Belgaum District, karnataka

Location: Belgaum is located at the north – western part of Karnataka bordering Maharashtra.

District Headquarter: Belgaum

Distance: 502 km from Bangalore, 125 Km from Goa, 500 km from Mumbai, 100 Km from Hubli, 135 km from Karwar, 205 Km from Bijapur

Journey time: 14  – 15 hours by bus, 15 hrs by train

How to reach there: By KSRTC buses from Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore and other parts of Karnataka. By train – Rani Chinnamma express from Bangalore. By private bus from bangalore,  Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai. One can also fly to Hubli and then proceed towards Belgaum. Belgaum is around 45 minutes of Journey from Hubli.

Route: Bangalore – Tumkur – Sira – Chitradurga – Davanagere – Haveri – Hubli – Belgaum

Where to stay:

1. HOTEL DURGA RECIDENCY
Old P. B. Rd
Belgaum – 590001
Ph: 0831 2437555‎

2. Hotel Pai
Opposite Belgaum Bus stand
Belgaum

3. Hotel Arpan
193A, C.D.Deshmukh Road,
Tilakwadi, Belgaum,
Karnataka 590006
Ph: 0831 2423288‎

4. Kshema Inn (Good high end hotel)
794, Khanapur Road, Belgaum – 590 006
Near 3rd Railway Gate, Tilakwadi,
NH 4A (Belgaum – Panaji Road)
Ph: 0091 831 2441122
Website: http://www.kshemainn.com/
email: reservations@kshemainn.com

5. Hotel Sankam Residency
Airport road, Gandhinagar
Belgaum – 590 016
Phone : +91 831 2455838 (05 lines)
+91 831 4207888 (30 lines)
Fax: +91 831 4207888
Website: http://www.sankam.in/

Where to eat:

1. Zaika
97, Church Street
Camp, Belgaum
Ph: 98455-50695
Website: http://zaikabelgaum.com/

2. Hotel Sanman

3. Hotel Kirthi
Near RTO office
Belgaum

4. Niyaz Hotel for Biriyani

5. Hotel Adarsh Palace

6. Mahadev Biryani, Delhi Darbar

Language spoken: Kannada, Marathi, Hindi

Belgaum city is said to be built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the 12 century. It was the capital of the Rashtrakuta kingdom between 1210 and 1250. Belgaum passed hands of many rulers like Yadavs, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara Empire, Bahmani Sultanate, Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Maratha Peshwas and then finally to British in 1818. Mahatma Gandhi presided over the 39 session of the Indian National Congress in Belgaum in december 1924. The government of Karnataka has proposed renaming of Belgaum to its old name Belagavi. Belgaum has many military installations.

What to see:

In Belgaum city:

Cantonment area:

1. Military Mahadev mandir: The Military mahadeva mandir is maintained by the Maratha Light infantry. The temple is popular among the civilians also.

Military Mahadeva mandir

2. Kamal Basti or Kamal Basadi jain temple: It is a Jain temple built in Chalukya style. Located inside Belgaum fort, the deity here is Neminatha made of a black stone. In the Mukhamantapa of the temple one can see an architectural master piece in the form of a stone carved lotus. Read more…….

Neminatha statue

3. Ramakrishna mission Ashram: The Ramkrishna Mission is location at Fort Road, Belgaum. Swami Vivekananda had stayed here during tour of India.

Website: http://rkmissionashrama.org/

4. Fatima Cathedral: This church was built in Indo – Arabic – english structure.

Address: BC 69, Camp, Belgaum – 590 001
Ph: +91 – 831 – 2437177
Website: http://fatimacathedralbelgaum.org/

5. Belgaum fort: Belgaum fort was originally built in mud and stone by Rashtrakutas in the 13th century. Later, Yakub Ali Khan of the Bijapur Sultanate strengthened the fort. Inside the fort there is Ganapathi and Durga temple, as well two mosques – Safa Masjid and the Jamia Masjid.

6. St. Mary’s Church: St. Mary’s Church was built in 1869 in Gothic architecture. It has a beautiful structure with stained glasses. St. Xavier’s church is the oldest church in Belgaum here.

7. Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre

8. Argan Talao: It is a lake near the military Mahadeva temple and Ganapati temple.

9. Aqua training camp cum bird sanctuary: Aqua training camp cum bird sanctuary is maintained by the Maratha Light Infanty Regiment. It is located at the circle towards Hindalga Ganpati temple.

10. Statues of Kittur Rani Chennamma and Sangoli Rayanna at the city center

13. Belgaum watchtower: One get an awesome view of Belgaum and its surroundings from the watchtower located at GanapatSunset Point, old racetrack road.

14. Kapileshwar temple: Kapileshwar is another form of Lord Shiva and is also known as Dakshina Kashi (Kashi of south). It is located in Shahpur. It is believed to be on of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India and it is said to be self generated.

The temple complex also houses shrines of Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Lord Dattatreya, Lord Kallabhairav and the “navagrahas.”

15. Ganpati mandir at Hindalgaon:

Website of Belgaum cantonment: http://www.cbbelgaum.org.in/

Around Belgaum:

1. Kasamalgi (Khanapur):

2. Gokak Falls (Gokak) : The Gokak falls is formed by Ghataprabha river when it plunges from a height of 52 meters. It resembles the Niagra falls in the US. Gokak is located around 65 km from Belgaum.

Tateshwara Temple near the Gokak Falls: Tateshwara Temple temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. The temple is in ruins now.

3.Saundatti (Savadatti): the town of Saundatti also known as savadatti is located around 80 km from Belgaum. Saundatti is one of the major pilgrim centre of Karnataka. Saundatti is well known for beautiful and ancient temple of Goddesss Renuka also called as

Yellamma Temple: Yellamma temple is located around 78 km from Belgaum in Saundatti on top of a hill. Goddess Yellamma is also know as Renuka Devi and by other names. Nearest railway station is Dharwad. Read more about Yellamma tradition.

The temple is built in the Chalukyan and Rashtrakuta Style and the Carvings reflect the Jain architecture. The temple was constructed by Bomappa Naik of Raybag in the year 1514. The other temples found in the premises are Lord Ganapathi, Mallikarjun, Parshuram, Eknath, Siddeshwar. There is a spot called Jogulabhavi here, where there is a temple. Pilgrims take a holy dip here before visiting the Yellamma Hill.

Savadatti Fort:

4. Rakaskop: Rakaskop reservoir is located around 16 km from Belgaum. Here myth says a giant seems to be have lived on a hillock. The hill resembles a huge sitting giant. Here, one can find a dam on river Markandeya. Belgaum is supplied water from here.

4. Naviltirtha: Naviltirtha is a good picnic spot around 10 Km from Saundatti. It is located in a low valley situated in between the 2 hills. Earlier, it was full of Peacocks, frequently flocking round the pond, and thus the place was named Naviltirtha. The Malaprabha Dam near Renukasagar is situated here.

5. Godachinmalki Falls: Godachinmalki Falls is located around 16 Km away from Gokak. This beautiful place is situated to the west of the Gokak-Konnur road in a deep green valley. Markandeya River takes the first plunge from a height of about 25 Metres and flows into a rocky valley and after a short distance from here it takes a second plunge at a height of about 18 Metres.

6. Jamboti: Jamboti is located 20 km south-west of Belgaum. Jamboti is a popular tourist spot with its evergreen hilltop forests. Mandovi River, the longest river in Goa has its origin in the Jamboti hills.

7. Kittur: Kittur is located at a distance of 44 km from Belgaum. Kittur is a place of historical significance. Rani Channamma of Kittur is known for her resistance to British rule. A ruined fort, formerly the residence of the chief of Kittur can be found here.

8. Vajrapoha Falls: Vajrapoha Falls is located at a distance of 60 km from Belgaum. Vajrapoha Falls is on the Mandovi River in the hilly surroundings of the Jamboti. Here the river Mahadayi flowing in a serpentine fashion takes a first jump from a height of about 60 meters.

9. Tilari falls: 35 km from Belgaum.

10. Amboli Ghat: Amboli ghat is a beautiful hill station on the western ghat. It is located around 68 km from Belgaum.

11. Panchalingeshwara temple, Hooli:

12. Kamala Narayana Temple, Degaon:

13. Halasi:

Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple

14. Parasgad Fort:

Other places:

1. Hills of Vaijyanath
2. Ramtirth in Kanbargi
3. The aerodrome at Sambra