South India · Karnataka
Belagavi, Karnataka
Sources: wikimedia
About Belagavi
- Inland
Where it is
Belagavi, formerly Belgaum, is a city in north-western Karnataka near the borders of Maharashtra and Goa, on the plateau at the foot of the Western Ghats, where the climate is milder than on the plains.
History
Belagavi was founded in the late 12th century under the Ratta dynasty, and its fort, begun in 1204, still stands with the Jain Kamal Basadi inside. It passed to Vijayanagara, the Bahmani and Bijapur sultanates, the Marathas and, in 1818, the British, who made it a major military station. Since 2012 the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here has hosted the winter sessions of Karnataka's legislature.
People
Kannada and Marathi are both widely spoken, along with Urdu and Konkani, reflecting the city's place near Maharashtra and Goa. Army families from the cantonment add to the mix, and kunda and jowar roti meals are local favourites.
Known for
- Belgaum Fort and Kamal Basadi
- Kunda, a caramelised milk sweet
- Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
- Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre
- Gokak Falls nearby
Did you know?
In December 1924 Belgaum hosted the only session of the Indian National Congress ever presided over by Mahatma Gandhi.
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