Nestled next to a vast and beautiful coastline lies Mangalore or Mangaluru – a city known for its beaches, diverse people, rich history, old-school architecture, and for being spotless and eco-friendly.
EDUCATION-FRIENDLY CITY
Mangalore is extremely popular for higher studies among the aspiring youth of India as it boasts the existence of many excellent educational institutions like St. Aloysius Institute, St. Agnes Institute, Srinivas group of Institutes, MITE Technical Education Centre and many more. Due to the presence and availability of good education and infinite boarding and lodging facilities, the city has been attracting students from all over the country for many years. Thus the population of Mangalore at any point in time is extremely diverse as people flock to the city from every part of the country and also from other countries. Not only is it one of the safest cities of India, but it also is a representative of Indian culture at its best. This is also why an equal number of tourists visit the city all year round.
CENTRE OF TOURISM
Mangalore is famous for numerous places of cultural importance of which a few good examples are the Mangaladevi Temple, the Kadri Temple, St Aloysius Chapel, Light House Hill Garden, Holy Hill, Sultan Battery and so much more.
All year round, tourists visit the aforementioned areas and bask in the abundance of rich history and culture. Mangalore or Mangaluru gets its name from the benevolent goddess Mangaladevi who is the Goddess of Fortune in Hindu mythology. The temple is home to gorgeous architecture and is always bustling with worshippers. The Kadri temple is another historical asset that was built way back in the 10th century. It is most definitely a sight to see as water flows in the shape of a cow’s head called ‘Gomukha’ around the temple.
For those with an artist’s eyes, St Aloysius chapel is the one place they must not miss as the walls of the chapel including the roof are covered in paintings. These paintings were the works of an artist by the name Antony Moshaini from Italy. This chapel has often been compared to the Sistine chapel in Rome. As Mangalore was an infamous city that housed one of the world’s busiest harbors at one point in history, it is no surprise that the Light House Hill garden is home to the infamous light house of Mangalore that used to shine light on ships heading to and from home.
IMMENSE HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE
The city of Mangalore was known to the world right from the times of the great geek philosophers Ptolemy and Pliny. This very fact is proof of the crucial role played by the city in trade. The great Ibn batuta had also made notes that talked about the trading centre that was Mangalore. This history of playing a major role in trade continues till today as the city officially accounts for 3/4th of cashew and coffee exports from India.
No one narrates history better than the buildings that have been standing for centuries all together and as always Mangalore is filled with beautiful buildings made of red stones, in Christian architecture and have an air of antiquity. One such place of extreme historical importance is the sultan battery. This structure was built by the infamous Tipu Sultan to keep a watchful eye on the British warships that threatened to invade the Gurupur River. Today the structure is a popular tourist site. In antiquity, Mangalore was reined by the powerful Odeya kings after whom the Portuguese took over. Subsequently the Arabs conquered the sands of Mangalore under the leadership of Hyder Ali after which the British laid claims. As independence was granted to mother India, Mangalore became a part of the Karnataka state. Thus the city has a history that is not only rich but is also very culturally diverse.
THE LAND OF MANY LANGUAGES
Language is the key to human communication and often times it has been observed that those who speak multiple languages tend to have a more open and non-judgmental outlook towards other cultures and people. The people of Mangalore have always been welcoming to the people of other states and countries around the world there by making the city very diverse which is also the reason behind the city being very tourist-friendly. The essence of the city lies with its rickshaw-walas who can speak almost any language. They speak Kannada, Baery, Malayalam, Hindi, Konkani, Tulu and even English. Thus no matter how lost you are, or how out of place you feel in the city because you don’t speak their language, don’t worry, a rickshaw will take you home because they will speak your language and make you feel comfortable.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The city of Mangalore is people and student-friendly making it feel like a home away from one’s actual home especially for the students who come seeking education from different places. The essence of life in Mangalore can be found everywhere from street vendors selling panipuri to shopping malls filled with families and friends out for recreation. The duality of Mangalore is embodied in – the way it has adequate amount of greenery while also housing skyscrapers; the way students find themselves drawn to the small market shops of the Hampankatta market as well as the big brands in shopping malls; and how the normally hot and humid weather gives you chills the minute rain falls down; and so much more. Life in this city is quite easy to adapt to as everything is close to everything else in turn making it feel like a home away from home.
Even though Mangalore is small in size compared to the bigger metropolitan cities of India, it has got everything you need to live a comfortable life. Hence, the next time you find yourself looking for a place to shift to, make sure to come to Namma Mangaluru.
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