Introduction

Belgaum district is a district in the state of Karnataka in India. The administrative headquarters of this district are located in the city of Belgaum. The Belgaum District has been divided into 10 talukas. The biggest taluka, known as Athani taluka has an area of 1,995.70 sq km and while Raybag taluka, the smallest taluka has an area of 958.8 sq km. The district is made up of three revenue sub-divisions and six police sub-divisions. The district is a part of the Belgaum division which also includes the districts of Bagalkot, Haveri, Gadag, Uttara Kannada, Bijapur and Dharwad.

History of Belgaum District

The most prehistoric place in the Belgaum District is Halsi. Inscriptions on copper plates discovered in the vicinity of Halsi provide evidence for the fact that the town was once the capital of a dynasty of nine Kadamba kings. It is probable that from the middle of the 6th century to about 760 the region was under the possession of the Chalukyas, who were followed by the Rashtrakutas. The Rattas, ruling during the period 875 to 1250, made the town of Belgaum their capital. The Rattas were succeeded by the Yadavas of Devagiri, who were in turn succeeded by the the Delhi Sultanate.

After a few years, certain parts of the region came under the rule of the Hindu rajas of Vijayanagar. Then came the Bahmani Sultanate who were followed by the Mughals led by Aurangzeb and then by the Peshwas. In the year 1776 Hyder Ali of Mysore captured the region but the Peshwa restore it with British support. In 1818 the district was totally under the control of the British East India Company. The British had an infantry post in this region and the place is used as a military base till date. The Mahatma Gandhi Railway Station in the district was set up by the British.

Geography of Belgaum District

As per the 2001 census of India, the Belgaum District has a total population of 4,214,505. 24.03% of the people live in urban areas. The district spreads over an area of 12,000 square kilometres. It is surrounded on the west and the north by the state of Maharashtra, on the northeast by the Bijapur District, on the east by the Bagalkot District, on the southeast by the Gadag District, on the south by the Dharawad District and the Uttara Kannada districts, and on the southwest by the state of Goa. The main languages spoken by the people of this district include Kannada and Marathi.

Administration in Belgaum District

Administration of Belgaum district is carried out by dividing the district into a number of different administrative units. Placed high on the Western Ghats mountain range, Belgaum district is one of the most important districts of Karnataka.

The administration of Belgaum district is carried out by dividing the area into 10 taluks. The largest among the different taluks is Athani taluka, with an area of 1,995.70 Sq. Kms. The smallest among the different taluks is the Raybag taluka, covering a total area of 958.8 sq. Kms. The district comprises of three Revenue Sub-divisions and six Police Sub-divisions. Apart from the Belgaum City Corporation, there are 17 Municipalities, 20 Towns Panchayats, 485 Gram Panchayats, 1,138 inhabited villages and 26 un-inhabited villages. Belgaum is also the headquarters of the Belgaum Revenue Division.

Broadly, the administration is divided into: 1) District Administration, Belgaum 2) Zilla Panchayat, Belgaum.

The Deputy Commissioner is the head of the district. The Head Quarter Assistant (HQA) will assist him in all the administrative activities of the district. There are three Sub-Divisional headquarters, namely: Belgaum, Bailhongal and Chikodi which are headed by the Assistant Commissioner.

1) Under the Belgaum Sub-Division there are three talukas: Belgaum, Khanapur and Hukkeri.
2) Under the Chikodi Sub-Division we have three talukas: Chikodi, Athani and Raybag.
3) Under the Bailhongal Sub-Division there are four talukas: Bailhongal, Ramdurg, Saundatti and Gokak.

Each taluka is headed by a Tahasildar. The major activity of the District Administration is Revenue Collection and other Revenue Related Activities.

Zilla Panchayat is an agency which looks after the development activities in the district. It has the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as the head. The Zilla Panchayat Adhyaksha will be the head of the Elected Representatives. Zilla Panchayat is an agency which implements and monitors various development schemes of the Government like The Jawahar Rural Development plan (i.e. Jawahar Gram Samruddhi Yojana), Ashraya Yojana, Indira Aawas Yojana, Slum Development Plan, The National Savings Scheme etc.

