Kuthluru village in Belthangady wins national award for best adventure tourist destination
Belthangady: Kuthluru village in Belthangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, has been awarded the "Best Adventure Tourist Destination" National Award as part of the 2024 Best Tourist Villages Competition. This competition, organized annually by the Ministry of Tourism in celebration of World Tourism Day, recognizes villages that promote sustainable development through cultural heritage and tourism.
The award-winning entry for Kuthluru was created by Naravi residents Harish D. Salyan, Shivraj, and Sandeep Pujari, who produced a documentary highlighting the village’s tourist attractions, natural beauty, and environmental features. After multiple rounds of evaluation, Kuthluru was selected as the top adventure tourism destination.
The award ceremony will be held on September 27 at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi, where Harish D. Salyan and Shivraj will receive the award. The event will be attended by prominent dignitaries, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Rare Kalyani Chalukya-era stepwell discovered in Karnataka’s Gadag district
Gadag: A centuries-old stepwell from the Kalyani Chalukya period is discovered into public in Sudi, a remote village in Karnataka’s Gadag district. The Nagakunda Pushkarani, dating to the 10th-11th century CE, is undergoing extensive restoration under the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme.
The stepwell was focal point of community life and craftsmanship under the reign of Akkadevi, sister of Chalukya king Jayasimha II. It shows the dynasty’s mastery of architecture and water management. Its interior walls are carved with the precision of temple façades, setting it apart from most surviving stepwells in southern India, linking it stylistically to examples in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
After centuries of neglect left its sculptures weathered and its waters dry, the site is now being revived by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India in partnership with Heritage Matters, the Gandipet Welfare Society and the Water Literacy Foundation according to a report published by The HIndu. Work includes structural repairs, removal of invasive vegetation, dredging, stone resetting and landscaping, alongside the restoration of an adjacent mantapa with a large Ganesha idol.
Heritage architect B. Sarath Chandra noted, the project is as much about functionality as aesthetics, with water recharge efforts already underway. Funded by Gandipet Welfare Society founder Rajashree Pinnamenni, the restoration is slated for completion by late 2025, followed by a second phase linking the stepwell to the Jodu Kalasadagudi temple through landscaped pathways.
The report mentions that officials say the revival of Nagakunda Pushkarani could not only reintroduce Sudi’s Chalukya heritage to a wider audience but also serve as a model for conserving other lesser-known monuments across Karnataka.
