We continue our weekly peek at heritage sites in Karnataka with a visit to Gulbarga in northern Karnataka. Gulbarga, the largest district in Karnataka, is a land where the past melds with the present. This historically rich region of the Deccan has been part of a number of kingdoms, prominent among which are the Rashtrakutas and the Bahamanis. A treasure home of architectural delights, Gulbarga is justly famous for the grandeur of the many Indo-Saracenic monuments that dot the landscape, Making it a destination that takes one back through the pages of history. Gulbarga is located 160 kms from Bijapur and 120 Kms form Bidar, and 600 kms from the state capital.
Gulbarga has many historic sites for tourists to admire – The Archeologically important site of Sannati has seen excavations dating back to Ashoka era and currently the Archeological Survey of India is conducting an excavation there. Historic settlements have been discovered in Rayan Kollur in Shorapur taluk and Vibuthi halli in Shahapur taluk and on the bank of Bhima River in Jewargi taluk. The fort of Malkhed was the seat of Rashtrakuta Empire and that of Gulbarga was seat of the Bahamani Kingdom. The fort at Gulbarga also has largest single dome Masjid which is also second largest in the world.
It also has several religious places that people can visit / pray at. There is the Deval Ghanagapur in Afzalpur taluk which attracts lakhs of devotees every year. Khaja Bandenawaj Darga is a famous Sufi darga of Khaja Bandenawaj. The Sharana Basaveshwara Temple is a famous temple of Saint Sharana Basaveshwar. It also has a lake adjacent to it which attracts lakhs of devotees and tourist. It is a must see for tourists visiting Gulbarga. The Jayateerth math in Malkhed is also a very popular visit. The Buddhavihar was recently inaugurated by her Excellency, the President of India on 7th Jan 2009.
Gulbarga is also an ecological treasure trove: It has the Bonal Lake which attracts flamingos, egrets and many aquatic fowls. Then there are the Yeti poth nala and Nazarapur falls – These falls are the major falls in Gulbarga. They are a magnificent sight during the monsoon season. The Chandrampalli Dam is about 10 Km from Chincholi and has the Gottan Gotta forest in the background – a magnificent place to visit. The Forest is an ideal place for trekking. Then there are the Uplloan Hills which are located around 10 km from Gulbarga – a very relaxing atmosphere awaits the visitors to these hills.
