Koppala district | |
|---|---|
     From top-left: Stone Ratha at Vittala Temple inHampi, view of Hampi fromAnjeyanadri Hill,Mahadeva Temple atItagi, Koppal Fort,Navalinga Temple atKuknur | |
.svg) Location in Karnataka | |
| Coordinates:15°34′31″N76°0′48″E / 15.57528°N 76.01333°E /15.57528; 76.01333 | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Karnataka |
| Division | Kalaburagi |
| Established | 24 August 1997 |
| Named after | KOPANA NAGARA |
| Headquarters | Koppal |
| Taluk | Koppala,Gangavathi,Yelburga,Kushtagi,Kanakagiri,Kukanur,Karatagi |
| Government | |
| • Type | Zilla Panchayat Koppal |
| • Body | Office of the deputy commissioner |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Nalini Atul (IAS) |
| Area | |
• Total | 7,189 km2 (2,776 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 1,389,920 |
| • Density | 193.3/km2 (500.7/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Kannada |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 583231 |
| Telephone code | 08539 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KA |
| Vehicle registration |
|
| Website | koppal |
Koppala district is an administrativedistrict in the state ofKarnataka inIndia. In the past Koppal was referred to as 'Kopana Nagara'.Hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppala District. It is situated approximately 38 km away.Anegundi, is also a famous travel destination.
Koppal, now a district headquarters, is ancientKopana, a major Jain holy site.Palkigundu is described as the famousIndrakila parvata of mythology. There is an ancient Shiva temple called theMale Malleshwara. There are two Ashoka inscriptions atPalkigundu andGavimatha. Koppal was the capital of a branch ofShilaharas under theChalukyas of Kalyani. InShivaji's times it was one of the eightprants or revenue divisions of Southern Maratha Country.[2] DuringIndia's First War of Independence, Mundargi Bheema Rao and Hammige Kenchanagouda died fighting the British here in June 1858.Kinhal 13 km away from Koppal is famous for its traditional colourful lacquerware.
The district occupies an area of 7,190 km2 and has a population of 1,196,089, of which 16.58% was urban as of 2001.[3]
Koppal district was carved out ofRaichur district in 1997.
Koppal district has the following seventalukas:Koppal,Gangavathi,Yelburga,Kushtagi,Kanakagiri,Kuknoor andKaratagi.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 284,184 | — |
| 1911 | 305,145 | +0.71% |
| 1921 | 290,083 | −0.50% |
| 1931 | 317,262 | +0.90% |
| 1941 | 355,851 | +1.15% |
| 1951 | 421,043 | +1.70% |
| 1961 | 465,545 | +1.01% |
| 1971 | 611,928 | +2.77% |
| 1981 | 748,222 | +2.03% |
| 1991 | 958,078 | +2.50% |
| 2001 | 1,196,089 | +2.24% |
| 2011 | 1,389,920 | +1.51% |
| source:[4] | ||
According to the2011 census Koppal district has apopulation of 1,389,920,[1] roughly equal to the nation ofEswatini[6] or the US state ofHawaii.[7] This gives it a ranking of 350th in India (out of a total of640).[1] The district has a population density of 250 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi).[1] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.32%.[1] Koppal has asex ratio of 983females for every 1000 males,[1] and aliteracy rate of 67.28%. 16.81% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 18.61% and 11.82% of the population respectively.[1]
At the time of the 2011 census, 84.09% of the population spokeKannada, 7.34%Urdu, 4.17%Telugu, 1.64%Lambadi and 1.44%Hindi as their first language.[8]
Most notable of the many buildings dating from this period[9] is the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Yelabarga taluk.
The Mahadeva temple at Itagi dedicated to Shiva is among the larger temples built by the Western Chalukyas and perhaps the most famous. Inscriptions hail it as the 'Emperor among temples'.[10] Here, the main temple, the sanctum of which has alinga, is surrounded by thirteen minor shrines, each with its ownlinga. The temple has two other shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, parents of Mahadeva, the Chalukya commander who consecrated the temple in 1112 CE.[11]Soapstone is found in abundance in the regions of Haveri, Savanur, Byadgi, Motebennur and Hangal. The great archaic sandstone building blocks used by the Badami Chalukyas were superseded with smaller blocks of soapstone and with smaller masonry.[12] The first temple to be built from this material was the Amrtesvara Temple in Annigeri in the Dharwad district in 1050 CE. This building was to be the prototype for later, more articulated structures such as the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi.[13]The 11th-century temple-building boom continued in the 12th century with the addition of new features. The Mahadeva Temple at Itagi and the Siddhesvara Temple in Haveri are standard constructions incorporating these developments. Based on the general plan of the Amrtesvara Temple at Annigeri, the Mahadeva Temple was built in 1112 CE and has the same architectural components as its predecessor. There are however differences in their articulation; thesala roof (roof under thefinial of the superstructure) and the miniature towers onpilasters are chiseled instead of moulded.[14]
The difference between the two temples, built fifty years apart, is the more rigid modelling and decoration found in many components of the Mahadeva Temple. The voluptuous carvings of the 11th century were replaced with a more severe chiselling.[15]
In Karnataka their most famous temples are theKashivishvanatha[16] temple and the Jain Narayana temple atPattadakal, both of which areUNESCO World Heritage sites.[17] Other well known temples are theParameshwara temple at Konnur,Brahmadeva temple at Savadi, theSettavva,Kontigudi II,Jadaragudi andAmbigeragudi temples atAihole,Mallikarjuna temple at Ron,Andhakeshwara temple at Huli,Someshwara temple at Sogal, Jain temples at Lokapura,Navalinga Temple at Kuknur,Kumaraswamy temple at Sandur, at Shirival in Gulbarga and theTrikunteshwara temple at Gadag which was later expanded by Kalyani Chalukyas. Archeological study of these temples show some have the stellar (multigonal) plan later to be used profusely by theHoysalas ofBelur andHalebidu.[18] One of the richest traditions in Indian architecture took shape in the Deccan during this time and one writer calls itKarnata dravida style as opposed to traditional Dravida style.[19]
Swaziland 1,370,424
Hawaii 1,360,301
Places adjacent to Koppal district | |
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District HQ:Koppal | |
| Villages and Towns |
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| International | |
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| National | |
