Kanara
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The Kanara or Canara region (called Karavali) that comprises three coastal districts of Karnataka, a southern state of India.
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[edit] Geography
The three districtis in the region are North Canara (Uttara Kannada) whose administrative headquarters is Karwar, Udupi district whose district headquarters is Udupi, and South Canara (Dakshina Kannada), whose administrative headquarters is Mangalore. Kanara is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats and on the west by the Arabian Sea. The coastal strip between the Western Ghats and the sea, including Kanara and the state of Goa and coastal Maharashtra to the north, is known as the Konkan coast, while the coast of Kerala is known as the Malabar coast. Kanara is also known as the Karavali coast.
[edit] History
According to legend Parashurama, the avatar of Vishnu, retrieved this place from the sea by throwing his axe into the sea. The sea fell back to the place where his axe fell. Hence this place is also called Parshurama Kshetra. It was ceded to the British in 1799.
[edit] Culture
Even though many languages are spoken like Tulu, Konkani and to some extent Kannada. There are many common factors in food, culture, rituals, traditions. Rice, fish and coconut oil are commonly used ingedients in the food of the people of Karavali region. Spirit worship (Bhuta Kola), Serpent worship (Nagaradhane), Buffalo race (Kambala), Yakshagana are some of common traditional rituals followed.
