Mangalore

Nestled in the Western Ghats of the Indian Peninsular, Mangalore is a triangular city with a summit to the south. The central hub of the South Canara region, Mangalore city owes its name to the Mangala Devi temple. Mangalore always played an important role in the ship building industry of the country, as it was a strategic port.

The region is blessed with verdant green fields, waterfalls and virgin beaches fringed by coconut palms. This hilly city with its winding narrow lanes does figure high on most tourist lists but nevertheless it is an important business center, with its tile and coir industries as well as cashew nut and coconut exports.

Mangalore India

Mangalore city is called Kodial by locals and is situated at the confluence of the Nethravathi and Gurupura rivers. Mangalore has an intriguing history from Queen Abbakka of Ullal to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Arabic, Roman and Greek sources have referred to Mangalore as Mandegora, Maganoor and Mangarooth respectively.

Since Mangalore city is located on the Konkan coastline, the weather is generally humid and warm. While summers can be miserably muggy, the rains are a treat to behold. The South West monsoons lash the region from June to August leaving in its wake a land that is awash with greenery and rivers flowing in their glory.

The people of Mangalore have been known for their entrepreneurial qualities. In fact, some of the leading nationalized banks were born in the region of Dakshin Kannada.

The Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd, Mangalore Refinery and National Thermal Power Corporation as well as Kudremukh Iron Ore Company have played a major role in the industrialization of the Southern Karnataka.

Kadri Manjunath temple or Kadri Manjunatha temple is an important religious spot in Mangalore city. The temple dates back to 1068 A.D. and has probably one of the best bronze statues in the country.

The Church of Our Lady of Miracles, Milagres was built by Bishop Thomas de Castro in 1680. Aloysius Church, built in 1899 is situated on Lighthouse Hill and has a chapel whose interiors are comparable to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Aloysius College has been one of the premier educational institutions in Mangalore city.

The Buddhist pilgrim spot of Dharmastala is located about 75 km east of Mangalore. The statue of Bahubali in Karkal is well known. Pilgrims bound for the famous Mookambika Temple in Kollur start their journey at Mangalore. The gold plated crest and copper roofs of the temple draw thousands of pilgrims to the banks of the river Suparnika.

The festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and Krishna Janmastami are celebrated with great pomp and fervor. The Yakshagana and Hulivesha (Tiger Dance) are part of the folk art of the region and these unique forms can be seen during the festival of Dussehra or temple car festivals.

The town of Udupi lies about 60 km from Mangalore and is famous for its Sri Krishna Temple. It was the seat of the Vaishavite philosopher Madhavacharya. Manipal, famous for its various educational institutions is located close by.

Mangalore cuisine

There are a number of hotels and lodges are available in the Mangalore city. One can easily find accommodation to suit one's taste and budget. These hotels also provide good delicacies that you can feast on. Mangalorean cuisine has been popularized all over the country by the ubiquitous Udupi hotels. Known for their simple yet tasty south Indian fare.

The Mangalorean menu varies according to the region and different communities. From the kori rotti of the Bunt community to the fluffy sannas or lacy neer dosas, Mangalorean cuisine makes liberal use of fresh coconut. From fresh coconut paste to creamy coconut milk or fluffy grated coconut, most dishes use coconut in some form or the other.

While the traditional fare is akin to most vegetarian south Indian menus, there are some specialty items such as patrode (colocasia leaves stuffed with masala paste and rolled in layers and steamed), gojju, huli and bisibelabath. Ragi is yet another important ingredient in the food of the region.

The fish curries or gashis go well with hot steamed rice - the rice making a perfect foil for the fiery hot red chilly and coconut gravies. Desserts such as mysore pak, obbatu or holige and chiroti are made on special occasions.

Mangalore Medical College

The Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore has come a long way from its early origins in 1955 as the first private medical college. Students come from far and wide to Mangalore Medical College to avail of the excellent infrastructure facilities that are comparable with international standards.

Mangalore Medical College is a constituent of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and has exchange programs with Loma Linda University USA, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in the U.S.