Sirsi

thumb According to Uttara Kannada District Gazette,Government of Karnataka , 1985, The city was originally named as Sirise because of the abundance of siris trees (sirisa in Kannada) that were commonly found in this region. Over a time, the name evolved into Sirasi and eventually came into common usage as Sirsi. The earliest mention of the name "Sirise" dates back to an inscription found on a hero-stone at Tamadi Kallala (Siddapura taluk) from 1150 AD. During the rule of the Sonda dynasty, the town was historically known as Kalyanapattana. According to historical records archived by The Hindu, the town was heavily fortified during this era to defend against potential invaders. This period also gave rise to Sirsi's famous 300-year-old Bedara Vesha (Hunters Dance), a unique folk performance held every alternate year during Holi to commemorate the warrior Malleshi and the historic sacrifice of a local woman named Rudrambika.