Kumta Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Kumta Town
Head-quarters of the Taluka of the same name in North Kanara District, Bombay, situated in 14" 26' N. and 74° 25' E., on the sea-coast on the north side of the Kumta creek, one mile east of the lighthouse, and about 1 1 3 miles north of Mangalore and 40 miles south of Karwar. Population (1901), 10,818, including suburbs. The municipality, constituted in 1867, had an average income during the decade ending 1901 of Rs. 17,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 17,500. Kumta, though an open roadstead, was formerly a place of large trade, owing to the roads which connect it with the cotton marts of Dharwar ; but this traffic has been much affected by the railway through Portuguese territory. The lighthouse, situated in 14° 25^ N. and 74° 23' E., is 6 miles to the north of Fortified Island, and consists of an iron tubular mast 60 feet high, erected on a hill about half a mile to the east of the rocky cliffs of Kumta Point. It exhibits a fixed white light, at an elevation of 116 feet above sea-level, which is visible in clear weather at a distance of 12 miles from the deck of a ship. This light overlooks the mouth of the creek, which leads boats at high water up to the cotton warehouse on the south side of the town. The town contains a Subordinate Judge's court, a dispensary, a middle school, and nine other schools.
Kumta seems to have been formerly a place of some note. Its lanes are straight and fenced with stone walls, and it has many coco-nut gardens. Twice it had the misfortune of having Tipu's army encamped in its vicinity, and on both occasions it was burned down by some of the irregulars. Its trade consists chiefly of cotton, spices, and grain, the first coming from Dharwar District and the rest from the upland country of North Kanara. The only manufacture is the carving of a few articles of sandal-wood, which are exported to Bombay. Kumta port is one of the seven ports which make up the Honavar Customs division. The trade is valued at 38 lakhs : namely, imports 12 lakhs, and exports 26 lakhs.
