The taluk centre was popular as the centre growing highest amount of paddy in the State.
It could be recalled that, as much as 42,000 acres of land, including forest the region was submerged when Bhadra dam was constructed in 1960. As the fertile land of paddy field drowned in water, villagers from 20 villages lost their lifeblood.
With submerging of land, the transportation and communication system too were lost. The submerging of railway track incurred in a great loss. Tarikere-Narasimharajapura railway track and Thadasa-Hebbe train track was submerged with the construction of the dam.
The result was nothing less than a tragedy. Tarikere which was earlier reached by travelling for about 42 km is now reached by travelling for extra 26 km. Chikmagalur which was reached by travelling for 55 km, is now reached by travelling for 96 km.
The farmers, who lost their fertile land, migrated to Shankaraghatta and Lakkavalli and started leading a new life. Those who stayed back in the region were exhausted meeting numerous obstacles that came on their way of development.
However, they are building their life by growing varieties of crops unlike earlier when the sole crop grown was paddy. The senior citizens of the place believe that taluk centre would have been developed like Shimoga and Bhadravati towns if Bhadra dam was not constructed at all.