Alipura(Gowribidanur Taluk), Chikkaballapur district: Alipura, also known as Alipur town in Gowribidanur Taluk of Chikkaballapur district, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, will be in the news whenever something serious happens in the far-off Iran. On the face of it, Alipura is just like any other big village in the surroundings, unlike one you are keen enough to observe minutely. Overcrowded with Muslim nameboards: Here, all along the main road leading to the neighbouring Madhugiri Taluk, more than 90 per cent of the small shops and business ventures of all kinds bear typical Muslim names, rather than beginning with Karnataka, Bharat, Hindustan, and India, elsewhere across the state. Founded in the late 17th century: According to local legend, it was founded in the late 17th century by Moulana Syed Mustafa Hussain, following the fall of the Adil Shahi Kingdom of the then Bijapur. He is said to have given a call to all Shia Muslims of the state to migrate to Alipur, to ensure a safe and...
Madhugiri (Tumakuru district): Madhugiri Betta, in the headquarters of Madhugiri Taluk in Tumakuru district, is a sought-after destination for trekkers, especially adventure- and nature-loving youngsters, though many others also try to climb it as far as possible. Elephant trunk-shaped hill: Madhugiri Betta, renowned as the continent's second-largest single-rock monolithic hill, resembles the trunk of a sleeping tusker. The fort ruins stand at an elevation of 3,930 feet (about 1,200 metres) above sea level. On the other hand, Savandurga Hill, located in the Savandurga forest region, with a height of 4,022 feet, or about 1,226 metres above mean sea level, is considered Asia's largest monolithic hill. Under the influence of local and Ganga dynasties: According to the available history, Madhugiri Betta dates back to the early fortifications of local and Ganga dynasties. It is also attributed to the Jains that they had a strong presence in the region then. Establish...