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Dandeli

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Description

Old Dandeli

As per the 1930 year, the population of Dandeli was only 515 and predominantly worked in the forestry department and government sawmill. Most residents belonged to the Konkanis, Devali, Marathas, Kuruba, Lambani, African, and Muslim communities. The settlement was located on the bank of the Kali river and developed into an industrial town with the establishment of a number of companies, including The Indian Plywood Manufacturing Company, Lalbhai Ferro-manganese Factory, West Coast Paper Mill, Indian Saw Mill, and a number of small industries around the Dandeli and Karnataka Power Corporation which were engaged in the construction of several power-generating dams at different places along the Kali river. The place was later called new-Dandeli.

There was no school in the small town until in 1936, when Shivaji Narvekar, Pundalik Pai, Sadanand Gopal Nadkarni, Balappa Chavan and Bapshet together contributed to build a one-room school in a hut on the nearby hill where now the government Urdu school is situated. Ramachandra Ganapat Nayak migrated from Sanikatta near Gokarn to run the school. The school started with merely 18 students, three of whom were older than their teacher, R.G. Nayak. In 1939 the school was recognised by the British government.

Name

A local legend states that the city is named after Dandelappa, a local deity, a servant of the Mirashi landlords, who died because of his loyalty. An alternative legend states that a king named Dandakanayaka passed through the forests and named them after himself, and the city is believed to stand on the place where Dandakaranya stood when he named the area.

Geography and climate

Dandeli is located at 15°14′51.7884″N 74°37′46.8408″W / 15.247719000°N 74.629678000°W. It has an average elevation of 473 metres (1,552 ft) and has received heavy rainfall during August to November (see chart below). Because of good forest cover and moderate elevation, the location has a tropical highland climate, averaging about 27 °C (81 °F) in summer and 18 °C (64 °F) in winter.

Wildlife sanctuary

Dandeli is a natural habitat for wildlife, including tigers, leopards, black panthers, elephants, gaur, deer, antelopes, and bears. It is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka and was designated as a tiger reserve in 2007. The jungle is also home to several varieties of reptiles and almost 270 varieties of birds. The rapid expansion of industry has raised fears of ecological damage to the area, and local volunteer groups have formed to address the issue.

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