Vitla

Vitla also Vittal or Vittel is a Town Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, India, around 18 km from Bantwal in Bantwal Taluk. It is also 14 km from Puttur and 40 km from Mangalore. Vitla was an assembly constituency of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, but discontinued from 2008 elections. Agriculture is the main occupation of people in and around Vitla town. Arecanut, cocoa, pepper, Cashew and coconut are grown here.There is a regional station of Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) which conducts research on areca nuts, an important commercial crop in the area. It also researches cocoa growing, including its production, protection and increasing drought resistance.The majority of the population are Hindus, Muslims and Catholics, and the main languages spoken are Tulu, Kannada, Beary, Urdu, Konkani, and Malayalam.Formerly ruled by the Vittala Arasas or kings belonging to the Domba Heggade Dynasty, the head of the dynasty, even today, plays a dominant role in the religious ceremonies of 16 temples. One can see the palace in the outskirts of Vittla. Standing in the middle of the vast greenery, it houses members of the dynasty.