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{{Use Indian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Mattur
| other_name              = मत्तुरु संस्कृत ग्रामः
| nickname                = Sanskrit village
| settlement_type         = village
| image_skyline           = Tunga.jpg
| image_alt               =
| image_caption           = The [[Tunga River]] at Mattur
| pushpin_map             = India Karnataka
| pushpin_label_position  = right
| pushpin_map_alt         =
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates             = {{coord|13|52|26|N|75|33|32|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Shivamogga district]]
| established_title       = <!-- Established -->
| established_date        =
| founder                 =
| named_for               =
| government_type         =
| governing_body          = [[Gram panchayat]]
| unit_pref               = Metric
| area_footnotes          =
| area_rank               =
| area_total_km2          =
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             =
| population_total        =
| population_as_of        = 26000
| population_rank         =
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      =
| population_footnotes    =
| demographics_type1      = Languages
| demographics1_title1    = Official
| demographics1_info1     =  [[Kannada]], [[Sanskrit]]
| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1             = +5:30
| postal_code_type        = <!-- [[Postal Index Number|PIN]] -->
| postal_code             =
| registration_plate      =
| blank1_name_sec1        = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1        = [[Shivamogga]]
| website                 =
| footnotes               =
}}
[[File:Sunset in Mattur.jpg|thumbnail|Sunset in Mattur]]
'''Mattur''' (or '''Mathoor''') is a [[village]] in [[Shivamogga district]] near the city of [[Shivamogga]] in [[Karnataka]] state, [[India]], known for the usage of [[Sanskrit]] for day-to-day communication, although the general language of the state is [[Kannada]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Omkar Nath Koul, L. Devaki, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Unesco|title=Linguistic heritage of India and Asia|year=2000|publisher=Central Institute of Indian Languages|page=247}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Arvind Sharma|author-link=Arvind Sharma|title=New focus on Hindu studies|year=2005|publisher=D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd.|page=65}}</ref> Mattur is known for Sanskrit Speaking Village of India. Their native language is Sankethi. Sankethi language is a mixture of Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. {{cn|date=December 2023}}
Mattur is located by the [[Tunga River]] around 4 kilometres from Shivamogga and has long been known as a centre of learning for Sanskrit and Vedic studies. According to copper plate inscriptions preserved by the archaeology department, Mattur along with neighbouring Hosahalli, were gifted to the people by the emperor of [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] in 1512.<ref name="Kushala">{{cite news |author= S. Kushala |title=This village speaks gods language!|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/This-village-speaks-gods-language/articleshow/1199965.cms |date=13 Aug 2005 | access-date=3 May 2022 |work=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
Sanskrit is the main language of a majority of the 5,000 residents of this village and is a required subject in schools. This rare trait received a significant boost in 1982 when [[Vishwesha Tirtha|Vishvesha Theertha]], pontiff of [[Udupi]]'s [[Pejawara Matha]], visited the Mattur and dubbed it, "the Sanskrit village". The village has produced over 30 professors of Sanskrit who teach in universities across Karnataka.<ref name="Kushala" />
Mattur's twin village, [[Hosahalli]], shares almost all the qualities of Mattur.  Hosahalli is situated across the bank of the [[Tunga River]].  These two villages are almost always referred to together.<ref name=Hindu>{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Subha J|title=Keeping Sanskrit alive|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/Keeping-Sanskrit-alive/article15401481.ece|access-date=13 January 2017|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2 March 2008}}</ref> Mattur and [[Hosahalli]] are known for their efforts to support [[Gamaka (storytelling)|Gamaka]] art, which is a unique form of singing and [[storytelling]] in Karnataka.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Sanskrit-village-set-to-glow-anew/articleshow/6039631.cms|title=Sanskrit village set to glow anew|website=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref>
Mattur has traditionally been home to a community of Sanketi Brahmins among its residents.<ref name="Kushala" /> It has a [[mandir|temple]] of [[Rama]], a Shivalaya, Someshwara temple and Lakshmikeshava dhurga  temple.{{cn|date=May 2022}}
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Sanskrit areas of India]]
[[Category:Sanskrit revival]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Shimoga district]]
{{Shimoga-geo-stub}}