BELGAUM
 

Telephone Area Code: 0831

Although an important border town, Belgaum rarely frequented by tourists and is an interesting place to explore. Strategically positioned on the Deccan plateau, the town has been ruled by the Chalukyas, Rattas, Vijaynagaras, Brahmanis, and the Marathas.

The Fort, rebuilt by Yusaf Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur in 1481 houses the Masjid-I-Sata, the best of the numerous mosques in Belgaum that was built by Azad Khan, a captain in the Bijapur army. Belgaum is also noted for its two Jain Temples and sculptures. The Watchtower on Ganapath Galli in the town centre provides an absorbing view of the surrounding flat countryside and distant hills. Sunset Point on the old race coarse road also offers a good view.

There is an airport about 10kms from Belgaum but no flights are currently operated from here. The railway station has several express trains plying between Bangalore and Mumbai. The nearest rail junction with connections to Goa and Hubli is Londa. Belgaum is also well serviced by bus to Mumbai, Goa and Bangalore .


BADAMI
 

Telephone Area Code: 08357
Squeezed in a gorge between two red sandstone hills, the rural town of Badami is indeed set in a beautiful countryside. During the 4th and 8th centuries, Badami was the Capital of the Chalukyan Empire. The sculptural legacy left behind by the Chalukyas include some of the finest examples of Dravidian Temples, rock-cut caves as well as the earliest structural temple in the country.

The town is best known for its beautiful caves within the South Fort. Cave one is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Caves Two & Three are dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Cave Four is dedicated to Jainism. Each of these caves is well worth exploring and provides a fascinating insight into the culture of ancient Dravidians. There is the peaceful Budhanatha Temple in a natural cave close to the Agastya Lake , the waters of which are believed to cure illness. At the northwestern comer of the lake is the

Archaeological Museum where you can find excellent examples of local sculptures and various artifacts. Within the fortified North Fort are the two Shivalaya Temples. The Malgatti Shivalaya Temple stands isolated on a rocky projection above the village.

Most travelers arriving at Badami tend to use Badami as their base as they explore the neighboring places of interest as listed below. There is an adequate though limited range of accommodations and the atmosphere is relaxed and laid back. There are a good network of rail and bus services to Bangalore , Bijapur, Hospet and Gadag. The best way to explore the town is by local buses, which operate an efficient service between Badami and its surrounding places of interest.

Banashankari is a small village 5 kms away from Badami, and is famous for its annual festival held here usually in January at the local temple. Mahakuta Temple situated 10 kms from Badami is another remnant of the Chalukyan rule. This is an important place of pilgrimage as sage Agastya lived here.

PATTADAKAL
 

The second capital of the Badami Chalukyas, the village of Pattadakal situated 20 kms from Badami was used in particular for the royal coronation ceremonies. There are numerous temples here with the remains of the earliest ones dating back to the 3rd and 4th century. The most important monuments here are the Mallikarjuna Temple and the Virupaksha Temple .

Aihole situated about 43kms from Badami was the regional capital of the Chalukyas between the 4th and the 6th centuries. It is a picturesque village on the banks of the Malaprabha River . There are as many as 10 temples of ancient origin that are excellent examples of Hindu medieval architecture. The Durga Temple in the centre of the village is the most impressive. It is often noted for its semicircular apse, which indicates the influence of Buddhist architecture. There is a Museum behind the temple, which houses numerous Chalukyan sculptures.


BIJAPUR
 

Telephone Area Code: 08352

The modem city of Bijapur is a run-of­ the-mill unexciting place where the local population move around seemingly oblivious of the multitude of ancient architectural wonders that lay haphazardly scattered around. The most notable is the Golgumbaz, the dome of which is the second largest in the world. Bijapur has the feeling of a North Indian Muslim city with its array of mausoleums, mosques and mughal palaces.

Bijapur was a part of the kingdom of the erstwhile Chalukyas of Badami till the end of the 12th century when they were overthrown. Bijapur changed many a hand before falling into the hands of the Bahmani Sultans who ruled northern Deccan from their capital in Gulbarga .

