Malenadu

Malenadu is a hilly region between the Belgaum and Coorg plateaus in Karnataka

Malenadu (also Malnad, from either male, 'hill' or maļe, 'rain', 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 Belgaum, 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, Yellapur, 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.

Bridge across Tunga river at Thirthahalli

Rivers (origin in Malnad)

• Tunga
• Bhadra
• Netravathi
• Vedavathi
• Sharavathi
• Varahi
• Kumaradhara
• Kaveri
• Kali
• Bedthi
• Chakra
• Varada
• Lakshmana thirtha
• Hemavathi
• Kempuhole
• Shalmala

Important towns in the region

• Sagara
• Dandeli
• Narasimharajapura
• Yellapura
• Sirsi
• Hosanagara
• Teerthahalli
• Sringeri
• Chikkamagaluru
• Mudigere
• Sakleshpura
• Kushalanagara
• Madikeri
• Virajpet
• Soraba
• Shikaripura
• Shivamogga
• Koppa
• Chikkamagalur
• Somavarapete
• Siddapura (NK)
• Joga kargal
• Tarikere
• Ambika nagara

Other important places in Malenadu

• Angadi in Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district is famous as the birthplace of the Hoysala dynasty.
• Horanadu in Chickmagalur District is religious place, with Annapurneswari temple.
• Sringeri in Chickmagalur District is religious place with Sharadamba Temple established by Adi Shankaracharya.
• Subrahmanya in Mangalore district is a tourism and religious place.
• Kodachadri is a mountain peak in Shimoga District.
• Kudremukh is a mountain peak in Chickmagalur district.
• Dharmasthala in Mangalore district is a religious and tourism place.
• Shiraadi ghat and Chaarmudi ghat is a great place for trekking and good place to visit for adventure lovers and a great route for biking.
• Bhadra wild life sanctuary in Chikkamagaluru Dist
• Honnemaradu,Chandragutthi,Jog-Kargal,Siganduru in Sagara taluk of Shimoga Dist
• Kavaledurga, Agumbe in Theerthahalli taluk of Shimoga dist

Climate

The Malenadu region is humid and has an annual rainfall of 1,000 to 3,800 mm. Agumbe which is in Shimoga district receives the highest rainfall in Karnataka (close to 10,000 mm).

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