Tourist Places in Shiggaon

Introduction

The taluk of Shiggaon, which used to be part of the district of Dharwad, was divided into 3 districts in the year 1997-98. The Dharwad, Savanur, Hangal, and Mundagod districts surround it. The taluk has 25 GramPanchayats and 91 villages, as well as 2 city municipal councils.

It covers 588 km and has 9951 hl of forest, which is 16.88%. Agriculture is the primary industry for earning money, and irrigation facilities are available in the area.

Shiggaon's Demographics

It's a small town in Karnataka, with a population of 24,318. Men make up 51%, while women make up the rest. The literacy rate is around 59%, lower than in other parts of the country. It's spread over 588 sq km, with 17% covered by forests. Agriculture is the main industry, but several other industries have recently been established. Getting to cities like Bangalore or Pune is easy, and the local language is Kannada.

Tourist Places in Shiggaon

1. Utsav Rock Garden

Utsav Rock Park in Karnataka is a sculpture park that combines modern art and traditional culture. It resembles a typical art town with over a thousand sculptures worldwide. The garden is a hub for art, culture, and education and has won eight international awards. Visitors can experience their ancestors' peaceful and healthy lifestyle by looking at the mud-mudded hill with a beehive at the entrance and time wheels.

Dr. Rajkumar, a veteran Kannada actor, has contributed to the sculpture park. The sculptures in the garden showcase his performances in movies such as Mayor Muttanna, Sanadi Appanna, Satya Harischandra, Huliya Halina Mevu, Akasmika, Raghavendra Swamy, and more. It's a truly unique and alluring experience for visitors.

In Karnataka, some cool sculptures show off the culture of pre-independence India, like kids in different poses, a museum of modern art, and a wedding hall. There's also a model of a cow shed with many cows and buffalos in it, showing how people used to work before independence.

The sculptures also show different parts of life, like reading the paper, weighing food, brushing your teeth, and hearing the advice of an astrologer. Rural life has changed significantly over the last few years, with more and more young people moving to cities because of globalisation.

Other sculptures give tourists a glimpse into the past by showing how people used to move around, warring buffalo, and classic games like Goli Gunda and Gilli Danda. Inside the garden, there's a modern art museum with a bunch of glass pieces that have been painted with pearls. The Marriage Hall has people standing around for photos, which adds to the festive atmosphere. The park has statues of games that show how people lived and played in the past.

A renowned artist and architect, Dr. T. B. Solabakkanavar, in North Karnataka, has created a rock garden of the highest quality, which has won many awards. Sree Prakash Dasanur of Dasanur Groups designed the garden. The garden's main attraction is the sculpture of a cow, which looks like a real one, and other sculptures that reflect different aspects of a village, like its atmosphere, people's jobs, and clothes.

The art is taught to students nationwide and continues to give tourists a unique experience. The garden is special because it shields you from the sun, so you can walk around in the shade and have fun without any worries. The team behind the art has shown their ability to express themselves through cement and paint. The garden proves the artist is dedicated to creating unique and beautiful work.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary

It is one of the largest wildlife reserves in India; the Dandelia Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area of 866,41 km2 and is located in the Uttara Kannada District of India. The sanctuary was made a part of the Anshi Dandeli tiger reserve in 2006.

Two hundred bird species reside in the sanctuary, among which the great hornbill is one of the most common. The Malabar pygmy hornbill is also found here. It is the only tiger reserve in India where black panthers are reported to be sighted regularly. Other notable species that inhabit the sanctuary include the Indian sloth bear, pangolin, gigantic Malabar squirrel, dhole, Indian jackal, muntjac, Indian elephant, and Indian peafowl.

King Cobra and Mugger Crocodiles are among the most common reptiles in the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. Crocodiles are a common sight in the sanctuary's woodlands. The sanctuary comprises dense deciduous forest, bamboo, teak plantations, etc. While the refuge is a great place for bird watching and seeing crocodiles, you can also walk through the forest and enjoy bird watching.

3. Sirsi Marikamba Temple

A Hindu temple to Marikamba Devi (Durga Devi) is in Sirsi, Karnataka, also called Marigudi. It was constructed in 1688 and has a blue facade from the 19th century and a courtyard with cloisters stuffed with Hindu mythological figures. The temple's principal picture, a furious version of Durga, is said to have been taken from a pond on the way to Hangal.

Special Kaavi paintings are prominent in Karnataka's coastal Konkan area and are kept in the sanctum sanctorum. The bottom white layer of plaster was removed to reveal the upper plastered layer of the mural, which had previously been stained with red colour. The temple's renovations have covered up any signs of ancient constructions.

The largest and most well-known fair in South India is the Sirsi Marikamba Jaatre, which takes place in March. Players in the procession, which includes kid-friendly activities including circuses, shops, plays, and dramas, come from all around the state. Numerous worshippers attend the ceremony, which describes the myth of the goddess destroying Mahishasura.

4. Banavasi Temple

Banavasi is an ancient temple town in Karnataka that was the capital of the Kadamba kingdom, which ruled all of Karnataka. The closest major city is Sirsi, which is 24 kilometres away. The town was a major centre of Hindu Shaivism in the 5th century and is dedicated to Shiva, considered the ultimate god.

