Manipal is a hillock in costal Karnataka. Its 63 km north of Mangalore and 8 km east of Arabian Sea. It’s a suburb belonging to Shivalli village Panchayat of Udupi Taluk and Udupi District. It commands a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea to the west and Western Ghats to the east. Manipal once was a dense forest and home to many bird species – song birds, king fisher, red crested pochards, spot on ducks etc. These can be traced even today and many migratory birds visit Manipal during the season. Central circle in front of the Medical college is called tiger circle, because tigers used to roam in this area.
The name is derived from “mann” and “palla” from where the term Manipal originates. Mann means “mud” and palla means “lake” in Tulu language. The lake which is in the center of Manipal measures around 400 meters diameter.
