Kundapur, Karnataka, India

🇮🇳 Kundapra, officially Kundapura, is a town in the Udupi district of Karnataka state in India. This town was known as Coondapoor when it was part of the erstwhile South Canara district (1862–1947) of the Madras Presidency of British India. Present-day Kundapur is administered by the Kundapur Town Municipal Council and serves as the headquarters of eponymous Kundapur taluk in Udupi district.

History The name Kundapura can be traced to the Kundeshwara Temple built by Kundavarma of the Alupa dynasty who ruled the region in the 10th - 11th century, in the vicinity of the Panchagangavalli River. In Kundagannada language, the word "Kunda" also refers to the flower Jasmine. Where the Majority people of Kundapura grow flower Jasmine in this region which came to be called as kundapura (Land of Jasmine).

Geography Kundapura town is surrounded by water from three sides. To the north lies the Panchagangavalli River. To the east lies the Kalaghar river. To the west lie the Kodi backwaters sea walk and the Arabian Sea, leaving the south side as the main connecting land mass. All connecting roads to Kundapura enter the city from the southern direction. North side of the town is vast backwaters of Panchagangavali river and a bridge has been constructed across it. Kundapur Taluk is bounded on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the south by Brahmavara Taluk, on the north by Byndoor Taluk, and the east by the Western Ghats.

Rivers Kundapur taluk has several rivers and experiences heavy rainfall. The main rivers are the Chakra, Souparnika, Varahi, Kubja, and Kheta. In fact, there are seven rivers or rivulets between Kundapur and Byndoor, a short distance of 36 km. They are Halady River, Kollur River, Chakra River, Rajadi, Nujadi, Yadamavina Hole and Uppunda Hole.

Demographics As of the 2011 India census, • Kundapur Town has a population of 30,444. • Kundapur Taluk has a population of 398,471 • Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. • Literate population was 25,191, with a Literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.

Transport Kundapur is connected to other parts of the country by NH66. SH52 is a State Highway that connects to Shimoga District. This Highway connects cities and towns of different states. Kundapur is also connected to the Konkan Railway, which runs from Mumbai to Mangaluru. The railway station is about 4 km (2.5 mi) from the town. The nearest airport is Mangaluru International Airport, at Bajpe around 87 km (54 mi) from Kundapur.

Kundapura railway station, along the Konkan Railway, is used by Kerala pilgrims who visit Kolluru Mookambika Temple.

Kundapur is located at a distance of 38 km (24 mi) from Udupi, 40 km (25 mi) from Manipal, 30 km (19 mi) from Byndoor, 54 km (34 mi) Bhatkal, 91 km (57 mi) from Mangaluru and 181 km (112 mi) from Karwar, which are the other major cities/towns in Coastal Karnataka.

There are private local buses and some out of town is serviced by government owned buses. Buses can be found for Udupi and Mangaluru, and there are multiple bus stands. The main bus stand where the buses to Udupi and Mangaluru are available is called "New bus stand", is near the police station. Another frequently used mode of transportation is auto rikshaw.