Belgaum District is a district of Karnataka. Belgaum occupies an area of 13,415 sq. km. The Belgaum city is the headquarters of the district. There are numerous beautiful tourist places in Belgaum. Some of them are given here:
Belgaum Fort in Belgaum District
This fort is situated near the bus terminus at Belgaum. Mahatma Gandhi was once locked up in this huge fort during the freedom struggle by the British. Birchiraja, a Ratta officer built the famous `Kamalabasti` inside the fort in 1204. There is an attractive lotus carving projecting from the roof. There is also a moat running around this one.
Gokak Falls in Belgaum District
There is an offshoot of the road from Belgaum to Miraj, known as the Gokak road. It is 53 km from Belgaum, which leads through its 8 km long stretch to the Ghataprabha station. The rail tourists land here to visit the vivacious waterfalls of the place.
This beautiful Ghat section becomes a good picnic spot due to the presence of Ghataprabha River. Its splendid waters make a marvellous dive of 52 meter and thereby create this smashing waterfall.
Saundatti in Belgaum District
Saundatti town is one of the oldest towns of the Indian state Karnataka. It is a popular pilgrim destination and is situated at the foot of the scenic hills known as Sidhachal or Ramagiri. It is the present taluk headquarters of Belgaum. Earlier, it was the capital of the chieftains called the Rattas. There is a beautiful Malaprabha river, which enhances the richness of the region. This is a wonderful sylvan region, which is about 112 km from Belgaum. It is closer to Dharwad and Hubli, at a distance of 38 km and 58 km respectively.
One can see a temple dedicated to Goddess Yellamma also known as Goddess Renuka here in Saundatti. This goddess is the consort of the mythical sage Sri Jamadagni and mother of Lord Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple acts like the sacred crown of the beautiful hill. It is about 8 km from Saundatti.
There are three sacred tanks known as Kumkum Kundam, Yoni Kundam and Arishan Kundam behind the temple. Here, the devotees take holy dips and perform Puja. The holy water of Yoni Kundam is sold in sealed containers. `Mogal Bhavi` is another sacred well in close proximity. The holy waters of it are believed to cure skin diseases. There is a sacred ground known as the `Parasurama Kshetra` near the temple.
Some other wonderful monuments in Saundatti include the beautifully sculptured, sacred reliefs of Lord Ankeswara, Lord Venkateswara, Lord Mallikarjuna, Lord Puradeswara and Lord Veerabhadra. Two small Jain Bastis of the Ratta era can also be seen here. The river Malaprabha graces the outskirts of the city. A wonderful hill fort stands about 2 km from Saundatti, which was expanded by Chatrapathi Shivaji.
Halasi in Belgaum District
It is situated about 14 km from Khanapur Railway Station. It is a historic place located amidst the green sylvan region of the Western Ghat. The visitors can find a Jain Basti built by the early Kadamba rulers who were devout patrons of Jainism.
There is an ancient temple known as the Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple in Halasi. The Goa Kadambas built it in the 12th century. The temple here is rich with exquisite carvings, which reflects the beauty of the 12th century Kadamba architecture. The sculptural excellence is evident from the huge images of Lord Varaha, Lord Narasimha, Lord Narayana, Lord Surya and so on. The ancient temples dedicated to Lord Gokarneswara, Lord Kapileswara, Lord Swarneswara and Lord Hatakeswara are among other important monuments here.
