Vidurashwatha

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Vidurashwatha (ವಿದುರಾಶ್ವತ್ಠ)| type = city | latd = 13.61 | longd = 77.52
locator_position = right | state_name = Karnataka
district = Kolar
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postal_code = 561208
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Vidurashwatha (Kannada:ವಿದುರಾಶ್ವತ್ಠ) is a small village located in the Gauribidanur taluk of Chikkaballapur district in the state of Karnataka, India. Situated near the Karnataka - Andhra Pradesh border and about 6km from Gauribidanur, it had a major role to play in the freedom movement of India.

Etymology

The name "Vidurashwatha" is derived from that of a big "Ashwatha"("Ficus religiosa") tree located in this village. According to a legend of the times of Mahabharata, this tree was planted by Vidura, one of the courtesans in the kingdom of Dhritarashtra; and hence the name "Vidurashwatha" A brief description of Vidurashwatha is provided by cite web|author=Priyanjana Dutta|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/souths-jallianwala-caught-in-time-warp/17946-3.html|title=South India's forgotten Jallianwala|work=Online Website of IbnLive.com|publisher=IbnLive.com|accessdate=2007-04-15] . Unfortunately, in the year 2001, this ancient tree fell to the ground Vidurashwatha: End of Flora-era cite web|url=http://thatskannada.oneindia.in/news/2001/05/24/tree.html|title=The fall of Vidurashwatha's big tree|work=Online webpage of Thatskannada|publisher=Greynium Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.|accessdate=2007-04-15] .

ignificance

Vidurashwatha is known as the Jallianwala Bagh of the South ] . On April 25, 1938, as a part of the freedom struggle of India, a group of villagers had congregated in a ground to organise a Satyagraha. Similar to what happened at Jallianwala Bagh, police fired indiscriminately at the group resulting in the death of 10 people. A memorial has been erected in this location bearing the names of those who lost their lives in this incident.

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