Davanagere district is an administrative district of Karnataka state in India. It is the centre of Karnataka. The city of Davanagere is the district headquarters. It had a population of 1,643,494 of which 32.31% was urban as of 2011. This district was separated from Chitradurga district in 1997 by the then Chief minister of Karnataka J. H. Patel including Chennagiri and Honali Taluks Shimoga district. The district lies in the central plains of the state with its unique features of having an influence of the north and the south of the state. The prominent towns in this district are Harihara, Jagalur, Honnali Channagiri and Nyamati, these also happen to be its six other taluks. It is bound by Shimoga district and Haveri district on the west, Chitradurga district on the east, Vijayanagara district on the north, and Chikmagalur district on the south. The Davanagere district has 6 taluks, 20 hoblis, 197 gram panchayats, 652 villages, 904 habitations, and 2 city municipal councils and one City Corporation. History This area was once ruled by the Mauryas, and then later the Sathavahanas. The area was later taken over by the Kadambas, who were soon displaced by the Chalukyas of Badami. An inscription from Anaji dating to the 9th century CE indicates a branch of the Pallavas called the Nolambas ruled part of the district. Part of the district was briefly conquered by a branch of the Gangas in Asandi. By the middle of the 8th century, the Rashtrakutas from Malkhed had established supremacy over the Chalukyas, and conquered territory south to Tumkur. An inscription in the Bagali temple indicates part of Davanagere district was ruled by a Chalukya feudatory of the Rashtrakutas in the 10th century. Other parts continued to be ruled by the Nolambas as feudatories of the Rashtrakutas. When Rashtrakuta power began collapsing, the Nolambas switched their loyalty to the Gangas and fought against the Chola invasions. When the Chalukyas of Kalyani gained in power, the Nolambas became loyal to them. When the Cholas sacked Kampli, they appointed some of their Pandya vassals as governors of Nolambavadi corresponding to part of Davanagere. The Kalachuris, who were also feudatories of the Chalukyas, were soon given charge of the entire south of Chalukya domains. Their ruler Bijjala II overthrew the Chalukyas and his dynasty ruled until 1181, when the Chalukya prince Someshwara IV took back the throne. Briefly the Hoysalas ruled parts