Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about Our State Karnataka Physiographic Divisions from Class 9 Social_Science. In this chapter, we will study the greatness and heritage of our state, the origin of the name Karnataka, its geographical location, size, land and water frontiers, neighbouring states, salient features of its physical divisions, and the hills and highest peaks of Karnataka. In the previous class, you studied physical geography. Now we will study our state Karnataka, the land of Kannadigas. It is one of the Indian States with its own greatness and heritage. Our land has an ideal situation and is blessed with diverse relief features, flora and fauna, different types of soil, river systems, minerals and human resources. It is a prosperous land with its own literature, art and culture and has religious, spiritual and historically famous pilgrim centres. Many places in Karnataka are famous for their world heritage sites, natural beauty, and abundance of wildlife.
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Let us first understand the origin of the name. The name Karnataka has been in use from ancient times. This land used to be called Karunadu, which means kar plus nadu equals a land of black soil. The word Karunat refers to Karnataka in the ancient Tamil work Shilappadikaram. Karunat means the land which is on an elevated plateau. It has been mentioned in Nrupatunga’s grammatical work Kavirajamarga that Karnataka extended from the Cauvery river up to the Godavari river. After Independence, India was divided into many states. In 1953, nine southern districts which were till then under the rule of the Mysuru kings, were brought together to form the Mysuru State. Later, when the States were reorganised on a linguistic basis, areas with Kannada speaking people in Bombay, Hyderabad, Madras and Kodagu provinces were brought together. Thus, on 1 November 1956, the Vishal Mysuru State came into being. It is in fond commemoration of this event that Rajyotsava is celebrated every year on 1 November. In 1973, in response to the wishes of Kannadigas, our State was renamed as Karnataka.
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Now let us move on to the geographical location. Karnataka is one of the 28 States of India. It is situated in the Southern part of India, in the Western Central area of the peninsular region. It extends from 11 degrees 31 minutes North to 18 degrees 45 minutes North latitude and 74 degrees 12 minutes East to 78 degrees 40 minutes East longitude. Its length is 750 kilometres, stretching from Aurad taluk in Bidar district in the northern most tip of the State to Chamarajnagar district in the south. Its width is 400 kilometres from west to east. Karwar in Uttara Kannada district is at the western end whereas Mulbagal taluk in Kolar district is at the eastern end. Karnataka state has both land and water frontiers too. The textbook features a map titled Location of Karnataka in India. This map visually places Karnataka in the southern peninsula, clearly marking its boundaries with Maharashtra to the north, Goa to the northwest, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to the northeast and east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast, and Kerala to the southwest. The Arabian Sea forms its western coastline. The map also highlights the state's distinctive cashewnut-like shape.
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Let us look at the size of our state. Karnataka stretches over an area of 1,91,791 square kilometres. It is India’s eighth largest state with regard to area, and according to the 2011 census, it has the ninth position, with a population of 6,10,95,297. Karnataka occupies 5.83 per cent of India’s geographical area. Now, regarding the districts, the textbook presents a visual table titled Districts and District Headquarters. This table displays a partial list of entries for your reference. The districts and their corresponding headquarters shown in the table are: Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Bengaluru, Bengaluru, and Mysuru. At present, there are 31 districts in our State. These districts comprise 239 taluks, 745 hoblies, 347 towns and cities and 29,483 villages. Belagavi district is the largest in size, and Bengaluru Urban district is the smallest. Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka. The State has been divided into four revenue divisions for administrative convenience. They are Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi.
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Here is an important constitutional fact you must know. Do you know this? Bidar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Yadgir, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka are provided a special status by the Central Government according to Article 371(J) of our Constitution. Now, let us study the Physical Divisions. Karnataka state is a part of peninsular India and has diverse physical features. Its southern part consists of undulating topography, whereas the northern part is a vast plain. There is great contrast between the Coastal areas and Malnad region. The land slopes slightly towards the east and steeply towards the west. This is traversed by many ridges with valleys and gorges. Most of the area of the state is 450 to 900 meters above sea level. Some areas are more than 1800 meters above sea level. On the basis of structure and relief, Karnataka can be divided into three important physical divisions. First is The Coastal plain. Second is The Malnad. Third is The Maidan.
