Nagar Taluk, 1908
Nagar Taluk, 1908
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Western taluk of Shimoga District, Mysore, lying between 13° 36' and 14° 6' N. and 74° 52' and 75° 23' E., with an area of 528 square miles. The population in 1901 was 40,455, compared with 42,841 in 1 89 1. The taluk contains two towns, Kalurkatte (popu- lation, 918), the head-quarters, and Nagar (715); and 205 villages. The land revenue demand in 1903-4 was Rs. 1,16,000. Except in the north the taluk is surrounded by mountains and hills, the streams from which flow nortli-west, uniting in the Sliaravati. Those in the south-west run (Hrectly down the Ghats westward, and reach the sea at Coondapoor. In the north-west is the isolated Honnar hobli belonging to South Kanara, part of the endowments of a temple at Kollur below the Ghats. The principal mountain within the taluk is Kodachadri (4,411 feet), in the north-west. North of this is the Kollur ghat road to the low country, and in the south-west the Haidar- garh or Hosangadi ghat road. The taluk is purely Malnad or 'highland,' the whole densely wooded. The south is composed of a cluster of hills, in a basin formed by which is situated Nagar town, formerly called Bednur. The most open part is the valley of the Sharavati. West of this the country becomes wilder and wilder as the Ghats are approached. East and north of the Sharavati the country is generally more level. The forests here are dense and contain more timber-trees than the west, where the soil is shallower, with much laterite. Areca-nuts, pepper, cardamoms, and rice are the products of this region. There are no 'dry crops.' The areca-nuts are of the first quality, but the gardens largely belong to Brahmans, who are dependent for their cultivation on imported labour. Rice is exported to the coast, and areca-nuts by way of Birur to Bellary and Walajapet. All other articles of consumption and clothing are brought from the plain country, partly by merchants who come to buy areca-nuts, but chiefly by ryots from Tirthahalli, Avinhalli, and Kollur, either on bullocks or by porters.
