Sirsi, Karnataka
Sirsi is a moderate city in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India. Sirsi was also known as Kalyanapattana during the Sonda Dynasty. Sirsi is a tourist destination with a population of 155,079 (as per 2018 election votes). It is the largest town, a main commercial centre and a business hub in Uttara Kannada district. The town is surrounded by forest, and the region has a number of waterfalls. The main businesses around the city are mostly subsistence and agriculture-based. "Adike" (also known as "supari", areca nut or betel nut) is the primary crop grown in the villages that  surround the city, making it one of the major trading centres for areca nut. The region is also known for spices such as cardamom, pepper, betel leaves, and vanilla. The major food crop is paddy. Geography. Sirsi is located at (Grid Square MK74). It has an elevation ranging between 1860 feet to 2600 feet above sea level, and is situated in the heart of the Western Ghats. Sirsi is about from Bangalore. The nearest airport is located in Hubballi, about and Belagavi Airport, about from Sirsi. River Aghanashini begins at a place near Sirsi called "shankara honda" and flows towards  the Arabian Sea in the west. The river also creates many waterfalls along its path. Climate. The climate in Sirsi is classified as Am (Tropical Monsoon Climate) and Af (Tropical Rainforest Climate) in fewer parts. Sirsi experiences pleasant weather all over the year.The annual average temperature in Sirsi is . This town experiences about 25 days of hot days in a year. The hottest days are usually recorded in the months of March and April, which is the summer season in this region. The climate in Sirsi is strongly influenced by the monsoons, and the climate is tropical, moderated by  proximity to the sea. During monsoons, the region receives one of the heaviest rainfall in Uttara Kannada district. As a result, the region also has a large variety of wildlife. The vegetation in the region is mainly moist deciduous, and valuable timber wood is commonly found in the forests of this region. Owing to the rich flora and fauna, deforestation and poaching have been causes for concern in recent years. Sirsi receives about 2500mm to 3500mm of rainfall annually. The climate of Sirsi is moderate and pleasant throughout the year with high humidity and day temperature usually stays  warm. Annually, Sirsi's day temperature averages about 25 days of hot days with temperature more than and 124 days of warm days ranging to and remains below rest of the year (about 215 days). Maximum day temperature is lowest in July or August with an average of and highest in March with an average of with winter temperatures dropping below rarely. Climate in Sirsi Taluk. Sampakhanda, Kakkali, Devimane Ghat, Bandla, Hebre are nearby and under Sirsi Taluk. Sampakhanda is the coldest place where the temperature would drop below often during winter season and often drops below even in summer  season, and it had been recorded coldest not only in Uttara Kannada district but also as the coldest place among Karnataka especially during summer season. Demographics. As of 2011, the population of Sirsi within town limits was 62,335. Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. Sirsi had an average literacy rate of 92.82%, which was much higher than the national average of 74.05%. Male literacy was 95.26%, and female literacy 90.43%. About 12% of the population was under 6 years of age. In Sirsi City Municipal Council, the female sex ratio was 1014, whereas the state average in  Karnataka was 973. The major castes living in of Sirsi include: Havyaka Brahmin, Namadhari Naik, Madivala, Kuruba, Goud Saraswat Brahmin, Lingayat, Nadava, Rama Kshatriya, Shervegar Nayak, Gudigar, Daivajna and Ganiga. The Havyaka Brahmins of Sirsi speak the Havyaka Kannada dialect of Kannada. The Goud Saraswat Brahmin, Daivajna and Gavli castes, which form a sizeable part of the population and Christians speak Konkani. The Muslims of Sirsi speak both Kannada and Urdu. Access. By Road. Sirsi is linked to other parts of the state many state highways. A couple of National Highways are sanctioned by the Ministry of Transport, Government of  India passing through Sirsi namely Yellapur-Sirsi-Talguppa and Kumta-Sirsi-Haveri which will be developed and maintained by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Sirsi is linked to neighboring district headquarters of Dharwad, Mangalore, Udupi, Haveri, Belgaum and Shimoga. The state corporation has a network of buses to all major cities and towns in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. VRL, SRS, Seabird, Shreekumar Travels, Durgamba Travels, Sri Durgamba Travels and Sugama Transport are the major private bus operators. Premium Volvo and Corona bus services are also available. There are 3 mountain roads otherwise known as Ghat section are available to  access Sirsi, 1. Devimane Ghat Road from Kumta via Katgal, Devimane, Amminali, Total Number of Hairpin turn : 15 2. Vaddi Ghat Road from Ankola via Achave, Yana Rock Mountain, Devanahalli, Total Number of Hairpin turn : 21 3. Doddamane Ghat Road from Kumta via Mavingundi, Siddapura, Kansoor, Total Number of Hairpin turn : 15 Some roads might be dangerous to access during monsoon seasons because of slippery conditions. But these are scenic routes during June, July, August, September, October months because of monsoon. By Train. The nearest railhead is at Talguppa and Kumta. Talguppa is from Sirsi. Kumta is from Sirsi. Haveri  Railway Station is about from Sirsi and it has rail network to some major cities like