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Let us begin with The Coastal plain. As a result of the reorganisation of states on a linguistic basis, Karnataka acquired sea coast and coastal plains as part of its territory. This physical division lies between the Arabian Sea and the Malnad region. The coastline extends to 320 kilometres from Mangaluru in the south to Karwar in the north. Its width varies from 12 to 64 kilometres. It is broad in the south and becoming narrow with steep slopes towards the north. Its height is more than 200 meters above sea level. It is called the Canara or the Karnataka Coastline. Many fast flowing rivers cut through the coastal areas, shaped by sea erosion. The rivers have formed estuaries. However, there are no deltas in this area. There are many ports along the coastline. Among them, New Mangaluru is the major port in Karnataka. Bhatkala, Malpe, Karwar, Kumta, Belekere and Honnavar are fishing ports. Many beautiful beaches are formed along the sea coast, attracting tourists. Some of the prominent beaches are Panambur, Ullal and Someswara beaches near Dakshina Kannada district, Malpe of Udupi district, Karwar of Uttara Kannada district, Murdeshwar near Honnavar, Maravanthe and Om beach near Gokarna.
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There are some small islands located near the sea coast. Among them are St. Mary’s Island, also known as Coconut Island, near Malpe, Anja near Karwar and Devgadh, Kanjigudda islands are notable. The main occupation of the people near the coast is fishing. Agriculture is also another important occupation. Crops like cashew, coconut, arecanut, cardamom and paddy are grown here. Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada are the coastal districts of Karnataka. Let me share some interesting facts with you. Do you know this? The New Mangaluru Port is called The Gateway to Karnataka. St. Mary’s Island is referred locally as Tonsepaar. There is a Netrani island near Murudeswara and it has plenty of pigeon. So it is known as pigeon island.
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Now, let us move to The Malnad. The Western Ghats in our state are referred to as Malnad or the land of hills. They are also called the Sahyadris. Malnad runs parallel to the coastline from north to south. They have steep terrace like slopes in the west and gentle slope to the east. Hence they are called Ghats. They are 650 kilometres in length and 50 to 76 kilometres in width. The height ranges from 900 to 1500 meters from sea level. These hills obstruct the rain bearing winds from the Arabian Sea and cause heavy rains often more than 200 centimetres. The highest peaks in this region are Mullaiyanagiri, Kudremukh, Kalhattagiri, Rudragiri and Deveerammanagudda. All these Peaks are in Chikkamagaluru district. Besides these the other peaks of Malnad region are Ballalarayanadurga, Mertigudda, Pushpagiri and Kodachadri. Among them, Mullaiyanagiri at 1913 meters is the highest peak in the State.
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Let us understand the Mountain Passes. The routes, from the eastern plains of Karnataka to the coastal plains across the Western Ghats are called the mountain passes. The important passes are: First, Charmadi Ghat, which links Mangaluru and Chikkamagaluru. Second, Shiradi Ghat, which links Hassan, Sakleshpur and Mangaluru. Third, Agumbe Ghat, which links Shivamogga and Udupi. Fourth, Hulikal Ghat, which links Shivamogga and Kundapur. Since Malnad region receives heavy rainfall, it has attractive hill resorts covered with dense evergreen forests. It is the birthplace of many rivers which, when they flow fast down the steep slopes, form wonderful waterfalls. The Jogfalls on the Sharavathi river, is the highest waterfall of India. The other prominent water falls are the Unchalli, Magod, Gokak, Shivanasamudra and Abbey falls. The rivers have led to the formation of valleys and gorges.
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Coffee, tea, rubber plantations and spices are grown abundantly on the slopes. Since coffee is grown widely in Chikkamagaluru, it is called The Land of Coffee. Kodagu district is known as the Kashmir of Karnataka because of its cool weather. As oranges are grown abundantly in Kodagu district, it is also referred to as the Land of Oranges. At present, Malnad has been identified as a Biodiversity Zone and protected. Hassan, Kodagu, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru are the districts of Malnad region. Here is an activity for you to think about. In which of the Physical division is your district situated? Name your neighbouring districts. Make a list of special features of your district.
