HASSAN, a town and district of Mysore, India. The town dates from the 11th century and had in 1931 a population of The district naturally divides into the Malnad, or hill country, including some of the highest ranges of the Western Ghats, and the Maidan or plain country, sloping towards the south. The Hemavati, which flows into the Cauvery in the ex treme south, is the most important river. The upper slopes of the Western Ghats are clothed with forests, and wild animals abound. Minerals are gold, magnesite, mica, corundum and as bestos. The soil of the valleys is rich red loam. The area is 2,665 sq.m. Population (1931) 596,937. The district contains remark able monuments, such as the colossal Jain image at Sravana Belgola (a monolith 57 ft. high on the summit of a hill) and the great temple at Halebid. Coffee cultivation is largely carried on. The Madras and Southern Mahratta railway traverses the north east of the district, and Hassan has a station on the line of the Mysore railway from Arsikere to Mysore.
The history of Hassan begins with the Hoysala dynasty, which lasted from the 1 1 th till the 14th century. Their capital was at Dwarasamundra (Dwaravati-pura), the ruins of which are scat tered round the village of Halebid. The earlier kings professed the Jain faith, but the finest temples were erected to Siva by later monarchs. At their zenith all south India owned their sway.