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Belgaum
 

Belgaum or Belagavi (Kannada:ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ) (possibly from the Sanskrit Venugrama, "Bamboo village") is a town located in the northwestern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Belgaum district, which borders the states of Maharashtra and Goa. The town enjoys rich cultural diversity stemming from this proximity: Kannada, Marathi and Konkani are the main languages spoken. The city is next only to the state capital Bangalore, in modernity and educational facilities.

Belgaum is situated nearly 2,500 ft (762 m) above sea-level. Its salubrious climate, proximity to the coast and strategic position near Portuguese Goa commended it to the British as a suitable location for an army training center and cantonment. Apart from being an important training center for the Indian armed forces, Belgaum houses many interesting monuments, including a scenic fort dating to 1519 AD. Belgaum is also an important educational center, and hosts the Visweswaraiah Technological University, to which all the engineering colleges in Karnataka are affiliated.

The Maharashtra government has been claiming Belgaum city and adjoining area based on the claim that the mother-tongue of a majority of people in Belgaum is Marathi. The controversy is still proactive and a court case is pending in the Supreme Court.

History

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 AD by a Ratta officer named Bichiraja. Belgaum served as the capital of that dynasty between 1210 AD and 1250 AD, 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 1200s 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 1326 AD. 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 AD, 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.

In interesting vignette of history, the newly annexed regions were attached to the Madras presidency between 1818 and 1830. In the latter year, the region was transferred to the Bombay presidency. In 1836, the district of Belgaum was created from a portion of Dharawad district, with the city of Belgaum as its administrative center. After the independence of India in 1947, Belgaum remained part of Bombay State until 1956, when provincial boundaries were reorganised on the principle of shared language. On this basis, the States Reorganisation Act awarded Belgaum to Karnataka state. This has been disputed by neighbouring Maharastra state, which claims that a majority of people in the town speak Marathi.

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.

India became independent in 1947, and Belgaum and its district became part of Bombay State. In 1956, the Indian states were reorganised along linguistic lines by the States Reorganisation Act, and Belgaum District was transferred to Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka in 1972.

Defence Training Centres

Belgaum also has a number of training centres of the Indian Armed Forces, and an air base of the Indian Air Force. The British had a sizable infantry post here, having realised the military importance of its geographical location. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for Belgaum's sobriquet The Cradle of Infantry. Development of a Rail Network for movement of resources and later troops was one of the means employed by both the East India Company and the British to exert control over India.

Belgaum houses the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC). It also houses the Commando Training Wing which is a part of the Infantry School, Mhow, where the country's valiant infantry commandos are trained in endurance, escape and evasion, guerilla and commando warfare techniques and to live off the land. The Commando course at Belgaum is mandatory for all infantry officers. Officers of other arms and services and even some foreign officers undergo the course if there are vacancies. The centre here is unrivalled in quality the world over.

Distinguished Citizens

  • Sumeet Pai, ex Computer Analyst of the Indian Cricket Team.
  • Narendra N. Gunaji, former Commissioner of the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission and former Professor of Civil Engineering at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Attractions

Professional Educational Institutions

External links


Cities and towns in Karnataka

ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ | बेळगांव | Belgaum | Belgaum | Belgaum | బెల్గాం | 贝尔高姆

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Belgaum".

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