Set
against a mountainous backdrop, the charming hill station of Chikmagalur
is an exciting tourist hotspot for the sprawling coffee plantations and
misty mountains. The winding mountain trails of the Baba Budangiri hills
and the adjoining forests make Chikmagalur a veritable paradise for
adventure sports buffs and avid trekkers. Thus it boasts of a
flourishing tourism culture.Located in the south-western part of Karnataka, Chikmangalur is a malnad district i.e., a largely forested hilly region of heavy rainfall. This scenic coffee town takes its name from the word Chikkamagalaooru which in Kannada means 'younger daughter's town'. Legend has it that the district had been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, a prominent local chieftain. Another part of the town bestowed on the elder daughter is known as Hiremagalur.
Chilkmaglur is considered the cradle of the powerful Hoysala Kings, the dynasty that held sway in South India for considerable period. Hoysala inscriptions state that Sala, the founder of the Hoysala dynasty, hailed from the hill regions of Angadi in present day Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur district.
