Hassan Tourism - Named derived from Goddess Hasanamba
Situated in the Southwestern part of Karnataka close to the capital city Bengaluru, Hassan is one of the most flourished regions in terms of living and also history. The name Hassan is believed to be derived from the local Goddess ‘Hasanamba’, meaning ‘smiling mother’. It was during the 12th century when the shrine was built by the Nayaka rulers. Hassan is synonymous to the mighty ‘Hoysalas’, though it was under jurisdiction of various dynasties before and after them. The town has its mention in the history books back to 300 BCE, when it was a part of the Mauryan Empire. During 3rd century BCE, sage Bhadrabahu brought Jainisim to Karnataka for the first time, staying here along with his followers, thus gaining its importance as a religious centre at this era.
The renowned king Chandragupta Maurya (322 – 298 BCE) was one of his disciples and came along with him to Shravanabelagola. The medieval history started with the rule of the Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad. They initially ruled as a sovereign power from 350 CE to 550 CE, before breaking their territory into two feudal systems namely Chalukyas and Rashtrakutyas. Historians had discovered around 800 inscriptions here in varied languages like Marathi, Sanskrit, Kannada, Marwari, Tamil etc, covering a period from 600 CE to 1830 CE. Then came the Hoysalas who built a robust empire which reached its pinnacle during 1000 to 1334 CE. More than 50 Hoysala temples and inscriptions which speak of the administration of the Hoysalas, their land reforms, taxation and culture are still present around Hassan. Vishnuvardhana is considered as the true architect of their kingdom.
The Hoysalas were defeated by the Vijaynagar Empire in 1336 CE. During 1173 to 1220 CE, Hassan reached the pinnacle of Kannada literary and cultural activities. With the decline of the Vijaynagar kingdom after ruling for more than 200 years, Hassan came under the rule of the Wodeyars of Mysore. The Wodeyars expanded their kingdom and consolidated different parts of Southern Karnataka. Then came the British who took over Hassan’s rule along with the Mysore Kingdom transforming them into a princely state. The Wodeyars continued to rule until India’ independence in 1947, thus making Hassan a free district. The Haemavati, the Yagachi, a part of Kaveri river form the lifeline blood running through the veins of this area. Agriculture and tourism contribute the biggest ratio in the district’s economy.