Molakalmuru is a
taluk
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
in
Chitradurga district
Chitradurga district is an administrative district of Karnataka state in southern India. The city of Chitradurga is the district headquarters. Chitradurga gets its name from Chitrakaldurga, an umbrella-shaped lofty hill found there. Tradition ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
n
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* '' Our ...
of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Kar ...
. It is near the border of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Kar ...
and
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to t ...
. It borders the
Rayadurg taluk of
Ananthpur district of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to t ...
. Legend has it that its name means "broken knees" in Kannada, referencing a battle between the native Indians and the British in which, due to the rocky and hilly terrain, British soldiers suffered many broken knees in their defeat. The town is famous for the unique Molkalmuru
saree
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...
s manufactured here.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Indian
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
, Molakalmuru had a population of 15,797. Males constitute 50.35% of the population and females 49.65%. Molakalmuru has an average literacy rate of 71.44%, lower than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 77.66%, and female literacy is 65.13%. 11.77% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Molakalmuru Silk Sarees
Molakalmuru silk sarees are the traditional sarees that are woven in the region. Molakalmuru sarees are also called ''Karnataka Kanchipuram.'' Recently they have been granted a
Geographical Indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...
tag and its tag number is 53.
[ List of Geographical Indications in India]
Important Places
*Amakundi is a small village located in Molakalmuru Taluka, Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India. In this village, there is a ''panje makan'' and ''mazar mubarak'' of Masumvali Dada
* Ashoka Siddapura is an important archeological site where Emperor
Ashoka
Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...
's edicts were found. Nearby is Ramagiri, a hillock that has mythical associations with the epic
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages e ...
. A temple dedicated to
Rameshwara built in 926 CE. exists here.
* Brahmagiri village is the ancient site of Ishila, one of emperor
Ashoka
Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...
's provincial capitals. His earliest rock edicts in
Brahmi
Brahmi (; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' o ...
script and
Prakrit
The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
language (3rd century BC) containing
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
words were discovered.
* Devasamudra village is the ancient site of Devasamudra in the
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages e ...
.
Ram had offered prayers to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hin ...
on a hill called ''
Jatangi Rameshwara,'' which is located in Devasamudra Village, 3 kilometers from Rampura.
* Shirekola Village which has the Shree Guru Raghavendra Temple, located near Rampura.
* Jakkalavadike Village, near Siddapura, is named after old art works in the region. (Jakkalavadike means "house of world art" in
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
). There are other facets to the village.
* The Nunkemale Siddeshwara Temple is a famous temple in the region and once in three years, a jaathre is held in the town. Another jaathre is held every year on the Nunkemalle hill for three days and people from the surrounding villages throng the fair.
* The Sri Rama Temple is another famous temple in this region. Every year, the Ramnavami festival is celebrated here with great pomp and splendour. It also has a large reservoir and a huge rock which is popularly known as kugo bande, or the rock that screams. Here, tourists can hear echoes of their voices. The sithaphala fruits (custard apples) that grow in these hillocks are immensely delicious.
References
{{Reflist
Cities and towns in Chitradurga district