In 1489 the governor of Bijapur, Yusuf Adil Khan who later came to be known as Adil Shah declared independence and founded his own dynasty. Nine Sultans of the Adil Shahi dynasty ruled Bijapur of whom the most notable were Ali I, Ibrahim II and Muhammad. The reign of the Adil Shahis lasted till 1668 when Emperor Aurangzeb overthrew Sikhandar Adil Shah and put an end to the dynasty. Thereafter the Nizams, Marthas and finally the British ruled Bijapur.


PLACES OF INTEREST
 

Golgumbaz: The famous and most striking monument in Bijapur the Golgumbaz is rather a simple building, which has four walls that enclose a majestic hall 104 sq m in area supported by octagonal seven storied towers at each corner. The enormous dome that covers the building has an internal diameter of 38m, and is said to be the worlds second largest after St.Peter’s in the Vatican .

Muhammad Adil Shah began work on the Golgumbaz in 1626 and it was intended 'to be his sepulcher, although work on it was still in progress when he died in 1656. The caskets of Muhammad Adil Shah, his two wives, his mistress, one of his daughters and a grandson are displayed on a raised platform in the centre of the hall. The actual graves are in a crypt under the western doorway.

Around the base of the dome is a gallery known as the 'whispering gallery', since any sound made

here is reverberated 10 times over. The mausoleum is open on all days from 6am to 6pm and entrance is free on Fridays.


Archaeological Museum : The museum in the front of the Golgumbaz houses a collection of artifacts from ChaIukyan temples as well as pieces dating from the Adil Shah period including an excellent collection of Chinese porcelain and parchments. There is also a painted plan of the old city. The museum is open on all days except Fridays from 10 am to 5pm .

Citadel : In the city centre, protected by fortified walls and a wide moat is the citadel, which contains the ruins of the palaces and durbar halls of the Adil Shah dynasty. One of the grand buildings still intact is the Gagan Mahal, an impressive durbar hall open to the north, so that the citizens outside were not excluded.


Asar Nahal: This 'Hall of Justice' located east of the citadel was built by Mohammed Adil Shah around 1646. It also houses two hairs from the Prophet's beard. Women are not allowed entry.


Ibrahim Roza : Ibrahim Roza [1580-1626] built this elegant and delicately beautiful mausoleum for his queen Taj Sultana at the height of Bijapur's prosperity. But as he died before her, the mausoleum was named after himself and his queen; daughter, two sons and his mother are all buried here along with him.

The structure is built on a raised high stone platform with 24m high minarets which are said to have inspired those of the Taj Mahal It has a lot of stone filigree and other decorative work and is approached via a path through formal gardens. It is open on all days from 6am to 6pm .


Jama Masjid : The largest mosque in the Deccan , the finely proportioned Jama Masjid was built by Ali [1557-1580]. The immense inner courtyard has room for 2250 worshippers with spaces for every individual marked out in black on the polished floor. It has graceful arches, a beautiful dome and is impressive for its scale and symmetry.  


Mihtar Mahal : This small mosque situated west of the lama Masjid was supposed to have been built for the palace sweepers. It has delicate minarets and carved stone trellises and brackets supporting the balconies, which form a decorative doorway.


Mecca Masjid : Built around the 17th century, this tiny walled mosque east of the citadel is named after the Prophet's mosque at Mecca in Saudi Arabia . The prayer hall has ornamental brackets and parapets with a central dome. The walled-in construction of the mosque has led to speculations that it might have been exclusively for women.


Malik – e – Maidan : This is one of the largest bell metal" cannons in the world measuring 4.45m in length and 1.5m in diameter. Cast by Muhammed-bin-Hassan Rumi, a Turkish officer in the service of the king of Ahmednagar, it weighs an astounding 55tonnes. Made in 1549 from an alloy of copper, iron and tin it was brought to Bijapur with the help of 10 elephants, 400 oxen and hundreds of men and set up as a trophy of war. The name Malik­e-Maidan literally means "Monarch of the Plains.”


