In the sixth century, Mangalore became famous overseas as a major source of pepper. By the mid-1400's, the Persian ambassador Abdu'r-Razzaq saw Mangalore as the "frontier town" of the Vijayanagar empire - which was why the Portuguese captured it in 1529. In Haider Ali's time, during the eighteenth century, the city became an important shipbuilding centre.
Mangalore today is a bustling city with business and pleasure living alongside each other with equanimity. As a visitor, you can get your fill of just about what your heart desires. There is mouth-watering cuisine, beautiful scenes and beaches, parties you can spend nights at and a lot of local culture. The people are warm and hospitable, with a zest for life that reaches out and embraces you.
Population: About 500000
Climate: Mangalore can get quite hot and sultry during the summers with temperatures ranging between 40°C to 26°C. Winters are warm but comfortably so with temperatures ranging from 35°C to 22°C.
Main Language(s): Tulu, Kanadda and English Time Zone: GMT + 05:30
Phone Area Code: 0824 Best Time To Visit: While Mangalore is hot, the place sees visitors the year around, though it might not be a very good idea during the monsoons, which can be more than heavy.
Airport Distance from City Center: 20 kms Taxi Rates from Airport to City: Rs. 300 (Approx)
St Aloysius College Chapel The Chapel was built in 1899-1900 in the memory of Aloysius Gonzaga and resides within the college. Situated in the heart of the city, the Chapel is a must-see for more reasons than one. Italian artist Anthony Moscheni covers the walls of the Church with his paintings. Everywhere you look - the ceilings, the roof and the walls, there are exquisite paintings, which take your breath away. The central row of paintings on the ceiling depicts the life of Aloysius Gonzaga. Bejai Museum Browse around this relatively low profile museum and you will come away surprised. The Sreemanthi Bai Memorial Government Museum at Bejai is shaped like a ship for starters and houses some interesting pieces of art and artefacts. Built in 1955, the museum is treasured by those interested in sourcing outdated artefacts. For those that are more contemporarily inclined, there is quite a bit too. New Mangalore Port Shipping is nothing new to this city that has been the centre for trade. Mangalore has one of the largest ports in the country. Construction of the new port began in 1965 and today, the New Mangalore Port is reputed as one of the better-looking ports in the country. Manjunatha Temple This 10th century Shiva temple built during the Nayaka period is unique for its mix of deities. There is the shivalinga in the sanctum sanctorum and Buddhist deities in the verandah of the temple. Located atop the Kadri Hills, the temple is an example of the exchange of culture and a tolerance that existed in times gone by. Sultan's Battery This watchtower was originally built to be on the lookout for warships. The job of the watchtower also included warning concerned authorities and preventing the warships entering the River Gurpur. Built during the time of Tipu Sultan, standing atop this watchtower almost gives you a sense of suspense like it is only a matter of time before you spot a warship. The view is great, so make a trip. Beaches The best thing about Mangalore are its beaches. Laze in the warm sun and get a tan. The beaches here are wonderfully and pleasantly clean and make for an ideal holiday or getaway. Some of the more popular ones are the Tanirbhavi, the Suratkal, Sasihitlu, the Ullal and Someshwar Beaches.
Mosaru Kudike - This festival, which translates into the 'drinking of buttermilk' is celebrated in the memory of Lord Krishna, who used to love butter so much that he stole it from the great heights that it used to stored in. Part of the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, people gather in the evening to watch boys climb on each others' shoulders to reach out and grab pots of buttermilk along with coloured water and money that are tied to two poles in the middle of the street. This is quite a feat of co-ordination and balance since one weak link can bring all the boys crashing down. Korida Katta (Cockfight) - A little more rural in nature, the cockfight nevertheless makes for quite an exciting experience. Opposing parties bring their fighting cocks, which are geared with steel blades tied to their feet. They are then set against the other and there is much excitement and cheering from the gathered onlookers. The reward for the winner is that he gets to take home the cock of the loser. Pili Vesha - The Pili Vesha or tiger dance is normally performed as a part of the Dusshera and Krishna Janmastami festivals. This performance involves the participants, who are normally young boys and men, painting their bodies in a yellow and brown stripe pattern. Traditional and folk in nature, this dance is typical to North Karnataka. It is performed with a lot of grace and energy and is a pleasure to watch.
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