Sanoor is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, India. During the British Raj, the village was headed by the Patels (Patler). Since independence, it has been administered by a mandala Panchayati raj. The nearest court is in Karkala, from the village center. Sanoor has several primary schools and a government pre-university college. The Tulu language is widely spoken; other languages spoken in the village are Konkani and Kannada. The Bunt (or Nadava) and Billava were early ethnic communities, with the Marathi, Konkani and Brahmins arriving later. With Portuguese settlement, villagers converted to Catholicism. Local Muslims belong to the Moplah community, are known as Beary and speak the Beary dialect of Tulu. The Beary, living in the region for over a thousand years, may be descended from Arab (baharis; outsiders, or overseas) traders.
The village economy is based on agriculture and labour. Hamlets are Irvathuru, Pulkeri, Murathangady, Aayere and Thanada.
The weather here is very pleasant with light spells of rain during winter. During Summer, temperatures reach 35 degrees. The monsoon here is plentiful enough to fill the river that dries up at the end of summer.
The village is 4.5 km away from Karkala Town, 47 km away from Mangalore and Udupi
Name
Sanoor means "small village" in Kannada.
Geography
Sanoor is in the Karkala taluk of Udupi district. The Shambhavi River originates here and flows into the Arabian Sea at Mulky. The nearest coastal town is Surathkal, away by road. The village is on the slopes of the Western Ghats, and its population is concentrated between hills and beside the river. Its forest type is tropical wet evergreen, with cashew plantations on the lower hills. Sanoor has the district's highest rainfall.
The village is administered by a mandala panchayath which includes panchayaths from surrounding villages. Its main street, which runs for about one kilometre, has stores on both sides. A hillock ends the shopping area, followed by a seed farm which sells subsidised rice, mango and jackfruit seeds to farmers.
Demographics
In the 2001 India census, Sanoor had a population of 6,328 (3,008 males and 3,320 females).
History
The region was originally ruled by the Alupa dynasty. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, Sanoor was governed by Bhairarasa Odeyas of the Kalasa-Karkala kingdom. The village has a Siva temple and a Nada Daiva shrine.
The district has two traditions: Buta Kola and Nagaradhane. Buta Kola (spirit worship), a stylised version of the dance of the spirit impersonator, is performed annually at a central shrine.
Fauna
Sanoor, in the Western Ghats, is home to many bird, reptile and mammal species. With only small-scale food-related industries, the area is unpolluted. The commonest birds are crows, pipits and partridges. Other birds include kingfishers, Asian koels, parakeets, black kites, falcons, brahminy kites, treepies, black woodpeckers, whistling thrushes, rock doves, eagle, rufous babblers and peacocks.
Mammal and reptile species include mongoose, jungle cat, leopard, porcupine, wolf, wild pig, monkey and monitor lizard. The last tiger was seen in 1975, when it fell into an unused well. The tiger was rescued and moved to the nearby Dharmasthala Zoo. The village hillocks contain the endangered star tortoise and pangolin.
Russell's viper, saw-scaled viper, cobra and common krait are the four venomous-snake species which are a public concern, and snakebite is still associated with Nagaradhane (snake worship). The krait bite is often painless, and often fatal. Most bites by the other three species are dry bites. The quantity of venom the reptile injects is voluntary, although the venom sac is full.
With deforestation for agriculture, the snake population is increasing. Rats in rice fields are a steady food supply, and humans encounter snakes morning and evening (when the snakes are active).
Agriculture
The region's history of rice cultivation is similar to elsewhere in India. With Aryan migration, the Dravidian people were pushed southward. Aryan wheat culture is restricted to North India; South India retains rice (which may have originated in Bengal) as their staple food. Agriculture in Sanoor depends on the Shambhavi River for irrigation, and dry land is dependent on timely rainfall. Lands are categorised as wet or dry, and the river is diverted in summer for irrigation. Smaller streams generally dry up in midsummer, and monsoon rains fall from May to August. Up to three paddy crops are cultivated annually, depending on land type; dry land yields one crop and wet land two or three, depending on irrigation availability.