It's also home to one of the earliest copper coins ever found, which dates back to the 5th century and has an inscription in Kannada script. The oldest buildings in south India are where the first Kannada writer, Adikavi Pampa, wrote his epics. The town is the capital of an ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka. Kadamba rulers ruled South India for over two centuries.

5. Sahasralinga

Sahasralinga is a pilgrimage site located 14 kms from Sirsi taluk in the Kannada-Uttara Kannada region of India. Around a thousand lingams are carved into the river's stones and banks. The Lingas are believed to be a consequence of global warming. On the banks of the Netravati River and the Kumaradhara River, where a thousand lingas are found, is the Sahasralingswara temple in Uppinagady.

At the beginning of the story of the lingas, Krishna tells the Pandavas to ask "Pushpa mruga" to hold Rajasooryadwara Yaga. A young man called Bheema runs into Hanuman, and Hanuman promises to protect Bheema with the hair from his tail if he follows him. Bheem agrees to follow Hanuman, but only at "manovega" speed because he believes in the tail hair.

Bheem struggles to keep up with this animal and drops a single hair, which triggers the emergence of a "Shivalinga." Only when Bheem worships the linga does Pushpamrug continue, dropping the last of the hairs as they go to uppinangady. A thousand Lingas appear, and by the time the animal is done worshipping, Bheem is safely at Yagamantap. There are said to be a thousand Lingas around the temple.

6. Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary

Karnataka is home to a well-known peacock sanctuary, Bankapura, one of the state's lesser-known tourist spots. It's located in Bankapura, near Haveri, and covers 139 acres. It's 2.5 km from the highway between Pune and Bangalore and 22 km from Hubli. The road network is great, and it's only the second sanctuary in the world to focus solely on peacock breeding and conversation. The Department of Veterinary Studies runs the sanctuary, and it's open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Sunday.

7. Naganur Lake

Naganur Lake is only 1.4 kilometres away from Shiggoan's New Bus Stand, making it an ideal destination for a morning excursion. The lake is also home to the renowned Ganesh Temple.

8. Nagareshwar Temple

Nagareshwar temple is located on the grounds of the famous peacock sanctuary at Bankapur. More painted peacocks are seen here than actual peacocks. About ten feet of land lies beneath the temple's foundation. You must go down a few steps to get a full view of the temple.

The locals call this temple "Aravattu-kambada-gudi," which means "60-pillared temple" in Hindi. Because the main hall has so many columns, it was originally only fifty-two columns. The Muslims who converted the temple into a mosque added six more columns between this Mandapa and two more between the inner hall and this Mandapa, making the total sixty.

Some of the features on the pillars of the temple from the Chalukkana era are unique and rarely repeated. This huge temple has a huge mandapa that you can get to from three sides. A porch there's connects it to a small hall called a Navaranga.

You can get to Navaranga from the East, South, or North. A low wall with a parapet covers the outside of the mandapa. There are lots of mini-shrines with Nagara Tower on the well. These temples usually have miniature pictures, often telling stories like Vishnu's Trivikrama. A stone bench surrounds the room.

9. Tadas Gayatri Thapobhumi Temple

This temple is dedicated to Gayathri, the main god, and Savitu, the sun core. Gayathri is a female deity who shows Savitu in an anthropomorphic state. It's really beautiful and has been renovated. There's a meditation area and free lunch at noon. It was a nice experience.

10. Kanaka Dasa Palace

A renowned poet, Kanaka Dasa is a Karnataka musician, philosopher, and composer. He has contemporary perspectives on life. He formerly resided in a palace, which now houses several of his masterpieces.

During an excavation, the Archaeological Department unearthed the ruins of a fort and a palace at Baada. These ruins date back to the famous ruler of Karnataka, known as the 'Kanaka Dasa' or 'Thimmappa Nayanaka.' The Government of Karnataka has immortalised the famous ruler's life stories and idols. In his honour, a new fort and a palace have been constructed at Baada in Karnataka.

Topical Rainforest Ecological Camp

Drongo Nature Camp is an ethical nature camp that encourages people to get out and experience nature instead of just watching it. It's located in Sirsi in the Western Ghats and offers a range of activities, from night harping to bird watching, river activities, and treks through the woods.

The campus uses sustainable materials to build and maintain its cottages. You can explore the river, go on guided forest trips, do night harping with snakes and lizards, and see birds. To respect the locals and the environment, they have rules like no plastic zone, no campfires, no loud music, and vegetarian meals. It's a great spot for families who are naturalists, researchers, or birdwatchers

Sykes Point

Sykes Point is the highest point in Dandeli and one of the most famous tourist spots in the city. It is 6 km from the Ambikanagar road junction and 24 km from the Dandeli bus stand.

Sykes Point is one of the most popular tourist spots in Dandeli. It is named after Sykes, a British engineer who discovered it. It offers a beautiful view of hills with thick forests and deep valleys. You can see the confluence of the Nagzari River and Kali River from here. You can also see the sunset from here. Bird watchers often visit this spot to spot the huge hornbills.