Malenadu

Malenadu (Kannada: ಮಲೆನಾಡು, malenāḍu), also Malnad,(from either male, 'hill' or maļe, 'rain', together with nādu, 'land') is a region of Karnataka state in South India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountain range, roughly 100 kilometers in width. Malenadu covers portions of Shimoga, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu and Hassan districts.

Geography

The hills of Malenadu are richly forested, and coffee is grown in many places. Sirsi, Siddapura, Yellapura, Mudigere, Sakleshpura, Aldur, Balehonnur are in north part of Karnataka. Madikeri and Somavarapete are towns in the coffee-growing region. Mullayanagiri, at 6,317 feet (1,925 m), is the highest peak in Karnataka. Kemmangundi at 4,702 feet (1,433 m) above sea level, is a popular hill station, and was a favorite retreat of Mysore's former Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Kalhatti Falls, 10 km from Kemmangundi, has a drop of 122 meters. Gangamoola peak, 10 km from the town of Kudremukh, is revered as the source of the Bhadra, Nethravathi and Tunga rivers.

The important towns in the region are Chikkamagaluru, Mudigere, Koppa, Sringeri, Sakleshpura, Sagara, Hosanagara, Teerthahalli, Sirsi, Siddapura, Dandeli, Yellapura, Virajpet, Narasimharajapura, Madikeri and Kushalanagara.

Angadi in Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district is famous as the birthplace of the Hoysala dynasty.

Climate

The Malenadu region is humid and has an annual rainfall of 1000 to 3800 mm. Agumbe which is in Shimoga district receives the highest rainfall in Karnataka (close to 10000mm).

See also

• Malanad - on the contiguous and similar region of Kerala.

External links

• Elephant attacks spread fear in Malnad region
• Nyctibatrachus major in Malnad, India
• Malenadu Region of Karnataka