Chikkaballapura district (also spelt Chikballapur or Chikkaballapur) is an administrative district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It was carved out of the larger Kolar district in 2007 and lies in the Bayaluseeme region of the Deccan Plateau, to the north-east of Bengaluru. The town of Chikkaballapur serves as the district headquarters.
| State | Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chikkaballapur |
| Formed | 2007 (bifurcated from Kolar district) |
| Region | Bayaluseeme, Deccan Plateau |
| Division | Bengaluru Division |
| Languages | Kannada, Telugu |
| Major town | Chikkaballapur |
The district lies on the eastern edge of Karnataka, sharing a border with Andhra Pradesh to the north and east. It is bounded by Kolar district to the south-east, Bengaluru Rural district to the south, and Tumakuru district to the west. The terrain is largely undulating plateau, dotted with rocky outcrops and isolated hill ranges. Notable hills include Nandi Hills, Skandagiri, Avala Betta and Channagiri, several of which are sources of small rivers of peninsular India, including the Arkavathy, the Pennar (Uttara Pinakini), the Palar and the Papagni.
The climate is semi-arid, and agriculture in the district relies heavily on tank irrigation, borewells and rain-fed cultivation. Grapes, mulberry (for sericulture), ragi, groundnut and vegetables are important crops, and the area is known for floriculture and dairying.
The district is part of the Bengaluru administrative division. It is divided into the following taluks:
The territory now forming Chikkaballapura district was historically part of the Kolar region and came under successive powers including the Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Sultanate of Bijapur, the Kingdom of Mysore under the Wodeyars, and briefly Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. After the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the region was restored to the Mysore state under British paramountcy, and at Indian independence in 1947 it became part of Mysore State, renamed Karnataka in 1973.
The modern district was constituted on 23 August 2007, when the Government of Karnataka bifurcated the old Kolar district to improve administration. The new district brought together the taluks of Chikkaballapur, Bagepalli, Chintamani, Gauribidanur, Gudibanda and Sidlaghatta.
Kannada is the principal language, with significant Telugu-speaking populations especially in the taluks bordering Andhra Pradesh, such as Bagepalli and Chintamani. The economy is predominantly agricultural and allied, with sericulture historically important; the silk cocoon markets of Sidlaghatta and Chintamani are among the largest in India. Grape cultivation around Chikkaballapur supports a significant table-grape and wine grape trade. Proximity to Bengaluru and to the Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli has stimulated growth in horticulture exports, real estate and small-scale industry along the National Highway 44 corridor.