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             BELGAUM TRAVEL GUIDE

Belgaum is in a city in northern Karnataka, The city is located at a mid way point
between Bangalore and Mumbai, and is one of the oldest cities in Karnataka.It is
situated nearly 2,500 ft (762 m) above sea-level and is the headquarters of Belgaum
district, which borders the states of Maharashtra and Goa.

The city of Belgaum was built in the 12th century AD by the Ratta dynasty who were
based at nearby Saundatti. The fort of Belgaum was built in 1204 by a Ratta officer
named Bichiraja. Belgaum served as the capital of that dynasty between 1210 and
1250, before the Rattas were defeated by the Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri. Belgaum
then briefly came under the sway of the Yadavas of Devagiri. The Khiljis of Delhi
invaded the region at the turn of the 1300s and succeeded in ruining both the
indigenous powers of the region, the Yadava and the Hoysalas without providing a
viable administration. This lacuna was supplied by the Vijayanagara Empire, which
had become the established power of the area by 1336. A century later, the town had
become a bustling trading hub for diamonds and wood, owing to its favourable
geographic location in the kingdom.

In 1474, the Bahmani Sultanate, then ruling from Bidar, captured the fort of Belgaum.
Shortly afterwards, in 1518, the Bahamani sultanate splintered into five small states,
and Belgaum became part of the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur. The Adilshahis
reinforced the fort of Belgaum; much of the existing structure dates from 1519. In
1686, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb overthrew the Bijapur sultanate, and Belgaum
passed nominally to the Mughals. However, the Mughal empire went into decline
after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, and his principal detractors, the Maratha
confederacy, took control of the area during the rule of the Peshwas. In 1776, the
country was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore, but was retaken by the Peshwa with
British assistance. In 1818, the British deposed the last Peshwa and annexed his
kingdom, which included Belgaum.

Belgaum was chosen as the venue of the 39th session of Indian National Congress
in December 1924 under the President ship of Mahatma Gandhiji. The city served as
a major military installation for the British Raj, primarily due to its proximity to Goa,
which was then a Portuguese territory. Once the British left India, the Indian
Government continued and still continues to have Armed forces installations in
Belgaum. In 1961, the Indian government, under the Prime Ministership of Nehru
used forces from Belgaum to end Portuguese rule of Goa.



GENERAL INFORMATION

Time zone           IST (UTC+5:30)
Area                     13,415 kmē (5,180 sq mi)
Elevation             762 m (2,500 ft)
District(s)            Belgaum
Population          564,000 (2005)
Density                42/kmē (109/sq mi)


PLACE TO VISIT

Belgaum fort -  is a huge construct present in the heart of the town. It is said
that its 15-meter deep moats were filled with ravenous crocodiles to ward off
enemies in the early days.

Jamboti - is located 20 km south-west of Belgaum and 18 km west of Khanapur
in the Belgaum District of Karnataka, India.

Vajrapoha Falls -  on the Mandovi river are located 26 km from Belgaum. At
distance of about 60 km from Belgaum, are the Godchanmalki falls. They are
stepwise falls which are approximately 100 metres in length, with a step at every 30
metres.


HOW TO REACH

It has an active airport and there are daily flights from/to Belgaum to/from Bangalore,
Hubli and Mumbai.

Trains Belgaum is connected with many cities such as, Hubli, Bangalore, Mumbai,
Pune,Delhi, Ahemdabad and Hyderabad.