Shimoga Taluk, 1908
Shimoga Taluk
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
South-eastern taluk of Shimoga District, Mysore, including the Kumsi sub-taluk, and lying between 13 42’ and 14 8' N. and 75 16' and 75 53' E., with an area of 687 square miles. The population in 1901 was 91,639, compared with 94,716 in 1891. The taluk contains four towns, SHIMOGA (population, 6,240), the Dis- trict and taluk head-quarters, Benkipur (2,676), Kumsi (2,001), and Holehonnur (1,931); and 401 villages. The land revenue demand in 1903-4 was Rs. 1,77,000. The twin rivers, the Tunga and the Bhadra, entering the taluk on the south, flow north and unite at Kudali, north of Shimoga town, whence the Tungabhadra continues north with a winding course. The greater part of the taluk in the west and south is covered with hills and forests, abounding in tigers, leopards, bears, and other wild animals. Cultivation is almost con- fined to the level valleys of the rivers, but the beds of these are too deep to be used for irrigation. On the other hand, timber is floated down, especially in the Tunga.
The soils on either bank of the Tungabhadra to the north are very rich, and the climate is remark- ably favourable to ' dry J cultivation. Ragi is the staple crop on red soil, but the black soils produce jola^ cotton, and oilseeds. The rice lands are poor. A little sugar-cane is grown, besides areca-nut, betel- leaf, and plantains.
