Karnataka (Southern India)
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History
The Kannada language is the most spoken language of the state of Karnataka in Southern India, located in the south of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganization Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973
Demographics in Karnataka and Immigration to the United States
Kannada is the official and most widely spoken language in the state. Though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is Karnataka because it is derived from the Kannada words karu and nadu, meaning elevated land. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas, number roughly 50 million, making it the 27th most spoken language in the world.
In the United States there are nearly 1.9 million Indian immigrants. One-third of the Indian population live in New Jersey and California. Thirty five thousand nine hundred two speakers come from Karnataka. This immigration is driven by two factors: economic advancement and religious persecution. The large and dense population of India creates a very competitive work environment and members of minority religious groups are relegated to the lower classes.
Culture
The people of Karnataka practice a variety of religions including Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, and Christianity. These religious groups have co-existed peacefully with each other in Karnataka.
Because of the religious diversity in Karnataka, there are many different holidays and festivals. These festivals include the following:
Mysore Dasara - State Festival during September or October
Ugadi - Kannada New Year during March or April
Makara Sankranti - Harvest Festival always on January 14
Ganesh Chaturthi - Hindu Festival of Ganesha during August or Septmeber
Basava Jayanthi - Festival of Lingayats during May
Ramzan - Ramadan varies based on the Islamic Lunar calendar
Kannada Rajyotsava - Formation Day on November 1st every year
The cuisine of Karnataka includes many vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, which are comprised of two essential foods, rice and bread. The varieties reflect influences from the food habits of many regions and communities from three neighboring Sourth Indian states, as well as the state of Maharashtra to its north.
