Mangaluru – A Coastal Paradise and an Educational Hub
About Mangaluru City
Mangaluru is the major port city and commercial centre in the Indian state of Karnataka. Post integration, the city is rapidly growing in almost every sector viz., education, health-care, industry, trade and commerce and is fast developing under the smart city mission of Government of India. Mangaluru is the state’s only city to have all four modes of transport viz., air, road, rail and sea.
Geography
Mangaluru is a beautiful coastal city located in the confluence of Nethravati and Gurupura rivers at 12° - 52° N latitude and 74° - 49° E longitude along the Arabian Sea in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is bordered by the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats mountain range, which is identified as one of the world’s 18 bio-diversity hotspots, the region is covered in verdant greenery, criss-crossed by numerous perennial rivers and is widely acclaimed for its great scenic splendor. Three National Highways viz., NH-17 linking Panvel and Kanyakumari, NH-48 linking Mangaluru and Bengaluru, NH-13 linking Mangaluru and Solapur pass through the city. A domestic airport is located at Bajpe, which is 15 Km. from the city connecting to Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Etymology
The name Mangalore is the anglicised version of Mangaluru, the name for the city in the local Kannada language. The Malayalam language variant of the same is Mangalapuram. One of the earliest references to this name is made by Pandya King Chettian, who called the city as Managalapuram in 715 A.D. Yet another historical reference is by the 11th century Arabian traveler Ibn Batuta, whose chronicles refer to Mangalore as Manjarur. This variation in spelling is attributed to the pronunciation gap between and Arabic and the local language. It is also believed that the city derived its name from the temple of Goddess Mangaladevi. Mangaluru literally means the city of Mangala. According to legend Matsyendranatha, one of the important propounders of the Nath cult had arrived at Mangalore with the princess of Kerala, Premaladevi. He named her Mangaladevi. It is believed that they could not proceed further as Mangaladevi died after a brief period of illness and a temple was consecrated in her name at Bolar. Later the Mangaladevi was renovated by the Alupa king Kundavarma in 968 A.D. In the native Tulu language, the city is known as Kudla meaning junction as the city is situated at the confluence of the two rivers Nethravati and Phalguni. The Konkani language variant of this Kodial. The region covering Mangaluru is known locally as Tulunadu because of predominance of Tulu language.
People and Culture
Being a well-educated populace, the people of the region are friendly, hospitable and of a helping nature. Though Kannada, Tulu and Konkani are the languages commonly spoken, a majority of the local people have a working knowledge of English and Hindi. The rich cultural heritage of the region is evident in its wide variety of folk arts, folk sports and literature, as also in its numerous historical and religious sites, spots and systems of worship.
Climate
Mangaluru has a tropical monsoon climate and is under the direct influence of the Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon. It receives about 95 percent of its total rainfall between May to October but remains dry from December to March. Further it is home to India’s largest seaport. Hence, being a coastal city, the weather tends to be warm; it is generally pleasant throughout the year. The Western Ghats, which form the backdrop, offers delightful scenic beauty, while the nearby Hill station, Coorg, offers a cool retreat.
Educational Legacy
The districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are considered to be a major education corridor in India. As a centre of education, the Mangaluru-Udupi region attracts multitudes of students from all over the world, who come to study at the numerous schools and colleges located here. Mangalore University, established in 1980, is considered one of the most progressive universities in the state.
Location of Canara College
Canara College is conveniently located at 12° 52' 26.09" N latitude and 74° 50' 18.23" E longitude, situated in the heart of Mangaluru city on the Mahatma Gandhi Road popularly called as M. G. Road, Kodialbail. The college is easily accessible due to its proximity. It has emerged to be an important centre for valued-based quality education, attracting students from all over district and coastal region.
How to reach Mangaluru
Mangaluru is well connected to the neighboring states through an excellent network of road, rail and air transport. The local transport system is efficient and well-developed and can be relied upon for local conveyance.
By Air : The air traffic at Mangaluru is serviced by the Mangaluru International Airport, which is located 15 Kms. from our campus. Indian Airlines operates daily flights from Mumbai, while Jet Airways has daily flights from Bangaluru, Mumbai and Chennai.
By Train : Mangaluru is connected to Mumbai by Konkan Railways and Southern Railways. There are daily train services from Mangaluru to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru. Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction (formerly named as Kankanady) are the two railway stations in the vicinity – both fall within 2 Kms. and 6 Kms. radius from our campus.
By Bus : There are daily luxury bus services to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Goa, Madurai, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and most other important places.
