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Thursday, March 28 2024
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Blooming town of Ankola

Ankola tourism
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Around 33 km from Karwar, in Uttara Kannada district lies the small town of Ankola. The town is surrounded by temples, paddy fields and mango groves. Being on the coastal realm of the Arabian sea, this location is home to some very alluring beaches.

The town gets its name from the Ankola flower which is commonly seen in the hills forests of this place. The mystic charm and beauty of the town lies within the Halakki Vokkaligas residing in the region. They are an indigenous tribe of Karnataka who are residing mostly within Uttara Kannada. These tribe of people are usually living in the foot of Western Ghats and are termed as the ‘Aboriginals of Uttara Kannada’. Their ancient style of living is very different and fascinating to see and is definitely worth a visit. The women adorn themselves with beads and necklaces, heavy nose rings and distinctive attire. The Halakki tribe speak a different dialect of Kannada called as Halakki Kannada.

Apart from being famous for beaches, Ankola is also well known for its native breed of Mango called Kari Ishaad. These mangoes are the pride of the people in the town and a small quantity of the fruit is being marketed in Hubballi, Belagavi and Mangaluru during the season. The mango, harvested from mid-May, has a short shelf life of not more than two or three days. But its pulp lasts more than a year. The main demand for the pulp is said to be from Mumbai and Hubballi.

Ankola tourism3

A very famous tourist location in Ankola is the Mahamaya Temple. Said to have been built in the 16th C, the temple holds the deities of Mahamayi, Laxmi Narayana along with the idols of Eshwara, Parwathi and Ganapathi. Special celebrations like Mahanavami and Vijayadashami are held in great ardour. Another important temple in the town is the Aryadurga Temple which is said to have been built more than 300 years ago by a saint.

The small Vibhooti waterfalls near Yana is also popularly visited by tourists. The falls gets its name from the Lime Stone rock nearby. The Honey beach of Ankola is encased between the hills and the wide Arabian sea. The beach almost looks like a private area away from the bustle of the city where one can enjoy the roaring beauty of the sunset. The Nadibhag beach is also yet another favoured spot. Several water activities such as waterboarding, boating, swimming, water sports, and many more can be found in Ankola along with trekking and adventures sports in the forests of the land. With mostly having a tropical weather, it is best advised to visit Ankola in the months between November to April.

 

Image courtesy Prashnaik, Jitun2004 from Wikimediacommons

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SC H Varghese

Harshita Mary Varghese graduated with a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Aloysius College Mangaluru and is quickly learning the ropes of the emerging Media Industry. She has excellent language and reportage skills. She excels at human interest and travel stories.

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