Chamarajanagara District, Karnataka

Chamarajanagara (ಚಾಮರಾಜನಗರ), situated at the southernmost apex of Karnataka, is an ecologically magnificent and culturally rich border district where the biodiversity of the Western Ghats converges seamlessly with the rugged ridges of the Eastern Ghats. Named in honour of Chamaraja Wodeyar IX, the ruler of Mysore who was born here in 1774 CE, the district is celebrated across India for its majestic tiger reserves, mist-shrouded temple peaks, and sacred tribal traditions.

Covering an area of 5,101 square kilometres, Chamarajanagara recorded a population of 1,020,791 in the 2011 Census of India. More than forty-eight percent of the district is cloaked in dense deciduous and shola forests, hosting the world-famous Bandipur National Park and the Biligiriranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve.

The district is also home to the legendary pilgrimage shrine of Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) and Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta. Explore the taluks, Gram Panchayats, and villages below to discover comprehensive civic data.

Originally known as Arikutara, the town was renamed Chamarajanagara in 1818 CE by Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in loving memory of his father Chamaraja Wodeyar IX, constructing the grand Chamarajeshwara Temple.

In ancient times, the region was governed by the Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagara feudatories. The indigenous Soliga tribal people have inhabited the BR Hills for millennia, practicing harmonious agro-forestry and wildlife conservation.

Male Mahadeshwara Hills has been a major Shaivite pilgrimage center since the 15th century when saint-reformer Sri Male Mahadeshwara performed miracles and established a monastery atop the hills. Chamarajanagara was carved out from Mysuru district in 1997.

Chamarajanagara occupies the southern frontier of Karnataka, bounded by Mysuru to the west and north, Mandya and Ramanagara to the northeast, and Tamil Nadu (Erode and Nilgiris districts) and Kerala (Wayanad) to the south and east. The district forms a critical wildlife corridor connecting the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve with the Eastern Ghats.

The district is drained by the sacred Cauvery River along its northern boundary, and the Moyar, Suvarnavathi, and Chikkahole rivers.

The administrative machinery of Chamarajanagara district is organized into several revenue taluks, each administered by a Tahsildar under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate. Local rural governance is delivered through three tiers of Panchayati Raj institutions: the Zilla Panchayat at the district level, Taluk Panchayats, and Gram Panchayats serving rural village clusters.

Explore the interactive taluk cards and accordion directory below to discover verified counts of Gram Panchayats, inhabited hamlets, and canonical revenue villages registered in the national Local Government Directory (LGD).

Chamarajanagara's economy blends wildlife eco-tourism, agro-forestry, sericulture, and black granite quarrying. The district is world-renowned for high-grade Black Granite (Imperial Black), exported globally for monumental architecture.

Jungle lodges in Bandipur and BR Hills drive a thriving hospitality sector. Traditional sericulture, honey collection, and turmeric processing provide vital rural livelihoods.

Agriculture forms the livelihood of the vast majority of rural households. Chamarajanagara is famous for its high-curcumin golden Turmeric, cultivated extensively in Gundlupet and Kollegal taluks.

Farmers cultivate commercial sugarcane, mulberry for sericulture, Cavendish bananas, coconut, maize, and ragi. The Suvarnavathi and Chikkahole dam projects provide vital surface irrigation.

Chamarajanagara hosts the Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Post Graduate Centre, and government polytechnics. Comprehensive tribal residential ashram schools (Ashram Shalas) provide specialized education to indigenous communities.

The KarnatakaInfo.com database holds 959 school records for Chamarajanagara district (UDISE+). This dataset covers schools only; colleges and universities appear in the text above where verified.

• Primary with Upper Primary415
• Primary273
• Secondary Only131
• Pr. Up Pr. and Secondary Only61
• Higher Secondary only/Jr. College49
• Upper Pr. and Secondary14
• Pr. with Up.Pr. Sec. and H.Sec.8
• Up. Pr. Secondary and Higher Sec5
• Upper Primary only3

School listings are available on each village and taluk page.

The 450-bed CIMS District Teaching Hospital at B-Rachaiah Road in Chamarajanagara provides multi-specialty healthcare, advanced trauma care, and maternity facilities, supported by sub-divisional hospitals at Kollegal and Gundlupet.

The database records 349 public health facilities in Chamarajanagara district. This is the dataset available on KarnatakaInfo.com and should not be read as a complete list of all hospitals.

• Immunisation Facility320
• PHC16
• CHC13

Chamarajanagara offers a remarkable variety of historical, cultural, and natural tourism destinations, spanning ancient stone temples, fortresses, scenic river ghats, and wildlife sanctuaries.

Visitors explore diverse heritage circuits across the district that showcase Karnataka's architectural excellence and natural splendour.

Chamarajanagara is celebrated for its deep indigenous tribal folklore and vibrant devotional folk music. The Kamsale dance, an energetic rhythmic folk art dedicated to Lord Male Mahadeshwara using bronze cymbals, is the signature cultural emblem of the district.

Soliga tribal folk songs, Goravara Kunitha, and the magnificent MM Hills car festivals reflect living traditions.

The regional gastronomy is centered on wholesome Ragi Mudde served with fragrant Soppina Saaru, spicy country chicken curry, and fresh bamboo shoot pickles harvested from forest edges.

Pure forest honey collected by tribal cooperatives and local turmeric-infused dishes are distinctive specialties.

Chamarajanagara possesses nearly half its land area under protected forests, holding enormous ecological and wildlife wealth. The district contains vast deposits of world-class black granite, known for its fine grain and pitch-black luster.

Cauvery and Suvarnavathi river basins provide vital irrigation and drinking water resources.

Chamarajanagara is connected by National Highway 766 (linking Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kerala) and NH 209 (to Coimbatore). Chamarajanagara Railway Station connects via South Western Railway directly to Mysuru and Bengaluru.

KarnatakaInfo.com brings together the administrative hierarchy of Chamarajanagara district: its taluks, Gram Panchayat counts and revenue villages. Each taluk has a village directory, and each village has a profile with Census population and literacy figures where available, land-use data, nearby schools, healthcare facilities, post offices, nearby tourist attractions and distances to the nearest bus and railway stations.