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Our Statement of Faith |
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The Bible is the inspired written Word if God, written by Holy men as they were lead by the Spirit of God. |
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Our Branches in Tamil Nadu |
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Nagapattinam district is located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal covering an area of 2715.83 Sq. km. The Bible is |
| the inspired written Word if God, written by Holy men as they were lead by the Spirit of God...more>> |
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Karnataka - An Introduction
Karnataka State is in the southwestern part of India. It is mainly a tableland and an extension of Deccan plateau. It is rhomboid in shape. The state extends to 805 km from north to south and to about 283 km from east to west. The total area of the state is 192,493 sq. km.
With the physical boundaries of Kerala in the south west, Tamil Nadu in the south, the Arabian Sea in the west, Maharastra in the north, and Goa bordering the north east, Karnataka is the 8th largest state in India, and due to its geographical location it is greatly influenced by many traditions.
Kolar the land of gold mines, Coorg and Chitradurga world acclaimed for coffee, and Mysore (Our Adullam head quarter district) the home of pure silk and sandal perfume, are all in the state of Karnataka. The famous Mysore Palace, Brindavan Gardens, Nandi Hills, Krishnarajasagar Dam, Bandipur Wild life Centre, the world famous Jog falls, the garden city of India, Bangalore, along with many tourist attractions and holy shrines, all combine to make this the beautiful state of Karnataka.
Historically this land was ruled by the great rulers of South India, namely the Mouriahs and Chalukyas. Later it became the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Many invaders, rulers, and great kings followed.
During the reign of Hyder Ali it came under the Islamic influences. But when the British defeated his son, Tippu Sultan, it finally came under the rule of the Maharajas, who were under the influence of the East India Company.
Even after independence, the state of Karnataka continued to be known as the Great Mysore. But On November 1, 1973, it was officially named as Karnataka, and this day is celebrated every year as Kannada Rajyotsava.
There are 29 districts in Karnataka with a population of 70 million, mainly Kannadigas, but there are also many people of other languages namely Tamils, Telugus, Marathis, Malayalees, and many more. Of this population 86% are Hindus, 11% are Muslims, 2% are Christians, and 1% are other religions.
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| About our mission location district |
| Mysore |
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Mysore District lies in the southern part of the Deccan Plateau. It is 770 m above the sea level and has an area of 11,950 sq km. It was the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty. Mysore silk, sandalwood and handicrafts are the main economy. Mysore is the district headquarters.
Mysore district lies in the Southern Maidan (Southern Plateau) and it is in the southernmost part of Karnataka State. Physiographically, the region in which the district is found may be classified as partly maidan and partly semimalnad (malnad hilly lands). The district forms the southern part of the Deccan peninsula with Tamil Nadu to its southeast, the Kodagu district to its west, Mandya district to its north, Hassan district to its northwest and Bangalore district to its northeast.
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Mysore district lies in the Southern Maidan (Southern Plateau) and it is in the southernmost part of Karnataka State. Physiographically, the region in which the district is found may be classified as partly maidan and partly semimalnad (malnad hilly lands). The district forms the southern part of the Deccan peninsula with Tamil Nadu to its southeast, the Kodagu district to its west, Mandya district to its north, Hassan district to its northwest and Bangalore district to its northeast.
Mysore district forms a distinct land unit, besides being a cultural entity lying between 11°30' N to 12°50' N latitudes and 75°45' E to 77°45' E longitudes. It covers an area of 6854 sq. km. that is, 3.57 per cent of the state’s total geographical area. It holds the sixth place in the state in terms of the area with a population of 2.641 million in 2001.
Mysore District is a popular tourist destination, offering several attractions ranging from the royal splendour of Mysore City and its fabulous Dasara Festival to exquisite temples, pilgrimage centres and scenic spots.
Mysore city is at 770m above sea level and 140 kms from Bangalore. Also known as the City of Palaces, Mysore retains a quaint charm, that never fails to enchant.
