Dakshina Kannada also called as South Canara.  It is a coastal district in Karnataka state.  Its nearby districts are Udupi to the North, Kasaragod of Kerala to the South, Hassan to the East, and Arabian Sea bounds it on the West.  Chikkamagaluru to the Northeast.  Kodagu to the Southeast.  Mangalore is the headquarters and chief city of the district. This district is divided into five talukas, namely Mangalore, Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia, and Belthangady.  It had also three more Northern talukas, that is, Udupi, Kundapur and Karkal, but were separated since August of 1997 to create new district called Udupi.  Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Kasaragod taluks are also called Tulu Nadu, meaning Tulu speaking regions. 

Alupas ruled this region from 8th until 14th century CE as a feudatory for most Kannada territory and this is the only rationale for the Tulu speaking districts as part of Karnataka state. There are many significant towns in Dakshina Kannada that are: Mangalore, Bantwal,Vittal, Puttur, Sullia, Moodabidri, Kadaba, Surathkal, Mulki and Dharmasthala.  Konkani and Tulu are the native languages of bulk of people living in Dakshina Kannada district.  Kannada, is spoken by considerable number of people as mother tongue.

Dakshin Kannad History

Dakshina Kannada was part of a district called Canara before 1860, which was under a solitary administration in the Madras Presidency.  British split the area into South Kanara and North Kanara in 1860.  The former being retained in the Madras Presidency, while the latter was made a part of Bombay Province in 1862.  Kundapura taluk was previously included in North Kanara, but was reinducted in South Kanara later. Reorganisation of States in 1956 led to Kasaragod being split and transferred to the recently created Kerala state and Dakshina Kannada was transferred to state of Mysore. Again, Government of Karnataka, administrative purposes split the greater Dakshina Kannada district into Udupi and present day Dakshina Kannada districts on 15 August 1997.  Udupi, Karkala and Kundapura, the three taluks of former Dakshina Kannda districts were made into new Udupi district.

Dakshin Kannad Culture

Dakshina Kannada is land of culture, tradition, and rituals.  The people here have kept alive traditions, customs, and rituals. It has many temples of Hindu gods and goddess, which are prehistoric and have deep spiritual attachment to them.

Dakshin Kannad Tourism

Tourist places in Dakshin Kannad

Moodabidri : Site of the ancient Jain temples and the Bhattaraka seat.
Krishnapura matha : One of the matha (monastery) belonging to ashta matha of udupi.
Dharmasthala : Popular temple of Lord Sri Manjunatheshwara is located here
Kadri : Famous temple of Lord Shiva
Kateel : Famous temple of Goddess Sri Dugra Parameshwari
Kudroli: Gokarnanatheshwars Temple
Karinjeshwara Temple : Famous ancient temple of lord Shiva Parvati on a huge rock
Milagres Church, Mangalore
Sayyed Madani Mosque and Dargah,Ullal
Sultan Battery, Mangalore
Vittal:Famous ancient temple of the Panchalingeshwara temple is located here.
Kepu,Ananthadi,Balnadu:Famous for goddess ullalthi temple and its unique heritage
Mangala Devi Temple,Mangalore
Kadri Manjunatha Temple, Mangalore
Kudroli Gokarnatheshwara Temple, Mangalore
Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple
Kukke Subrahmanya Temple
Kateel Durga Parameshwari Temple
Southadka Sri Ganapathy Temple
Sri Durga Parameshwari Temple, Bappanadu, Mulki
Sri Rajarajeswari Temple, Polali, Bantval Taluk
Sri Mahalingeswara Temple, Puttur
Sri Karinjeshwara Temple, Karinje, Bantval Taluk
Sri Sahasralingeshwara Temple, Uppinangady
Anantha Padmanabha Temple Kudupu
Narahari Parvatha Sadashiva Temple, Bantval taluk
Kadri Hill Park
Pilikula Nisargadhama
Summer Sands Beach Resort
Surathkal Beach
Tannirbavi Beach
Panambur Beach
Someshwar Beach
St. Aloysius Church
Ullal Darga
1000 Pillar Shrine
Venoor Gommateshwara
Sultan Batheri
Jamalabad Fort