Hubli, Davangere, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Salem, Madurai, Tirunelveli.Talguppa railway connects Bengaluru city via Sagar, Karnataka. Kumta railway connects Kochi and Mumbai via Mangaluru and Karwar, respectively. The major railhead is Hubli, which is the Zonal Headquarters of South Western Railway zone. By Air. The nearest airport is in Hubli, and the other is Belgaum, which are about 2.5 hrs and 5 hours drive from Sirsi respectively. Belgaum is connected to Bangalore, while Hubli is connected to Bangalore (direct – four flights daily), Mangalore (1  stop same equipment), Chennai (Direct), Jabalpur (1 stop same equipment) and Mumbai (direct – twice daily) by air. The nearest International Airport is Dabolim Airport, Goa. Art and culture. Yakshagana is a classical dance drama common to the state of Karnataka mainly in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod district of Kerala. There are several Yakshagana artists in and around Sirsi and it is being regularly played in Sirsi. Traditionally, Yakshaganas used to start late in the night and run entire night. Bhagavatha along with background musicians who play Chande and Maddale forms himmela. The actors  who wear colorful costumes and enact various roles in the story forms Mummela. Yakshagana is sometimes simply called as "Aataā" in both Konkani and Kannada (meaning play). "Yaksha-gana" literally means the song ("gana") of a Yaksha. Yakshas were an exotic tribe mentioned in the Sanskrit literature of ancient India. In Sirsi, Holi is celebrated with a unique Carnival. Folk dance called "Bedara Vesha" is performed during the nights beginning five days before the actual festival day. The festival is celebrated every alternate year in the town which attracts a large crowd on all the five days from different parts  of the India. Dollu Kunitha is also another folk dance of Sirsi performed during Bedara Vesha and Marikamba Fair. Sirsi Supari. Arecanut is extensively grown in this region. The arecanut grown in Sirsi has unique features like a round and flattened coin shape, particular texture, size, cross-sectional views, taste, etc. Its average dry weight is 7.5 g and average thickness is 16 mm. This unique arecanut has secured a GI tag.' Budget information. The annual budget of the CMC Sirsi for the year 2021–22 is Rs.128.28 crores, out of which Rs.781.20 lakhs was proposed for capital expenses, Rs.462.45 lakhs  towards proposed revenue payment, Rs.232.09 lakhs towards extra ordinary payment, and for development of SC&ST was Rs.9.86 lakhs. Religious places. Shri Marikamba Temple. Sirsi's Marikamba temple was built in 1688 and renovated at periodic intervals. The 'Marikamba Jaathre', commemorating the goddess Marikamba, is held by the temple authorities every alternate year. Nearly a lakh (100,000) Hindu devotees from all parts of the country attend the fair, making it one of the biggest festivals in South India. Shri Swarnavalli Maha Samsthana. Shree Matha is situated amidst evergreen forests near Shalmala river in Sirsi Taluk of Uttara Kannada district. Its history  can be traced back to the period of Adi Shankaracharya who professed Advaita philosophy and established Mathas to propagate it. It is a famous religious center and includes 16 seemas in the Upperghat and several places in the Lowerghat and many more disciples across India. Havyaka Brahmins, Ramakshatriyas, Sheeligas, Siddhis, Marathis, Goulis, Bhandaris and Kunbis and many more are the traditional disciples of this matha. Sodhe or "Sonda" or "Swadi" flourished during the Vijayanagara Empire and is a considered to be a sacred place by both Hindus and Jains. Sonda is known for Shri Vadiraja Matha, Shri Swarnavalli Matha and  is about from Sirsi. Shri Kshetra Manjuguni. "Manjuguni" is one of the popular pilgrim centers located in the Uttara Kannada (North Kanara) district of Karnataka state. This place is located at a distance of 26 km from Sirsi. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Venkataramana and Goddess Padmavathi. Devotees believe that, "Manjuguni" is called as "Tirupati of karnataka". The temple is situated in western ghat belt, popularly known as Sahyadri hills. During winter, this place is covered by thick fog (in Kannada: Manju) and hence it is called by the name 'Manjuguni'. The temple of Lord Venkatramana is a  huge complex built in Vijayanagara Style. According to "Sri Venkatesha Mahatmya" the founder of this temple is 'Tirumala Yogi', a saint. Jain Matha. A Jain Matha exists there, and it has been headed by Bhattaraka Swasti Sri Bhattakalanka. The Sonda Jain Matha is also known as the Swadi Jain Matha. Churches. St. Anthony's church is in Sirsi and is situated in the center of the town, and is the main church for the minority Christian population in the region. Another church is St. John Bosco Church situated on Hubli Road. Another church is Infant Jesus Church in Agasebagil. St. Paul's Mar Thoma Church is situated near the Zoo Circle. Nature and terrain. Sirsi is a destination for trekkers and nature lovers alike, owing to its location in the middle of the Western Ghats. Many viewpoints and mountain peaks provide extensive views of the Sahyadri mountain ranges. Nishane Gudda (785m), Jennukal Gudda (670m), Kailasa Gudda (690m), Kumbri Gudda (797m) and Motigudda (834m) are one among the extensive sahayadri view points here. The Region is ruled by Dense Tropical Evergreen Forest owing home to many wild animals like Tigers and Black Panther. He won the  bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games with a throw of 74.29 meters. He holds the post of Naik Subedar in the Indian Army.