Mysore was the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty, feudatories of the Vijayanagar Empire, who declared their independence in the 16th century and ruled in Mysore until independence, barring three decades when Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan wrested power from them. Mysore today, is a pleasant city with an old world charm, contributed by its broad shady avenues, well laid out gardens, fine buildings and a salubrious climate.
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TOURISM
Major tourist attractions are Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hills, Mysore Zoo, Vrindavan Gardens, Rail Museum, Bandipur National Park, Jaganmohan Palace and Keshava Temple at Somnathpur. Dussehra festival is held in October every year.
Geography of Hunsur
Hunsur is located at 12.31° N 76.29° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 792 metres (2598 feet). The river Lakshmana Thirtha flows though the middle of this town and two bridges connect the two sides. Administratively, this is the administrative center of Hunsur taluk, which is part of Mysore District. Historically, this town used to be called ' Gaadi Palya', meaning 'a resting station for bullock carts' ( before the age of automobiles ), probably en route to Mysore, the nearest city 45 km away.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census[2], Hunsur had a population of 43,893. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Hunsur has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 63%. In Hunsur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. There several educational institutions, including the Government First Grade College, which was established through the efforts of the then chief minister of Karnataka State Sri. D. Devaraja Urs . This is a small and otherwise unremarkable town whose main claim to fame was that one of the famous chief minister of Karnataka State Sri. D.Devaraja Urs hailed from this constituency. Travellers to the wildlife sanctuary Nagarahole do have to transit through this town, as well as traffic towards Coorg. It is also well known for timber trade, especially teak. There is a plywood manufacturing factory called Hunsur Plywoods. Hunsur Teak is world famous for its high quality and long durability; One of the most famous timber merchant known for Hunsur Teak is Sri Vasavi Wood Industries at B M Road, Hunsur. Other important trade activity is tobacco growing and tobacco auctions. Consolidated Coffee Curing Works employs a large number of labour in coffee bean processing. |
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| Christianity in Karnataka Today |
| Current Statistics |
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The last census provided the disappointing news that the Christian population, which was 2.9% in 1971, has now declined to 2%. This information should be taken very seriously. For this highlights the fact that the Christian population in this land is not increasing but declining.
Even today there are thousands of people in this land who have never heard the gospel, not even once. There are many places where not one single Christian lives, and there are several districts which do not have a single Church.
In Karnataka there are about 1.1 million Christians, with about 300 thousand living in Bangalore. Most of the Christians in Karnataka worship in the Catholic Church. Although most of the headquarters of Christian organizations are situated in Bangalore city, those organizations with a vision of reaching Karnataka are very few.
There are hardly any Kannada Missionary organizations that have the vision to reach their own people with the gospel of Christ. Rather the percentage of Tamils and Malayalee missionaries who learn Kannada to reach Kannadigas is much higher. In Karnataka it is an undisputed fact that the number of Christian Churches that hold services in English, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, is much higher than the number of those holding services in Kannada. |
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| Needs of the Mission Work |
| Requirements for Reaching the Lost in Karnataka |
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We urgently need to give the same priority to the mission work in Karnataka as that given to missions in North India. Because North in South India that is called Karnataka State.
Kannada speaking people who have the vision of reaching their own, need to be encouraged. This can be done with relevant training in the ministry, and practical support with our prayers. For this we need your help!
Apart from the Kannada people, many more Christians need to be trained in the Kannada language and sent to all parts of Karnataka to demonstrate the Love of Christ in Word and Deeds.
In order to meet these challenges, Christians throughout the world should pray and come forward to support this vision of making known the Message of the Love of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Karnataka. To do this, the already established missions in Karnataka could be used as a resource and channel, to provide the necessary manpower and supervision.
Through the faithful prayers of the saints of the 20th century, the iron curtain countries, which opposed the gospel of Jesus Christ, were totally changed with religious freedom to practice and proclaim the faith of individual Christians as well as other faiths. So, I request you to pray for the evangelization in Karnataka.
As you read through this brief note, if God places a vision in your heart for the State Karnataka, please pray for us and let us know what you would do for Christ! |
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