2405:204:560C:C111:478:25F5:8674:23F6 at 06:57, 30 April 2021

2021-04-30T06:57:58Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Banakal
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Karnataka#India3
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates = {{coord|13.0596|N|75.5393|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Chikkamagaluru district|Chikkamagaluru]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
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| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
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| population_density_km2 = auto
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| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 577 113
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 08263
| registration_plate =
| website =
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}}
'''Banakal''' is a [[Malnad]] town in Mudigere Taluk, [[Chikkamagaluru district|Chikkamagaluru]] district of [[Karnataka]], [[India]]. This town is situated atop the [[Charmadi]] hills in the Western Ghats section. The [[Western Ghats]] is one amongst twenty-five identified hot spots for biodiversity conservation in the world.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3707888.stm BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Map: Biodiversity hotspots]</ref> Banakal is surrounded by [[coffee]] estates and [[Paddy field|paddy]] fields and known for its pleasant weather throughout the year. Banakal town is the headquarters of Banakal Hobli.

Banakal lies on the banks of the [[Hemavati River]]. The Hemavati, which flows through Banakal, originates in Western Ghats. This {{convert|245|km|0|abbr=on}} long river covers about {{convert|5410|km2|0}} of drainage area and considered as a prime source of irrigation along with natural rainfall.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/documents/rivers.htm |title=Rivers of Western Ghats - Rivers of Western Ghats |access-date=15 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719194103/http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/documents/rivers.htm |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The geographical location of Banakal is 13°0'59" North and 75°53'9" East.

== Culture ==
The people lead a monotonous way of life irrespective of the religious diversities. Generally life is slow paced as it is seen in most of the agriculture dominant villages of [[Chikmagalur|Chickmagalur]] district. The vokkaliga community is dominant and owns most of the landed property like agricultural fields and coffee estates. Folk songs and folk dances are given much importance. During special occasions men play ''Kolata'' - a group dance using sticks, and women do perform folk dances and folk songs like ''Bhaagyada balegaara hogi baa nanna tawarige'' are noteworthy.People here don't discriminate among each other respective of religion, caste etc. Adrich is the Head of the village.

=== Cuisine ===
The [[Malnad]] food style is followed. Rice and wheat are a part of the daily menu. Traditional dishes like Rotti, Ganji-oota, Kadubu-chatni and shevige are eaten. Generally people are non-vegetarian. Some traditional dishes like Edli-chatni, Iruve-chatni [chigaLi chuttney] Edi Sambar(Crab) and Maralu-meen-saru are now vanishing from the daily menu.

=== Language ===
Like [[Are Bhashe]] spoken by the [[Gowda (caste)|Gowda]]s of [[Sullia]] in [[Dakshina Kannada]], the people in this region speak another dialect of [[Kannada]] which can be called [[Vokkaliga|Gowdra Bhashe]]. This dialect is sweet and has powerful expressions. People belonging to the [[Tuluva]] community speak [[Tulu language|Tulu]] with ''Ghatta'' accent, little different than actual [[Tulu language|Tulu]] used in [[South Canara]]. Local Muslims speak a dialect of [[Urdu]] known as [[Dakhini]]. [[Beary]]s, the immigrant [[Muslim]]s hailing from a neighboring district, [[Dakshina Kannada]], and who are engaged in various small scale business activities do speak [[Beary bashe]].

=== Festivals ===
Suggi Habba is the main festival celebrated at the time of harvesting. All Hindu festivals are celebrated by Gowdas and local communities. Tulu speaking people also celebrate Hindu festivals. [[Muslim]]s observe [[Eid ul-Fitr]] and [[Eid ul-Adha]] as it is universally observed. Christians celebrate all Christian events and the local church festival is called ''Saint-Mary''. Banakal Jatre is the car-festival that occurs once a year and attracts a lot of people from adjacent villages. [[Bhuta Kola]] and Kori Katta are the other events celebrated by mainly [[Tulu language|Tulu]] speaking communities, which is a cultural and religious aspect as some Theyyam deities are propitiated through blood sacrifice or [[rooster|cock]]-sacrifice which does also include the [[Cockfight (Sacred)|cockfight]] and is a prime example of "cultural synthesis of 'little' and 'great' cultures".<ref>''A Panorama of Indian Culture'': Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicitation Volume - K. K. Kusuman - Mittal Publications, 1990 - p.127-128 [https://books.google.com/books?id=z4JqgSUSXDsC&pg=PA128&dq=deities+propitiated+through+cock-sacrifice&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kYDTT4PiL4rc9ATF96XhAw&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=cock&f=false]"</ref>

