Pandavapur

Pandavapura is a panchayat town in Mandya district in the Indian state of Karnataka.GeographyPandavapura is located at. It has an average elevation of 709 metres (2326 feet). Earlier, Pandavapur was known as Hirode , Dandu , and French Rocks.DemographicsIndia census, Pandavapur had a population of 18,236. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Pandavapura has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 62%. In Pandavapur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.HistoryThe name Pandavapura means "Town of Pandavas". Mythology states that the Pandavas during their period of exile stayed here for some time, and Kunti, mother of the Pandavas, liked the hillock so much that it became one of her favorite haunts. The town is also named after the Pandavas because of their brief stay in this region. The name "French Rock" dates back to India's Pre-Independence days, the place was used as the camping ground by the French army, which came to help Tippu Sultan in his war against the British. It is believed that French named the small town as "French Rocks", as the town is in the vicinity of two rocky hills. After Indian Independence, these rocky hills called as "Kunti Betta" by locals. Pandavapura is approximately 130 km from Bangalore and 25 km from Mysore.About the TownPandavapura town is surrounded by beautiful paddy and sugar cane fields. Agriculture is the main occupation around the town. The town is surrounded by many villages and the town is the central point for farmers everyday business. Every Thursday, a farmer's market (called as "Santhe" in Kannada) is held in the heart of the town, where farmers directly sell their agricultural products. Apart from agricultural products, you can also find handicrafts, ayurvedic products etc., Surrounding villages have Jaggery manufacturing units and it is a nice experience to watch the process of making Jaggery out of sugar cane. The Visweswarayya Canal (VC Canal) flows in the heart of the town, by dividing the town into two halves. The water for this canal is sourced from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), which is Reservoir across the river Cauvery.