Timeline of Karnataka
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The name Karnataka is derived from Karunadu, meaning 'lofty land' or 'high plateau', due to its location on the Deccan Plateau. The name can also mean 'land of black soil' (kari, 'black'; nadu, - 'area' or 'region') in Kannada. There are other possible roots of the name.[1] The recorded history of Karnataka goes back to the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics. The capital of "Baali" and "Sugriva" referenced in the Ramayana is said to be Hampi.[citation needed] Karnataka is mentioned in the Mahabharata as "Karnata Desha".[2]" Historically, the region was also called "Kuntala Rajya".[3]
Karnataka was also part of the Dakshinapatha (southern region) which is mentioned in many Indian epics. Vatapi, associated with the sage Agastya, is identified with Badami in Bagalkot district.[4]
Karnataka is situated on the western edge of the Deccan plateau. It neighbours Maharashtra and Goa to the north, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Telangana to the northeast, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala to the south. On the west, it opens out on the Arabian sea.