Belgaum

Overview:

Sited at the foothills of the Western Ghats, Belgaum possesses a rich historical background. Anciently named ‘Venugrama’, which literally translates to ‘Bamboo Village’; it is also referred to as ‘Malendu’, meaning ‘rain country’. Situated in the northwestern parts of Karnataka lying at the border of the two states of Maharashtra and Goa, Belgaum is the headquarters of Belgaum district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Elevated at 2,500 feet above sea-level, Belgaum is the fourth largest city in the stateand among the oldest towns of India. The Ratta dynasty built the present city in 12th century AD. Owing to its favorable geographic location by 1450the town of Belgaum had become a bustling trading hub for diamonds and wood, in the kingdom. Due to its proximity to the then Portuguese territory of Goa, Belgaum served as a major military installation for the British. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru used the forces from Belgaum to end the Portuguese’s rule over Goa in 1961; post-independence armed force installations are still maintained by the Indian Government. Belgaum was announced as the second state capital by the Government of Karnataka in 2006. A pleasant tropical savanna climate prevails all-round the year in Belgaum. The close proximity to the states of Maharashtra and Goa has stemmed a rich cultural diversity in Belgaum.Mostly Marathi is the lingua franca of the region, with Kannada being spoken laced with generous doses of Marathi. The traditional dressing of rural Belgaum is comprised of a turban with long tailpiece at the rear and a dhoti worn by the men while the fairer sex wear locally crafted saris; Kolhapurichappal’s are strongly preferred by both the sexes. The attire is familiar to that of people from north Karnataka and south Maharashtra. The costumes in the city region however, are in tune with modern urban India. Lying near the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range, 100 kilometers from the Arabian Sea with the river Markandeya flowing close to it, the swift and kaleidoscopic changes in topography, vegetation and climate are conspicuously exhibited in Belgaum. While visiting South India, some tourists like to travel from Bangalore to Belgaum by car rental hire services. Belgaum is located at a distance of about 508 kilometers from Bangalore, and the drive from Bangalore to Belgaum by a car takes around 9 hours. Tourists prefer car rentals as they make travelling to and within the city, at any point of time easy, fast and comfortable.

Places Of Interest:

There are many places of tourist interest in and around the town. Hiring a car from Bangalore to Belgaum saves tourists a lot of time and trouble as most of the sightseeing spots are located short distances away from the town. Nestled in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Belgaum is at a distance of 502 kilometers from Bangalore and 154 kilometers from Panaji. Belgaum is surrounded by natural beauty in the form of rivers, hills and dense evergreen forests sprinkled with touristy places like Amboli, Sindhudurg district, jamboti etc. A wide variety of historical sites, churches  and temples exist in and around the city, amongst the most important spots are, the fort of Kamala Basti, Kapileshwar temple, the hills of Ramtirth, Vaijyanath, RevanSiddeshwr temple at Hunshevari situated in the valleys of kakati, the aerodrome at Sambraand the Siddeshwar temple in Kanbargi.

Amongst the popular touristy spots is the Belgaum Fort. Built by the Ratta rulers in the twelfth century, the huge construct is located in the center of the town. There are two Hindu shrines, one dedicated to Lord Ganapati and the other to Goddess Durga, at the entrance of the fort. There are also two mosques inside the fort, namely the Safa Masjid and Jamia Masjid.

Another tourist attraction near Belgaum is the Varapoha Falls, in Jamboti. Originating from the Jamboti hills, this is where the Mandvi River plunges into a 150 feet gorge creating a magnificent waterfall.  Another such waterfall is the Gokak Falls, where the Ghataprabha River plummets 170 feet over a rocky bed after having wound its way through a circuitous route. Other sightseeing spots in Belgaum include Rakaskop, Kapileshwara Temple, Kamala Basti and Saundatti.

Located in the valleys of kakati village Hunshevari, the holy place of "shreeRevanSiddeshwar Temple", is at a distance of just 7 kilometers from Belgaum via the Pune-Bangalore national highway.

The famous hill cave temple of Siddeshwarin Kanabargi Village, is a must visit for the religiously inclined.

With its evergreen hilltop forests Jamboti, is a popular tourist spot. It is located at a distance of 25 kilometers south-west of Belgaum.

Things to do:

Belgaum is renowned for its cross culture food ranging from the ‘chats’ of Mumbai to Chinese delicacies. "Kunda" and "Kalakand" along with aspecial sweet called "Mandige" or "Maande" are traditionally prepared and famous throughout the region. Visitors can taste the traditional cuisine at any of the sundry Kunda Manufacturers in and around Belgaum.

The silk weavers and the handloom cottage industries located in Vadgaon and Angolare known for their exquisitely designed Saris.Alternatively tourists can purchase ornate brasswareitems such as earthen lamps, thalis, flame holders, etc, from Hosur.

Recently a waterfall has been discovered within the jungles of KhanapurTaluka. The waterfall and its adjoining areas have become the center for various adventure activities in Belgaum.Some of the outdoor activities that are held near the waterfall are climbing, rappelling or abseiling, rope walks and bridge crossing. Situated along the banks of the Malaprabha River the jungle of KhanapurTaluka has a dedicated elephant corridor. Baths can be taken in any of the several streams feeding the Malaprabha. The region has numerous unexplored caves.