Mangalore Popularly known as “Kudla” in local language, is the coastal lovers paradise and a city of palms, culture and rich tradition.
Mangalore derives its name from the local Hindu deity Mangaladevi . It developed as a port on the Arabian Sea – remaining, to this day, a major port of India. Lying on the backwaters of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, Mangalore is often used as a staging point for sea traffic along the Malabar Coast. The city has a tropical climate and lies on the path of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-West monsoons.
Mangalore was ruled by several major powers, including the Kadambas, Vijayanagar dynasty, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, and the Portuguese. The city was a source of contention between the British and the Mysore rulers, Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan. Eventually annexed by the British in 1799
Mangalore is demographically diverse with several languages, including Tulu, Konkani, Kannada, and Beary commonly spoken and understood. The city's landscape is characterized by rolling hills, coconut palms, freshwater streams, and hard red-clay tiled-roof buildings.
Several regional and foreign powers have fought over the control of Mangalore. Major regional dynasties, such as the Western Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Hoysalas ruled the town until the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century. From 200–600 CE, the Kadamba dynasty ruled over the region. Mangalore was the capital of the Alupa dynasty until the 14th century.The city, then an important trading zone for Persian merchants, was visited by Adenese merchant Abraham Ben Yiju.The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who had visited the town in 1342, referred to it as Manjarun, and stated that the town was situated on a large estuary. In 1448, Abdul Razak, the Persian ambassador of Sultan Shah Rukh of Samarkand, visited Mangalore, and was amazed at a glorious temple he saw in the city, en route to Vijayanagara.
European influence in Mangalore can be traced back to 1498, when the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed at St Mary's Island near Mangalore. In 1520, the Portuguese took control of the area from the Vijayanagara dynasty, and ruled the city until the latter half of the 18th century. In 1526, the Portuguese defeated the Bangara king and his allies, resulting in the Muslim-dominated control over Mangalore's trade coming into Portuguese hands. In the 16th century, Goud Saraswat Brahmins and Roman Catholics from Goa migrated to Mangalore as a result of the Portuguese–Maratha Wars and the Goa Inquisition. In 1695, the town was torched by Arabs in retaliation to Portuguese restrictions on Arab trade. During the 17th century, the Keladi Nayaka kingdom defeated the Portuguese and ruled the town till 1762.
Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore, conquered Mangalore in 1763, consequently bringing the city under his administration until 1767. Mangalore was ruled by the British East India Company from 1767 to 1783,but was subsequently wrested from their control by Hyder Ali's son, Tippu Sultan in 1783. The Second Anglo–Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Mangalore, signed between Tippu Sultan and the British East India Company on March 11, 1784. After the defeat of Tippu at the Fourth Anglo–Mysore War, the city remained in control of the British, headquartering the Canara district under their regime.
The city was largely peaceful during British rule, with urban and infrastructural developments being affected during the period. Mangalore flourished in education and in industry, becoming a commercial centre for trade. The opening of the German Basel Mission in 1834 brought many cotton weaving and tile manufacturers to the city. When Canara was bifurcated into North Canara and South Canara in 1863, Mangalore was transferred into South Canara and beacame its headquarters. The linking of Mangalore in 1907 to the Southern Railway, and the subsequent proliferation of motor vehicles in India, further increased trade and communication between the city and the rest of the country.Roman Catholic missions played an important role in the fields of education, health and social welfare. The enactment of the Madras Town Improvement Act (1865) mandated the establishment of the Municipal council on May 23, 1866, which was responsible for urban planning and providing civic amenities.
As a result of the States Reorganisation Act (1956), Mangalore (part of the Madras Presidency until this time) was incorporated into the dominion of the newly created MysoreState (now called Karnataka). Mangalore is a major city of Karnataka, providing the state with access to the Arabian Sea coastline. Mangalore experienced significant growth in the decades 1970–80, with the opening of NewMangalorePort on May 4, 1974 and commissioning of Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited on March 15, 1976. The late 20th century saw Mangalore develop as a business, commercial and information technology (IT) centre, although the traditional red tile-roofed houses are still retained in the city.
