Karnataka is an enchanting land abounding in scenic beauty, rich is flora and fauna. Karnataka is a land of fragrance - fragrance of enchanting perfume of sandal and agarbathis, the aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans, the head fragrance of the Mysore Mallige and thousands of roses blossoming. It is the land of spellbinding heritage sites, breathtaking landscapes, exotic wildlife, pristine beaches, old-worldly temple towns, a rich cultural legacy, indigenous arts forms. It has pomp and pageantry of glorious traditions and marvels of modern engineering. Visit Hampi for a glimpse of the powerful empire of Vijayanagara rulers. Marvel at the colossal statue of Lord Gomateshwara in Shravanabelagola. or travel to Mysore and revel in the festivities of Dasara or Dushera, one of the most fascinating festivals in India. Bangalore is known as Silicon valley of India Karnataka is a state in South West India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest city is Bengaluru. Karnataka is bordered by the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea to the west, Goa to the north west, Maharashtra to the north, Telangana to the North east, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the south east, and Kerala to the south west. The state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres (74,122 sq mi), or 5.83 per cent of the total geographical area of India. It is the seventh largest Indian state by area. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30 districts. Kannada is the most widely spoken and official language of the state. By virtue of its varied geography and long history, Karnataka hosts numerous spots of interest for tourists. There is an array of ancient sculptured temples, modern cities, scenic hill ranges, unexplored forests and endless beaches. Karnataka has been ranked as the fourth most popular destination for tourism among the states of India. Karnataka has the second highest number of nationally protected monuments in India, second only to Uttar Pradesh, in addition to 752 monuments protected by the State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. Another 25,000 monuments are yet to receive protection. 7-storey domed building with 4 domed corner towers Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia. The districts of the Western Ghats and the southern districts of the state have popular eco-tourism locations including Kudremukh, Madikeri and Agumbe. Karnataka has 25 wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks. Popular among them are Bandipur National Park, Bannerghatta National Park and Nagarhole National Park. The ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire at Hampi and the monuments of Pattadakal are on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The cave temples at Badami and the rock-cut temples at Aihole repre
