Chikamagalur

Chikmagalur
District
Kudremukh, the "Horse-faced Peak"
Location in Karnataka
Coordinates: 13°19′N 75°46′E / 13.32°N 75.77°E / 13.32; 75.77Coordinates: 13°19′N 75°46′E / 13.32°N 75.77°E / 13.32; 75.77
Country	India
State	Karnataka
Headquarters	Chikmagalur
Taluk	Chikmagalur, Kadur, Tarikere, Mudigere, Sringeri, Koppa, Narasimharajapura
Government
• Deputy Commissioner	Smt. G. Sathyavathi
Area
• Total	7,201 km2 (2,780 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	1,139,104
• Density	158.19/km2 (409.7/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Vehicle registration	Chikmagalur KA-18 Tarikere KA-66
Website	chickmagalur.nic.in

Chikmagalur is a district in the state of Karnataka. Coffee was first cultivated in India in Chikmagalur. The mountains in Chikmagalur which are a part of the Western Ghats are the source of rivers like Tunga and Bhadra. Mullayanagiri, which is the highest peak in Karnataka is located in the district. It is also a tourist's paradise containing hill stations like Kemmanagundi and Kudremukh and waterfalls like Manikyadhara, Hebbe, Kallathigiri. Chikmagalur district has a rich history as is seen in the Hoysala temple at Amrithapura. Wildlife enthusiasts would be interested in the Kudremukh National Park and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary present in this district.

Chikmagalur district gets its name from its headquarters of Chikmagalur town. It is alternatively spelt as Chickmagalur or Chikmagalur. Chikmagalur literally means "The town of the younger daughter" in the Kannada language. The town is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakkarepatna and hence the name. As one can guess, there is indeed a town called Hiremagaluru which means "The town of the elder daughter" which is about 5 km from Chikmagalur town.

Chikmagalur is the region where the Hoysala rulers started and spent the early days of their dynasty. According to a legend, it was at Sosevur, now identified with Angadi in Mudigere Taluk that Sala, the founder of the Hoysala dynasty, killed the legendary tiger, immortalised in the Hoysala crest. It is known that Veera Ballala II (1173 – 1220 CE), the great king of Hoysala empire, has built the Amriteshwara temple at Amrithapura in Tarikere Taluk.