Kadaba (ಕಡಬ) is one of the newest taluks in Dakshina Kannada. The state first declared it in 2013, declared it again in March 2017, and the taluk office began working on 1 January 2018. It was carved out of Puttur and Sullia taluks. Before that, people from Subramanya, Nelyadi and Shiradi travelled about 65 km to the Puttur taluk office. Now the trip is 10 to 20 km.
Plantations pay the bills here. Areca, rubber, pepper, cocoa, coconut and cashew are the main sources of income, and the Kumaradhara river supplies most of the water for the crops. Research bodies sit in the taluk too. The CPCRI farm at Kidu near Nettana is described as one of Asia's biggest coconut farms, and the Rubber Research Centre is at Kombar. The foundation stone for a veterinary college at Koila was laid in 2017.
Kadaba is also a pilgrim and trekking taluk. The Kukke Subramanya temple, on the Kumaradhara at Subramanya village, moved into Kadaba taluk from Sullia and is about 20 km from Kadaba town. Its main festival, Champa Shashti, runs for 15 days in the month of Margashirsha, around November and December. Kumara Parvatha, a trekking peak about 23 km away, is climbed from the Kukke side with Forest Department permission. St George Church at Ichilampady, about 10 km off, is an Orthodox pilgrim centre.
The taluk sits on busy routes. National Highway 75, the Mangaluru–Bengaluru road, passes through Nelyadi and Shiradi, two of the taluk's villages. The main railway station, Subrahmanya Road, is at Nettana, about 7 km from the temple, where trains stop on their way between the coast and Mysuru, Bengaluru or Hubballi. Smaller stations include Kaniyoor and Kodimbala. Tulu, Kannada and Malayalam are the main languages, and during festivals people of every faith visit each other's temples, churches and mosques.
Places in and around Kadaba taluk
Our one studio is in Udupi. We drive out to Kadaba town and to villages across the taluk, such as these, to meet owners.
- Kadaba town
- Subramanya
- Nelyadi
- Shiradi
- Nettana
- Kombar
- Koila
- Ichilampady
- Kaniyoor
- Alankaru
- Ramakunja
- Nekkilady
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · kukkedevasthanam.org.in