What's in a name: Appanna Katte
On most maps, the name is Hampankatta. Older residents say Hampanakatte. Both come from the same place: Appanna Katte, "Appanna's platform."
Local tradition goes like this. A man named Appanna used to sit on a platform built around a peepal tree near a well and offer water to people passing by. The spot became known as Appanna Katte, and over time the name shifted into Hampankatta.
That is the version that surfaced in 2020, when Smart City road work at the Hampankatta signal circle uncovered an old well under a concrete slab, near the auto stand. Work at the spot was paused while officials looked into its history. Families whose forefathers ran businesses here recalled being told about Appanna and the well.
The Name, Step by Step
| Stage | Name | What the tradition says | How firm is it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early | Appanna Katte | A platform around a peepal tree where Appanna offered water | Oral tradition, widely repeated |
| Later | Hampanakatte / Hampankatte | Name drifted with speech over time | Common usage |
| Today | Hampankatta | Standard spelling on maps and signboards | Official usage |
The well also tells you something about the city. Mangaluru once had many wells, and residents who read about the 2020 find named others that were covered over as roads widened: near the old bus stand, in front of a well-known hotel, at Bejai, at Bendore and at Pumpwell. Several commented that the place names Bendorewell and Pumpwell come from wells.
Where Hampankatta sits
Hampankatta is the centre of Mangaluru's commercial life. Mangaluru Central, the city's main railway station, is here. So are the Town Hall, University College, Milagres Church and the Light House Hill institutions just up the slope. Most of the city's public utilities are clustered nearby.
Landmarks, institutions and schools
University College (1868). The college began in 1868 as a provincial school, started by a nine-member committee with an endowment of Rs 65,000. For decades it was the Government College. Girls were admitted from 1902. The college library dates to 1871. The pitched, Mangalore-tile-roofed buildings were built between 1876 and 1905, and the auditorium, Ravindra Kala Bhavan, is named after Rabindranath Tagore, who visited the college in 1922. In 1993 the college became a constituent college of Mangalore University. The University Grants Commission later gave it heritage status, one of 19 colleges chosen across India, and a Rs 1.83 crore grant paid for restoring the Ravindra Kala Bhavan complex.
Milagres Church (1680). The Church of Our Lady of Miracles was first built in 1680 by Bishop Thomas de Castro on land gifted by Queen Chennamma of Keladi. It has been rebuilt more than once. After the church was destroyed in 1784, a baker named Lawrence Bello, who returned from captivity at Srirangapatna, built a chapel in its place. The present church is the fifth on the site. The parish also runs Milagres Degree College and Milagres Central School.
Town Hall (1964). Inaugurated on 29 December 1964, it seats about 900 and has hosted Tulu and Beary plays, Yakshagana shows, Konkani festivals and civic events for decades. It sits opposite Mini Vidhana Soudha and the small Gandhi Park.
Light House Hill. Just above Hampankatta, this hill carries the old lighthouse, built under Hyder Ali as a watch tower and later used by the British. Today it is also home to St Aloysius College, Kasturba Medical College, the Idgah mosque, St Aloysius Chapel, and the City Central Library run by the city corporation. The chapel was built in 1880, and its interiors were painted by the Italian Jesuit Antonio Moscheni in 1899.
The clock tower. The Hampankatta circle's four-faced clock tower is a Smart City-era addition, designed in an antique style as an attempt to bring back the junction's old character.
Hampankatta Landmarks at a Glance
| Landmark | What it is | Key dates | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College | Heritage-status constituent college of Mangalore University | 1868 founded; 1902 girls admitted; 1993 became constituent college | One of 19 UGC heritage colleges in India |
| Milagres Church | Roman Catholic parish church | 1680 first church; present church is the fifth | One of the oldest churches in Dakshina Kannada |
| Town Hall | Civic and cultural venue, about 900 seats | Inaugurated 29 Dec 1964 | Stage for Tulu, Beary, Konkani and Yakshagana events |
| Light House Hill | Hill with lighthouse, colleges, chapel, mosque, library | Chapel 1880; interiors 1899 | Education and heritage cluster above Hampankatta |
| Mangaluru Central | Main railway station | Station at Hampankatta | The city's rail gateway |
| Clock tower circle | Four-faced clock tower at the junction | Smart City era | The junction's visual anchor |
A visitor in 1922 gave the college hall its name: Ravindra Kala Bhavan, after Rabindranath Tagore. University College, Mangaluru
Old shops
Hampankatta is a shopping district first. Some shops here have been run by the same families for generations, and the clearest sign of that is the way residents of the 2020 well find recalled their parents' stories.
