Asad Khan a noble from Bijapur who ruled from Belgaum, for about 38 years (1511-1549) has left indelible impression of his great personality and benevolent rule over the area. He is thought to be the real founder of Belgaum city. In about 1580 Sher khan, a Bijapur commander built the present town of Shahpur originally called Shah pet.
Belgaum was one of the five military stations that were established in old Bombay presidency. It is the head quarters of the Maratha light infantry regiment. It was made the district head quarters in 1838 after separating it from the then Dharwad collectorate in 1836.
Tilak launched the home rule league from Belgaum in 1916. And of course the city town had the honour of hosting the All India Congress Session in 1924, that was the only session presided over by Mahatma Gandhiji and the only session to be held in Karnataka. In Tilakwadi area the Congress well stands as a testimony to this.
Belgaum is a fairly large town sited on the northwestern flange of Karnataka. On one side is the old town area where the cotton and silk weavers still create magic with their fingers. And on the other the modern, bustling, tree lined Cantonment built by the British. In the heart of Belgaum, near the bus terminus is the Fort. At the Entrance are two shrines, one devoted to Ganapathi and another to Durga. Step out of the Fort and you have a wide choice of temples and churches to visit. The Kapileshwara temple said to be the oldest, the Ananthashyana Temple, the Maruti Temple and the temples of Shiva, Vithoba, Mahalaxmi and Military Mahadeva. Belgaum also has some very impressive churches. St. Mary's Church, St. Xavier's Church (the oldest), St. Anthony's Church, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Methodist Church.
Belgaum is perhaps best known for its 'Kunda', a sweet made out of milk, and is a must-buy for any tourist visiting the city.
For info on hotels in Belgaum contact our Tour advisor and ask for the accomodation as per your budget.
How to get there?
Trains take only 15.3 hrs to Mumbai, going via Pune (10 ½ hrs), and 13¾ hrs to Bangalore. Belgaum also has a functional airport. If having completed your trip of Karnataka, you find you've ended in the north (Hampi-Hospet-Badami-Gulbarga-Bidar-Bijapur) Belgaum is a good place to leave from. Alternatively, if you decide to begin your tour around Karnataka with the northern circuit of ancient cities and fabulous ruins, then Belgaum is a good entry point. There are car-rental services from where a car and driver may be hired so you can do the trip in comfort. For the budget traveller, there are buses plying to places all over the state and while state-run buses may be a little rickety, there are privately run buses that are fast, sometimes air-conditioned and will run a video for you.
Road: Belgaum is connected by road via the National Highways 4 (connecting Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) and 4A (connecting Karnataka and Goa). Regular buses (both private and Govt) to Bangalore(500km) and Mumbai(500km), Pune(350 km), Kolhapur(100km).Air: Belgaum is directly connected with Bangalore, Goa, Mumbai, Miraj and Kolhapur. The airport currently serving the city is Belgaum Airport. Schedules have been erratic, as the air connectivity is primarily provided by feeder airlines.
Rail: Belgaum is on the main Indian Railways grid being part of HubliDivision and is well connected by rail to major destinations such as Bangalore (via Hubli), Mumbai (via Miraj) and Goa.