Tulu Nadu consists of two districts i.e. Dakshina Kannada ( D.K.) and Udupi district. Once upon a time dakshina kannada was vast district with eight taluks. From August 1997 this was bifurcated into D.K. and Udupi districts. D.K. presently consists of five taluks viz. Mangalore, Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady taluks where as Udupi district consists of three taluks viz. Udupi, Kundapur and Karkal. These two districts together are called as Tulunadu, since the most popular language in these regions is TULU.
Lying in the Western coast and touching the Arabian Sea, Mangalore has been historically a ship building centre. Being a strategic port it was always under conflict in the past, thus having been under several varied dynasties Mangalore today is a blend of the new and old. Tulunadu is one of the most enchanting place to travel. Though known for its religious places of worship, the place is blessed with green fields, water falls, beautiful beaches and with rich variety of flora and fauna.

Mangalore was named after the goddess Mangaladevi. The story behind goes along way in enriching the cultural heritage of Mangalore. Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district, southwestern Karnataka (formerly Mysore) state, southern India, a port on the Arabian Sea. It is also one the major ports of India. Lying on the backwaters formed by the Netravati and Gurpur rivers, it has long been a roadstead along the Malabar Coast. Engaged in Persian Gulf trade in the 14th century, Mangalore was occupied by the Portuguese in the mid-16th century. In the 18th century its control was contested by Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan on one hand and the British on the other. Under the Mysore sultans (1763) it became a strategic ship building base, which was ceded to the British in 1799 after numerous sieges.

The modern port 10 km north of the town, is now India’s ninth largest cargo handling port. Mangalore's economy is dominated by agricultural processing and port-related activities. Imports include tropical timber from south-east Asia for furniture making, a necessity since India places major restrictions on its own teak felling. The port handles 75% of India’s coffee exports and the bulk of it cashew nuts. The latter are brought from many coastal areas (notably from Kerala, where 90% of India’s cashews are grown); the National Cashew research centre is near by at Puttur.
A trip to Mangalore is incomplete without watching the Classic Yakshagana - an elaborate dance - drama performance unique to Karnataka. A night-long event, with people adorned vibrantly, and dancing to the beat of drums, Yakshagana performance attracts thousands of people.

Hulivesha (Tiger dance) is a unique form of folk dance in Dakshina kannada that fascinates the young and the old alike. Since tiger is considered as the favored carrier of Goddess Sharada (the deity in whose honor Dussera is celebrated), this dance is performed during the Dussera celebration. It is also performed during other festivals like Krishna Janmasthami.