We have not yet documented individual old shops and hotels for this file. A desk visit with a short list of the oldest establishments, their founding years and their owners' stories is the next step. If you run or know an old Hampankatta business, write to us.
What the area is dealing with today
Hampankatta carries more people and vehicles than its roads and buildings were laid out for. Here is where things stand.
Hampankatta's Current Challenges
| Issue | What is happening | What is planned or being said |
|---|---|---|
| Parking | The old city bus stand site now works as a municipal parking lot of about 110 cars, and many older commercial buildings in the area have no parking of their own | A multi-level car parking complex on the old bus stand land is being built under the Smart City Mission on a public-private model. Work began in November 2021, stalled, and was reported to have resumed in 2025 with piling. Recent reports describe about 400 vehicles and a cost near Rs 94 crore |
| Auto-rickshaw stands | Mangaluru's auto fleet has grown to over 9,000, and designated stands have fallen behind, from Kankanady through Hampankatta to State Bank | Auto unions have asked the RTO, police and city corporation for a joint meeting and a plan to identify new stand spaces |
| Waterlogging | After sudden heavy rain, low-lying spots have flooded, including the parking lot at Mangaluru Central station | Part of a wider city pattern of short, intense rain spells |
| Festival traffic | Dasara processions bring diversions along central roads including Hampankatta | Police announce diversions and parking restrictions each year; Dasara 2026 begins on 11 October and the Kudroli procession is on 20 October |
| The old well | Found under the road in 2020; what happens to it has not been announced | Residents asked for it to be preserved |
What to watch The multi-level parking project, the auto-stand plan and the fate of the Appanna Katte well are the three things that will most change how Hampankatta looks and feels over the next few years. We will update this file as they move.
Notable people connected to Hampankatta
Hampankatta is better known for its institutions than for its home addresses, so the notable names here are mostly people who studied or visited at University College.
University College Alumni and Visitors
| Name | Known as | Connection to Hampankatta |
|---|---|---|
| K. Shivaram Karanth | Kannada novelist, Jnanpith awardee | Alumnus |
| Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay | Freedom fighter and social reformer | Alumna |
| M. Govinda Pai | Kannada poet | Alumnus |
| M.V. Kamath | Journalist | Alumnus |
| Veerappa Moily | Politician and writer | Alumnus |
| Ramanath Rai | Politician | Alumnus |
| P.M. Sayeed | Politician | Alumnus |
| K. Suryanarayana Adiga | Alumnus | Listed among notable alumni |
| Panje Mangesh Rao | Kannada poet | Alumnus |
| Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel laureate poet | Visited the college in 1922; the auditorium bears his name |
Present-day notable residents are not yet documented in this file. If you know a long-time Hampankatta resident whose story should be told, tell us.
Read Next on Mangalore Diary
- People of Mangalore: Culture, Languages, Communities and Festivals
- Yakshagana's Living Legends
- Why Mangalore Became India's Unlikely Medical Hub
- St Aloysius (Deemed to be University): events
FAQ
How did Hampankatta get its name?
According to local tradition, a man named Appanna offered water to travellers from a platform around a peepal tree near a well. The place was called Appanna Katte, and the name shifted to Hampankatta over time.
Where is Hampankatta?
In the centre of Mangaluru. It is the city's main commercial hub, and Mangaluru Central railway station, the Town Hall and University College are here.
What are the main landmarks at Hampankatta?
University College (1868), Milagres Church (first built 1680), the Town Hall (1964), the clock tower circle, Mangaluru Central station and, just above, Light House Hill with St Aloysius College and its chapel.
What is University College, Mangaluru?
A constituent college of Mangalore University, started in 1868 as a provincial school. It has UGC heritage status, and its auditorium is named Ravindra Kala Bhavan after Rabindranath Tagore, who visited in 1922.
What is the multi-level parking project at Hampankatta?
A parking-cum-commercial complex being built on the old bus stand land under the Smart City Mission on a public-private model. Work began in November 2021, stalled, and was reported to have resumed in 2025.
Which famous people studied at University College?
Listed alumni include K. Shivaram Karanth, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, M. Govinda Pai, M.V. Kamath and Veerappa Moily.
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