Belgaum district is one of the fastest growing, redeveloping districts of Karnataka. The nearest well-developed districts located next to it are Hubli and Dharwad from Karnataka, Panaji from Goa and Kolhapur and Sangli from Maharshtra. Belgaum district is located exactly at the centre between Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Education in Belgaum District

Education in Belgaum district is a well organised process. The educational institutions at the Belgaum District in Karnataka give the students bright opportunities for all round development of their skills and provide them with a strong edifice for dedicated and committed service through excellent and competent teaching and thus help in the Development of a better India. Belgaum is said to be one of the best Educational Centres in the state of Karnataka.

As seen in the rest of the country, the basic education system begins with primary education, moves on to secondary education in high school and then come the various general and specialised colleges. The literacy rate in the whole of Belgaum district  stands at a figure of 64.42 percent. While there are a total of 3473 primary education centers in the district, secondary education centres figure a total of 572.

There are many reputed institutions like Karnataka Lingayat (K.L.E.) Education Society, the Indian Institute of Hydrology and Vaccine, a military school, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC),  Visveswaraiah Technological University, the Airmen Training School, and many more.

Belgaum district has many schools and colleges which are imparting excellent education in almost all the allied streams to the utmost satisfaction of the students and society. A number of different colleges and institutions are found in the district that caters to different educational aspirations. Thus there are found a number of medical colleges, technical colleges, management colleges and general art, science and commerce colleges found in the Belgaum district.

Among the medical colleges found here, the most well known are the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and the A.M. Shaikh Medical Homeopathic College. The former is a well known college in India, a constituent college of Aligarh Muslim University and affiliated to the Medical Council of India. It is one of the few colleges in the country that is entirely under university administration. It offers under-Graduate Course, B.Sc., M.B.B.S., Bachelor of Physiotherapy-(B.P.T.), Post-Graduate Course, M.D. and M.S., M.Sc. in Hospital Management, Master of Physiotherapy - (M.P.T.). Belgaum`s A. M. Shaikh Homeopathic Medical College is the first college ever in India to acquire ISO 9000 from Germany`s TUV Management Services.

In the field of engineering studies, the K.L.E. College of engineering and technology stands foremost. It is a renowned institution of the prestigious K.L.E. society set up in the year 1979 and dedicated to imparting quality education to its students. The Gogte institute of technology is also found located here.

Management studies are much in demand these days, and Belgaum district too has its share of management institutes. The Institute of Management Education and Research (IMER) Belgaum, an educational venture by Karnataka Law Society, is an Institute set up to add enriched talent to the pool of professionally trained managers. Also found here is the K.L.E. Society`s College of Business Administration - B.B.A.

Among the other colleges found here are the K.L.E. Society`s B. Kore Arts, Science and Commerce Pre-University College (Chikodi), K.L.E. Society`s Raja Lakhamagouda Pre-University Science College, Gogte College of Commerce, K.L.E. Society`s G.I. Bagewadi Arts, Science and Commerce College (Nipani), K.L.E. Society`s Shri S.M.S. Arts, Commerce and Science Pre-University College (Athani), K.L.E. Society`s G.A. Composite Pre-University College, K.L.E. Society`s B.V. Bellad Law College, K.L.E. Society`s College of Pharmacy (Nipani), Government Polytechnic etc.

Tourism in Belgaum District

Tourism in Belgaum district is an enchanting experience, the district being located as it is amidst gushing rivers, enchanting hills and dense evergreen forests. Added to this is the cool and pleasant climate which makes tourism in the Belgaum district a most pleasurable experience. Located about 502 Kms from Bengaluru and 125 Kms from Goa, the district of Belgaum is a picture of contrasts. The old town area with cotton and silk weavers stands gloriously beside the modern, bustling, tree lined British Cantonment. Apart from the forts, there are a large number of temples and places of natural beauty to be visited as well.