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Now, let us study The Maidan, which is the Plain region. To the east of Malnad is a vast plain with a height of approximately 450 to 760 meters. This area is irrigated by the Krishna, the Tungabhadra and the Cauvery. There are many ridges in this area. It has land sloping towards the east, rising in height from north to south. The maidan can be divided into two parts. First is The Northern maidan. Second is The Southern maidan. Let us look at The Northern maidan. It is a vast plain land with black soil, and is an extensive plateau. It is around 365 to 610 meters above sea level. Hills and hillocks can be seen at different places. Prominent among them are Naragund hill, Parasagada gudda, Gurumitkalgudda and Ilkal gudda. Areas to the east of Saudatti and Badami have limestone with faulting. It has produced rugged landforms.
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The most important waterfall of the region is Gokak falls. It is 52 meters height and created by the Gataprabha river. Chayabhagavathi and Sogala are the other water falls in this region. The districts of Bidar, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgiri, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur, Ballari, Haveri, Bagalkot and some parts of Dharwad and Belagavi districts are located in the northern maidan. This region is very hot in summer and it is called the land of sunshine. Dry crops like jowar, bajra, groundnut, cotton and pulses are mainly grown here. Now, let us move to The Southern maidan. This area extends from the Tungabhadra river basin in the north to Chamarajnagar district in the south. It is a plateau with abundant red soil. It has uneven surface with many ups and downs, and has a height of 900 to 975 meters. It is higher than the northern maidan and slopes towards the east.
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There are many hills. They are, Chitradurga hills, Narayana durga, Savanadurga and Shivaganga in Bengaluru rural district, Madhugiri hill in Tumakuru district is the biggest monolith hill in Asia, Nandi hills, Chennakeshava hill and Skandagiri hill, also known as Harihareswara hill, in Chikkaballapura district, Adichunchanagiri hills in Mandya district, Biligirirangana hill, Malemadeswara hill, Himavad gopalaswamy hills in Chamarajnagar district, Chamundi hill in Mysuru district are prominent. The textbook includes an image with the caption Mullaiyanagiri Monolith hill - Madhugiri, highlighting this massive granite formation. This area is in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats. The Cauvery, Palar and Pennar are the important rivers flowing through this region. Ragi, paddy, maize, sugarcane, groundnut, mulberry, vegetables, a variety of fruits and flowers are the main crops grown here. Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajnagar districts are in the Southern maidan.
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Here is another activity for your understanding. Write a note about the physical diversity of your district. Now, let us proceed to the Exercises. I will read each question and provide the complete answer for your exam preparation. Exercise One: Fill in the blanks with suitable words. Question one: We celebrate Kannada Rajyotsava on ____________. Answer: 1 November. Question two: The year in which the State was named as Karnataka is _____. Answer: 1973. Question three: The State to the east of Karnataka is __________ . Answer: Andhra Pradesh. Question four: The largest district in Karnataka is ___________ Answer: Belagavi. Question five: Karnataka is in the ___________ part of India. Answer: Southern. Question six: The island located near Malpe is _________. Answer: St. Mary’s Island. Question seven: The Western Ghats of Karnataka are known as the ____________ Hills. Answer: Sahyadri. Question eight: Agumbe Ghat links __________ and ___________. Answer: Shivamogga and Udupi. Question nine: Kashmir of Karnataka is called ____________ district. Answer: Kodagu.
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Exercise Two: Answer the following questions in brief. Question ten: Give the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of Karnataka. Answer: Karnataka extends from 11 degrees 31 minutes North to 18 degrees 45 minutes North latitude and 74 degrees 12 minutes East to 78 degrees 40 minutes East longitude. Question eleven: Name our neighbouring states. Answer: Our neighbouring states are Maharashtra in the north, Andhra Pradesh in the east, Telangana in the North East, Tamil Nadu in the south and south east, Kerala in the south west, and Goa in the north west. Question twelve: Which are the four administrative divisions of Karnataka? Answer: The four administrative revenue divisions of Karnataka are Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi. Question thirteen: Explain the geographical location of Karnataka in India. Answer: Karnataka is one of the 28 States of India, situated in the Southern part of India, in the Western Central area of the peninsular region. It has a length of 750 kilometres from north to south and a width of 400 kilometres from west to east. It has both land and water frontiers, with the Arabian Sea to the west and six neighbouring states surrounding it. Its shape resembles a cashewnut.