== Economy ==
Agriculture is the main source of economy. [[Rice]] which forms the chief food of people in southern India is the main crop and is being produced in large scale. [[Coffee]] plantations are another prime source of economy which makes the region distinctive and contributes to the national economy. The coffee estates in this region became world famous when they began to compete with [[Brazil]] in both producing and exporting coffee beans. Both the genetic subspecies of high quality coffee, namely Robusta and [[Arabica Coffee Production|Arabica]], are being produced, processed and exported. Black pepper and cardamom are the other economic crops. Oranges have also been produced in some areas. Honey and other forest products also contribute to the economy.

== Flora and fauna ==
[[File:Hemavati river at Banakal.jpg|right|River Hemavati flowing at the southern side of Banakal]]
Most of the land is brought under cultivation. Paddy or rice fields provide multiple crops in a year based on monsoon. [[Coffee]] (both Robusta and Arabica) is the main plantation crop. Other crops include [[black pepper]], [[cardamom]] and produce of the forest. Good quality [[honey]] is abundantly available in this region. Tall straight Nilgiri plantation is found on the southern bank of river [[Hemavati River|Hemavati]] alongside coffee plantation. Natural forests surround the village. Wildlife and rich birdlife can also be seen. [[Teak]] and [[sandalwood]] are abundant.

Because of irregular prices lately people have lost interest in food crops. Economic crops have taken the place of food crops, and more land is used for that purpose.

== People ==
Generally lifestyle is slow paced and people do live cordially irrespective of caste and religious differences. Although [[Gowda (caste)|Gowda]]s are economically dominant, [[Bunt (community)|Bunt]] and [[Billava]] are the immigrant [[Tuluva]] communities from adjacent [[Dakshina Kannada]] also are seen. The [[Muslim]] community can be identified as local [[Deccan Urdu|Deccani]] (a dialect of Urdu and Hindi) speaking farmer community and immigrant [[Byari]] business community. A good number of Christians belonging to [[Roman Catholic]] speaking [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and some [[Protestants]] also are inhabitants of Banakal. Byari and Kannada are main business language in Banakal.

== Schools and educational institute ==
[[File:Banakal.jpg|400px|right|A picture of K.M. Road in Banakal]]
* Government Junior College
* Government High School
* Vidyabharati – Nursery, middle school and high school
* Government Model Higher Primary School
* Government Urdu Higher Primary School
* Nazareth Convent
* River View School - Nursery and middle school
* Banakal Village School
* Sabli Village School

== Religious institutes ==
* Devaramane Kalabhairaveshwara
* Mahammayi Devasthana
* Eeshwara temple (village)

=== Mosques ===
* Jamia Masjid
* Mohiyuddin Juma Masjid
* Quba Masjid

=== Church ===
* Our Lady of Nativity Church (Built in 1970)

== Banks and financial institutes ==
* [[Karnataka Bank Ltd]]
* District co-operative Bank
*[[Canara Bank|Canara bank]]
*Society bank banakal

== Getting there ==
* By road: any bus that commutes between [[Mangalore]] and [[Chikkamagaluru district|Chickmagalur]] goes via Banakal
* {{convert|3|km|0|abbr=on}} from [[Kottigehara]] on K.M. Road, towards [[Chikkamagaluru district|Chickmagalur]]
* The nearest railway station: Chikkamagaluru, [[Mangalore]], Kadur and Hassan
* The nearest airport is at [[Bajpe]]: [[Mangalore International Airport]]

== Nearby places ==
The nearby places are Mudigere, [[Chikkamagaluru district|Chickmagalur]], [[Kottigehara]], [[Charmadi]] ghats, [[Dharmasthala]], Kalasa, [[Kudremukh]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719194103/http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/documents/rivers.htm ''Rivers of the Western Ghats'']

{{Chikkamagaluru topics}}

[[Category:Villages in Chikkamagaluru district]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Karnataka]]

Banakal - Revision history

2405:204:560C:C111:478:25F5:8674:23F6 at 06:57, 30 April 2021