Dandeli is a city in Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka, India in the Western Ghats, near to Goa. It is best known for its wildlife sanctuary, tourism, industry and as an educational hub.
A significant part of Dandeli's population consists of economic migrants from all over India and from Nepal. Although the official language is Kannada, there are significant minorities who speak Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, Gujarathi,Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.The diversity of its population is reflected in its culture, and the Dussera, Ramleela, Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali festivals are all celebrated.
Name
The origin of the name of the city is unknown. However, local legend states that the city is named after Dandelappa, a servant of the Mirashi landlords who lost his life because of his loyalty. An alternative legend states that a king named Dandakanayaka passed through the forests and named them after himself, and the city is believed to stand on the place where Dandakaranya stood.
Wildlife sanctuary
Dandeli is a natural habitat for wildlife including tigers, leopards, black panthers, elephants, gaur, deer, antelopes, and bears. It has recently been designated as a Tiger reserve. The jungle is also home to many kinds of reptiles and around 200 varieties of birds. The rapid expansion of tourism and industry has raised fears of ecological damage and local voluntary groups have formed to address the issue.
Tourism
Dandeli, surrounded by thick jungle with River Kali dashing through furiously, is a nature lover’s paradise. Jungle Lodges Resorts has a fine tourist complex called ‘Kali Wilderness and Adventure Camp’. This is the only place in South India where tourists are offered white water rafting.The Bison River resort on the banks of River Kali near Ganeshgudi is another place of sojourn for the tourists. The resort offers facilities to carry the tourists to see wildlife at Phanasoli, Kavala caves etc. It also offers river rafting facilities along with JLR at Dandeli.
Landmarks
Dandeli is surrounded by natural, historic and religious landmarks. The river Kali, the caves of Kavla, the Syntheri rocks, and other landmarks including the Ulvi temple, Sykes point and the Supa hydroelectric dam.
Transport links
Dandeli is well connected by road to nearby cities. It lies 55 km from Dharwad, 72 km from Hubli and 95 km from Belgaum. Buses run by the KSRTC run to Dandeli daily from nearby cities. The nearest airports are at Hubli, Belgaum and Goa. Its British-built railway was the first in North Kanara, but it is no longer operational for the public. The nearest passenger rail stations are at Alnavar, Londa, Dharwad and Hubli.
Photo Gallery:
White Water Rafting
RaftingCourtesy: Wikipedia
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