Bantwal (Tulu/Konkani/Kannada - ) is a taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India. It is also a town by the same name. The adjacent township of B.C.Road (Bantwal Cross Road) serves as the commercial center. Bantwal town is reverentially called as Vatapura Kshetra by some communities. It is situated on the banks of River Nethravati on the National Highway - 48, 25 K.M East of Mangalore. In the olden days, the town of Bantwal was known for trade. However, flooding caused by the river Netravathi during the monsoons compelled traders and newer settlements to move to the adjacent township of B.C.Road due to its higher altitude. Gradually, most Government offices shifted to B.C. Road. Prior to 1852, Bantwal Taluk was the largest Taluk in the entire of Canara Province (then comprising North Canara, Udupi, Mangalore and Kasaragod Districts) with 411 villages and a total population of 1,69,416. In 1852, a portion of it was formed into the Taluk of Puttur. Bantwal was an...
