Under conventional studies of urban settlements a study of location, site, land use and functions are emphasized. It is necessary to have a comprehensive view of the urban settlements in terms of the condition of road, drainage system, potable water supply, adequacy of parks, play grounds, post offices like general public utilities. At the same time the environmental aspects also include the method of collection and disposal of solid waste. It is also necessary to give a general perception of people in the conservation of urban environment. It is not out place to mention the role of some important personalities of the past and the present who have contributed to the civic life of the urban settlement.

MYTHS, LEGENDS AND HISTORY CONNECTED WITH THE ORIGIN AND GROETH OF THE TOWN:

There are no myths or legends associated with either the origin or the growth of Tiptur. In epigraphs this place has been referred to as ‘Thippaturu’. The etymologies of this name or its significances are not known. Shantaveeraiah1 considers that ‘Thippaturu’ which literally means three fold, implies that this ‘Uru’ (town) was thrice as important as any other town in the surrounding coutryside. In the absence of authentic data on the conditions of towns and villages in bygone days, this derivation can only be accepted as a reasonable conjecture. The local ‘Kalleswara’ temple is a ‘thrikutachala’ (i.e., having three cells) enshrining linga idol in each of the cells. This is an ancient temple and might have given the name of ‘Thrikuturu; which might have subsequently been corrupted into ‘Thripatturu’ and then to ‘Thippaturu. This too is a conjecture and it is, however, clear that the name given in inscriptions belonging to 11th century A.D. it has been corrupted to ‘Thipaturu’ and, after the advent of the British, into it’s anglicized form Thiptur which when spelt in English can be pronounced as Tiptur.

The influences, which an urban area as a whole exerts on the social and economic structure of the area help in the formation of land, use pattern. The different functional characters are found concentrated at different places. The priority is for the economic and social utility of the particular function. According to Dickinson1 “the use which can pay the highest rent at a particular place occupies the land”. In urban expansion encroachment over the neighbouring agricultural lands and open places or vacant lands are common.

Geographical investigation related to human settlements studies various aspects give emphasis to the population characteristics, like population distribution, its growth, its density, rate of literacy, sex ratio, ethnicity, etc., are some of the general aspects normally taken in to consideration in a settlement study. The resource base of an urban settlement with its size of hinterland reflects the population size of the town. However the internal distribution and concentration are directly related to the sit and the functional characteristics of the area. In this chapter an attempt has been made to study the growth of population, literacy, gender or sex ratio, occupational structure and ethnic composition of Tiptur town.