With
the physical boundaries of Kerala in the south
west, Tamil Nadu in the south, the Arabian Sea
in the west, Maharastra in the north, and Goa
bordering the north east, Karnataka is the 8th
largest state in India, and due to its geographical
location it is greatly influenced by many traditions.
Kolar the land of gold mines,
Coorg and Chitradurga world acclaimed for coffee,
and Mysore the home of pure silk and sandal
perfume, are all in the state of Karnataka.
The famous Mysore Palace, Brindavan Gardens,
Nandi Hills, Krishnarajasagar Dam, Bandipur
Wild life Centre, the world famous Jog falls,
the garden city of India, Bangalore, along with
many tourist attractions and holy shrines, all
combine to make this the beautiful state of
Karnataka.
Historically this land was ruled by the great
rulers of South India, namely the Mouriahs and
Chalukyas. Later it became the capital of the
Vijayanagara Empire. Many invaders, rulers,
and great kings followed.
During the reign of Hyder
Ali it came under the Islamic influences. But
when the British defeated his son, Tippu Sultan,
it finally came under the rule of the Maharajas,
who were under the influence of the East India
Company.
Even after independence,
the state of Karnataka continued to be known
as the Great Mysore. But On November 1, 1973,
it was officially named as Karnataka, and this
day is celebrated every year as Kannada Rajyotsava.
There are 27 districts in
Karnataka with a population of 70 million, mainly
Kannadigas, but there are also many people of
other languages namely Tamils, Telugus, Marathis,
Malayalees, and many more. Of this population
86% are Hindus, 11% are Muslims, 2% are Christians,
and 1% are other religions.
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| Christianity in Karnataka |
The History of Christianity in Karnataka
In the past when the Portuguese invaded India, they established several factories in Mangalore, Kundapore, and Honavar, and through their influence the Catholic Church was established.
In the 19th century, through the pioneering efforts of the Protestant missionaries like Basil and the Wesleyan Mission, the Church was established, and Christianity gradually and steadily spread throughout Karnataka.
It was the Christian missionaries who first introduced printing, making Kannada literature available in the state of Karnataka, and it is an historical fact that Christian missionaries rendered a great and valuable service to the language and literature of the Kannada speaking people.
Hermon Mongliv of Basil Mission, published the Mangalore Samaachara, which was the first newspaper available in the Kannada language. Even today the English - Kannada dictionary, published by Reverend Kettle, is recognized as important literature in Kannada.
It was the Christian missionaries who provided the opportunities to the people of this land to learn English. Even today the best educational institutions, hospitals, and other establishments were founded and managed by Christian institutions. No one can deny this obvious fact.
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