Pilgrimage Tourism in Belgaum District
Temples of Belgaum district in Karnataka, bearing the marks of Chalukya architecture, pull thousands of devotees round the year. Belgaum District, lie very close to Maharashtra and Goa. Amongst the numerous temples of Belgaum district, the oldest one is Kapileshwar Temple; the others are Yellamma Temple, Ananthashayana Temple, and Maruthi Temple. Saundatti, the original capital of the Rattas, is a celebrated pilgrim center and boasts several minor temples all around the city.

The temples of Belgaum district have attained a wide popularity in south India for its exquisite sculptures and architecture. Bhuvaraha Narasimha Temple, situated at Halasi is one of the lovely temples of Belgaum district. This temple is devoted to Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is a superb temple complex built in the later Chalukyan style, which has gigantic images of Narasimha, Narayana and Surya. Nearby attractions include the other temples of Belgaum district, namely Gokarneshwara, Kapileshwara, Swarneshwara and Hatakeshwara.

Located at Saundatti is the beautiful and ancient Yellamma temple, dedicated to the Goddess Renuka. It is situated at a distance of 70 kms from Belgaum, and the place can be reached by road. The temple is situated on a mountain which was earlier known as the Siddhachal Parvat. The construction style of the temple reflects the architecture of the Chalukya dynasty and that of the Rashtrakutas dynasty. The carvings reflect Jain architecture. The temple was constructed by Bomappa Nail of Raybag in the year 1514. There are temples of Lord Ganesh, Mallikarjun, Parshuram, Eknath, Siddeshwar etc in the temple premises. Devotees from Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh also come here especially during the time of Jatra, which is held twice in a year. The management of the temple has been handed over to the Government in 1975 and the government has made provisions such as Dharmashalas, Health Centres and other facilities to make the devotees feel at home.

Kapileshwara temple is said to be one of the oldest temples in Belgaum. It is called the `Dakshina Kashi` and it is believed that the journey of the 12 Jyotir lingas of India is said to be incomplete without a visit to Kapileshwara. The temple is best visited during the month of Shravan or on the day of Mahashivratri in order to feel the religious essence to the fullest. The jyotirling here is said to be self-originated and there are temples of Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Datta, and Saibaba in the temple premises. There is also a Navgraha Mandir situated here.

Chikkaleshwar Temple, situated at Konnur in Gokak taluk is an ancient temple built in the later Chalukyan style of architecture. This is one of the temples of Belgaum district that is very much noted for its artworks with stylish sculptures and intricate carvings. Chikkaleshwar is declared as the `protected monument` by the center of Archeological Survey of India. This temple in dilapidated condition was recently repaired by the center. The temple is an interesting place to visit, not only for pilgrims, but also for the researchers who are interested in temple architecture. The temples of Belgaum district reflect the marvel of architecture during the Chalukya reign.

Nature Tourism in Belgaum District
Gokak falls is a beautiful waterfall located at a distance of 60 Kms from Belgaum and 10kms from Gokak town. Located right on the main road it is a celebrated tourist centre in the district. The waterfall has a height of about 170 feet. The river Ghataprapha after winding a course of a long route takes a leap of 52 meters, over a rocky bed 170 feet down. The falls is famous for its spread and shape. The dull roar of the falls can be heard much before one reaches it. The falls are horse-shoe shaped at the crest, with a flood breadth of 177 metres. June to September is the best season to visit Gokak. Electricity was generated here for the first time in the country in 1887. This generating station can be reached on the rope way.

Godachinmalki Falls is situated 16 Kms from Gokak, it is at a fine spot located to the west of the Gokak-Konnur road in a deep green valley. Markandeya River takes the first jump from a height of about 25 metres and flows into a rocky valley and after a short distance from here it takes a second jump at a height of about 18 metres.