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Question fourteen: Mention the important physical divisions of Karnataka. Answer: On the basis of structure and relief, Karnataka is divided into three important physical divisions: The Coastal plain, The Malnad, and The Maidan. Question fifteen: Write a note on the relief features of Malnad region. Answer: The Malnad region consists of the Western Ghats or Sahyadris, running parallel to the coast from north to south. They have steep terrace like slopes in the west and gentle slopes to the east. They are 650 kilometres long and 50 to 76 kilometres wide, with heights ranging from 900 to 1500 meters. The highest peak is Mullaiyanagiri at 1913 meters. The region receives heavy rainfall over 200 centimetres, has dense evergreen forests, and features important mountain passes like Charmadi, Shiradi, Agumbe, and Hulikal Ghats. It is also the birthplace of rivers forming waterfalls like Jogfalls, Unchalli, and Magod. Question sixteen: Give an account on the coastal plains of Karnataka. Answer: The coastal plains lie between the Arabian Sea and the Malnad region. The coastline extends 320 kilometres from Mangaluru in the south to Karwar in the north, with a width varying from 12 to 64 kilometres. It is broad in the south and narrows with steep slopes in the north, standing over 200 meters above sea level. It is known as the Canara or Karnataka Coastline. Fast flowing rivers form estuaries but no deltas. Major ports include New Mangaluru, and fishing ports include Bhatkala, Malpe, Karwar, Kumta, Belekere and Honnavar. Prominent beaches are Panambur, Ullal, Someswara, Malpe, Karwar, Murdeshwar, Maravanthe, and Om beach. Islands include St. Mary’s Island near Malpe, Anja near Karwar, and Devgadh and Kanjigudda islands. The main occupations are fishing and agriculture, growing cashew, coconut, arecanut, cardamom and paddy. The coastal districts are Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
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Question seventeen: Name the main hills of Southern maidan. Answer: The main hills of the Southern maidan are Chitradurga hills, Narayana durga, Savanadurga, Shivaganga in Bengaluru rural district, Madhugiri hill in Tumakuru district, Nandi hills, Chennakeshava hill, Skandagiri hill in Chikkaballapura district, Adichunchanagiri hills in Mandya district, Biligirirangana hill, Malemadeswara hill, Himavad gopalaswamy hills in Chamarajnagar district, and Chamundi hill in Mysuru district. Question eighteen: Mention the mountain passes in the Western Ghats. Answer: The important mountain passes are Charmadi Ghat linking Mangaluru and Chikkamagaluru, Shiradi Ghat linking Hassan, Sakleshpur and Mangaluru, Agumbe Ghat linking Shivamogga and Udupi, and Hulikal Ghat linking Shivamogga and Kundapur. Exercise Three: Match the following. I will provide the correct matches. i. Jogfalls matches with c. Sharavati river. ii. Om beach matches with d. Gokarna. iii. Nandi hill station matches with e. Chikballapur. iv. Monolith hill matches with f. Madhugiri hills. v. Land of sunshine matches with b. Northern maidan. Note: Mangaluru is not matched in this set, as there are five items in column A and six in column B.
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Exercise Four: Activities. Activity one: Draw an outline map of Karnataka, mark and name its districts and also indicate the latitudinal and longitudinal positions. Activity two: Mark and name the coastal districts and the districts of Malnad on the map of Karnataka and collect pictures of famous waterfalls. Exercise Five: Project. Project one: Draw an outline map of your district, town or city with the help of your teacher, indicate its latitudinal and longitudinal positions and mark the neighboring districts. I hope this comprehensive audio lesson has helped you understand the physiographic divisions of Karnataka thoroughly. Remember to practice drawing the maps and memorising the exact figures, names, and lists for your examinations. Review the mountain passes, the peaks, the districts in each division, and the constitutional Article 371(J) carefully. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]