Kanakapura is a riverside town standing on the right bank of the
Arkavathi in
Bangalore Rural District. Known earlier as Kankanhalli, it has its proper name as Kanya-Karna which is composed of two Sanskrit words, Kanya meaning virgin or the goddess Bhavani, and Karna meaning ear. There is a fort built by Jagadeva Raya, which houses the ancient Ranganatha Temple. It is through this ancient village, the British Army under Lord Cornwallis, the Duke of Wellington, and others had invaded
Srirangapatna in the 18th Century. Nearby lies Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta, a picturesque hillock.