Naviltirtha is a place of remarkable natural beauty and a popular picnic spot. Located 10 Kms from Saundatti, it is a low valley, located in between two hills. Formerly, it was full of Peacocks, frequently flocking round the pond, and thus the place was named Naviltirtha. The Malaprabha River Dam near Renukasagar is situated here.

Leisure Tourism in Belgaum District
Kittur, a place in the district, is of considerable historical significance. Rani Chennamma of Kittur (1778-1829) is known for her confrontation with the British. Another person from this region, known for her incessant struggle with the British is Sangolli Rayanna. There are many places of tourist attraction in the Belgaum District. Some of these are the evergreen forests of Jamboti, the Varapoha Falls, and many more.

Safa masjid is one of the two mosques inside the fort and is by far the best of the 25-30 mosques in the city. The minars domes and arches point to a typical fusion of the Deccan style and Indo-Sarcenic architecture in India. The sense of the past is all-pervading here. Two of the circular pillars in the Jamia hall are said to be from the old temples. Some of them have Kannada Inscriptions in Nagari Script, while others have beautiful Persian script forming exquisite calligraphic decorations.

The Kamala Basti is one of the two bastis located inside the walls of the fort. It was built in 1204 in the late Chalukyan style of architecture, with the Neminatha idol in black stone. The master piece here is the "Mukhamantapa" with a well-executed lotus on the ceiling. Outside the Kamala Basti is another ruined Jain temple.

Rakaskop, 16 Kms from Belgaum, literally means a hamlet of a Rakkasa (Giant), who is stated to have lived on a hillrock near the village. A cavern in laterite on the hillrock resembling a huge seated human figure is shown by the people to remind of his past existence. There is found here a Dam across the river Markandeya, supplying drinking water to Belgaum.

Forts in Belgaum district are the different historical establishments which have been a silent spectator to various royal dynasties. These buildings are significant archaeological evidences to the regional history which are visited by innumerable tourists and historians throughout the year. Belgaum Fort, Ramdurg, Kittur Fort, Parasgad Fort, Hooli Fort and Bailhongal Fort are amongst the most famous forts in the region of Belgaum. A majority of these forts have been ruined with the passage of time. These forts were built by the rulers who had governed this part of the country in ancient ages.

Belgaum Fort is an ancient architectural pre-Muslim monument where mosques and temples co-exist in perfect harmony; though not much of the original structure remains. The fort was built in the 12th century A.D by Bichi Raja or Jaya Raya, who served as a royal ally of the Ratta Dynasty. It was renovated and built on by successive rulers who ruled Belgaum from time-to-time. At the very entrance, one will find two Shrines; One dedicated to Lord Ganpati and the other to Goddess Durga. This beautiful fort had been remodelled numerable times under the reign of various kings and the British had imprisoned Mahatma Gandhi at this very fort during the Indian freedom movement. Several strong ramparts, religious and historical structures, as well as a huge moat are all present in the premises of Belgaum Fort.

Kittur Fort
Kittur Fort is one of the crucial historical forts which was owned by Kittur`s Desai Marathas and also the famous queen who was known as Rani Chennama. She is believed to have fought against the British forces in 1824. Kittur Fort`s fame was the utmost under the reign of Mallasaraja Desai. There exists a Nathapanthi matha in the police line area, close to this fort. The temples located near Kittur Fort include Basavanna, Kalmeshwara and Dyamavya. However, presently, Kittur Fort is completely destroyed.

Parasgad Fort
Belonging to the 10th century, the Parasgad Fort was constructed by the well-known kings of Ratta Dynasty and is located at Parasgad at a distance of nearly two kilometres away from the southern portion of Saundatti village. Today, Parasgad Fort lies in dilapidated condition. A sacred shrine of `Maruthi`, a Hindu deity is existent on the summit of the hill-fort of Parasgad. Visitors would observe that Parasgad Fort is currently deserted and some remnants of ancient homes are also present near the fort.

Thus, tourism in the Belgaum district has a lot to offer the tourist, both for those who are religiously inclined as well as those looking to soak in nature`s beauty.