Upli Buruj : This 24m high watchtower was built in the 16th century on the high grounds near the western walls of the city. An external flight of stairs leads to the top from where you can get an excellent view of the city and the plains. There are a couple of huge cannons placed here.


HOW TO REACH
 

Rail : Bijapur is connected to the major rail junction at Sholapur and also to Gadag. Sholapur has connections to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore while Gadag has connections to Hospet, Hubli and Bangalore . Reservations from Bijapur are easy to get on all major trains passing through Sholapur and Gadag.

Bus : There are regular bus services to Badami, Belgaum , Hubli and Gulbargha apart from evening buses to Bangalore via Hospet, Hyderabad and Mumbai via Pune.The local bus service is uncomplicated and rarely crowded. Autos and taxis charge at their whim and fancy. Tongas are reasonable and ideal to get around town.


GULBARGA
 

Telephone Area Code : 08472

Gulbarga was the fist capital of the Bahamis from 1347-1525 and is widely known among South Indian Muslims as the home of Saiyid Muhammad Gesu Daraz Chisti [1320-1422] who was instrumental in spreading Islamic faith in the Deccan . The Urs festival in his memory attracts over 100,000 pilgrims here annually.

Gulbarga is far removed from the tourist trail and few travelers make a stopover here although remains of some great architecture still grace the city including the fort and the Jami Mosque.

The Fort, rebuilt by the first sultan Alla­ud-din has 15 strong bastions in the outer wall. The only building still completely intact inside the walls is the Jama Masjid built in 1367 by a Moorish architect. The citadel, a massive structure also remains almost intact. To the east of the town centre is the Haft Gumbad, the tombs of the Bahami kings. The Dargah of Bande Nawaz is the tomb of Bande Nawaz a great 15th century Sufi Muslim saint which is a major centre of pilgrimage.

The railway station has several express trains plying between Bangalore , Hyderabad , Kochi and Mumbai. There are plenty of government buses to Bijapur and Bidar apart from overnight buses to Bangalore and Hyderabad .

BIDAR
 

Telephone Area Code : 08482

This tiny walled fort town, on a red laterite plateau in the extreme north­eastern corner of the state has an interesting history stretching back to the times of Kalyan Chalukyas [977-1190]. Favored for its excellent defenses and climate, it became an important centre for trading of horses, cloth, silk, and pepper.

Bidar is a refreshingly relaxed little town that sees few visitors. The impressive 15th century Fort is still intact and the town sprawls within and outside its crumbling walls. The palaces and tombs provide some of the finest examples of Muslim architecture in the Deccan . Just inside the gate is the Rangin Mahal

Khamb Mosque built between 1423-24 by Qubli Sultani is still in excellent condition. At the north end of the garden is the archaeological museum, which houses an interesting array of firearms and monumental old padlocks. To the south of the garden is the imposing multi-storey Tarkash Mahal a palace built for the Turkish wife of the sultan and subsequently used to house the royal harem. The other buildings in the fort are in varying stages of decay and are scattered throughout the walled area.

About half a kilometer south from the main gate of the fort is the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa or religious college built by Mahmud Gawan the chief minister of Muhmud Shah bahami III. Unfortunately an accident blew up a large part of the historic structure. At Ashtur, 2kms east of Bidar are the Bahmani Tombs, a series of impressive mausoleums built to house the mortal remains of the sultans.

Bidar is famous for its Bidriware, an ancient craft form developed here by Persian craftsmen during its Islamic heyday. It involves the blending of blackened zinc, copper, lead and tin into imaginative forms such as hookahs, goblets, paan boxes and bangles, which are then embossed with pure silver. Even today you will find artists engaged in making bidriware in the back streets of Bidar and nearby Hyderabad .

Bidar is well connected by bus to Raichur, Gulbargha Hyderabad and Bangalore . The rail line is only a branch and hence buses offer the best option for getting here and away.

 

HOW TO PLAN YOUR TOURS
 
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