Surathkal

Surathkal ಸುರತ್ಕಲ್ is a place in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India

Surathkal Railway Station

Surathkal is home to one of India's best technical institutes - the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), formerly known as Karnataka Regional Engineering College (KREC). Surathkal is a town in the suburbs of Mangalore city located on national highway 17( NH-17 ). Surathkal also houses Vidyadayanee High School and Govindadasa College run by Hindu Vidyadayanee Sangha, Suratkal, which has provided education to thousands of students since pre-independence period. Mangalore Refinery (MRPL), Mangalore Fertilizers ( MCF ), New Mangalore port (NMPT)are all nearby to Surathkal. The nearest airport is Mangalore (Bajpe) which is 15 kilometres from Suratkal.The New Mangalore sea port is 6 Km away. Surathkal railway station on Konkan railway route from Mumbai to Mangalore where several long distance trains halt as it has become cosmopolitian due to presence of several educational institutes,sea port,air port and industries.

Surathkal town can be easily accessed by various bus services from Mangalore City by both city and the Mangalore-Udupi express buses.

Background

Surathkal was once a Grama panchayat, then town panchayat, municipality now merged with Mangalore city corporation. According to legend, the name is derived from "shiradakal" meaning "headstone" in Kannada. When Lord Ganapathi kept a shiva linga belonging to Ravana on ground, Ravana tried to pull the linga from the ground but could not. The place where the linga is supposed to have been is now known as Gokarna. Due to the force exerted by Ravana, some pieces were scattered. One such piece from the head of the linga is said to have fallen in present day Surathkal.

Industry and Education

Few major industries in and around suratkal are MRPL, BASF,MCF. There is Baikampady Industrial Estate about 5 KM from Surathkal ,which houses small and medium factories.Educational institutions like NITK ( formerly KREC )Vidyadayanee High School and Govindadasa College are all nearby or within Surathkal.

Important Information

• Pincode of Suratkal Post office is 575014 ( it was previously 574158 ).
• Assembly constituency is Surathkal ( Karnataka Legislative assembly 144 ).
• Parliament constituency to which Suratkal belongs is Udupi Loksabha constituency..
• Subscribers Trunk dialing code ( STD code ) is 0824 .
• Railway station is Surathkal( Station code is 'SL' ) on Konkan railway,Mumbai-Mangalore route.

Places to visit

Surathkal is on the shore of Arabian sea.Surathkal has best beaches. There is a Surathkal beach in front of Sadashiva Temple ,which can be reached by taking turn in front of NITK ( KREC ) hostel gate on National Highway 17. The sunset scene view from the top of the rocks on the shore is fantastic. There is a light house near by the Sadashiva Temple. NITK has its own private beach north of Surathkal beach,but public access is denied.There is another beach ( Mukka )north of NITK beach but access is difficult as approach road is narrow.

Krishnapura matha ,one of the ashta matha established by Sri Madhwaacharya is 3 kilometres from Suratkal.The Matha ( Monastery ) is famous for Lord Mukyaprana ( Hanuman ) and wood structure and carvings.

Localities in and around Suratkal

• Iddya:- Mahalingeshwara Temple is situated on west side of NH-17 opposite Govinda dasa

        college.

• Agaramelu
• Krishnapura:- 3 Kilometre in North East Direction.
• Katipalla
• Cheilaru or Chelaru
• Madhya or Madya
• Tadambail or Thadambail
• Mukka
• Chokkabettu :- Lies enroute to Krishnapura from Surathkal .
• Kaverthottu :- It is behind NITK ( KREC ) campus.
• Katla :- It is at East of Surathkal Railway station.

External links

• National Institute of Technology-Karnataka
• Konkan Railway
• Vidyadayanee