Sathanur

Sathanur is a village among the half million other villages in India, located near Magadi in Bangalore district of Karnataka. It has recently acquired some fame because it was the birth place of musician/composer Pandareeka Vittala. [cite web
url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/10/03/stories/2002100300080200.htm
title=The Hindu : Music in the air
publisher=www.hinduonnet.com
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About 65 km from Bangalore, You need to go to Magadi, a town of medium size from where it is just about 8 kilometers. You should continue on from Magadi and you need to take a right diversion from the main road joining Magadi and Huliyurudurga at Byranahalli/Sathanur cross. Then you will immediately hit a road which was made of only mud till recently. It was tarred during the 400th birth anniversary celebration of Pandareeka Vittala in 2002 when a lot of eminent people and a couple of prominent politicians visited this easily forgotten hamlet. However the road is again acquiring its old characteristics.

You will cross a small bridge built over an equally small stream of about 8 feet in width. Going on straight, you will see green fields on both the sides of the road (especially in Autumn). After a few minutes of treading the same path, on your right, you will see an old building with a tiled roof. This is the primary school building. Just in front of that building, you will see several buffaloes tied to wooden stumps driven into the ground. Further you will also see a lot of donkeys loitering around, running into a flock of hens and chicken every now and then.

A peek here and there will set your sight upon the high school building. This high school was built in memory of the Late Krishnamurthy, a son of Mr Narasimha Shastry (approx 1897-1988) who was a priest (purohit in Kannada - the local language) and a prominent brahmin in Sathanur, by Mr Krishnamurthy's brothers. This school is currently presided over by Mr Ramachandriah Sathanur. It is endowed with excellent classromms (by Indian village standards), laboratories and a very spacious playground. It caters to more than 300 students from neighbouring villages and Sathanur itself. It is recognized by the government of Karnataka and it consistently achieves 70-80% pass rate in the 10th standard exams by the state.

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