370,424
  5. "2010 Resident Population Data". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Hawaii 1,360,301
  6. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
  7. Western Chalukya architecture
  8. Kamath (2001), pp 117–118
  9. Rao, Kishan (2002-06-10). "Emperor of Temples' crying for attention". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  10. Cousens (1926), p 18
  11. Foekema (2003), p 49
  12. Foekema (2003), p 57
  13. Foekema (2003), p 56
  14. Rashtrakutas
  15. Vijapur, Raju S. "Reclaiming past glory". Deccan Herald. Spectrum. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  16. Sundara and Rajashekar, Arthikaje, Mangalore. "Society, Religion and Economic condition in the period of Rashtrakutas". 1998–2000 OurKarnataka.Com, Inc. Archived from the original on November 4, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
  17. Sinha, Ajay J. (1999). "Reviewed work: Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation, the Karṇāṭa Drāviḍa Tradition, 7th to 13th Centuries, Adam Hardy". Artibus Asiae. 58 (3/4): 358–362. doi:10.2307/3250027. JSTOR 3250027.
  18. "The Revolutionaries: Chapekar Brothers" (PDF). Maharashtra Government Publication. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  19. "Nanded District Gazetteer". Maharashtra Government Publication. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
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