Belagavi (Belgaum)

Belagavi (earlier Belgaum), in north-west Karnataka, has a history shaped by its border location between Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. The wider region shows traces of ancient habitation and was part of early South Indian realms like the Kadambas and later the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, who controlled important routes between the Deccan plateau and Konkan coast. Temples and early settlements around today’s city reflect this long continuity.

From the late medieval period, Belagavi came under the Bahmani and then Adil Shahi (Bijapur) sultanates. The stone Belagavi Fort, with its moat, bastions, temples and a mosque inside, grew in strategic importance as a garrison town. In the 18th century, the region passed into Maratha influence, becoming a contested frontier between Maratha chiefs and the rulers of Mysore.

After the Third Anglo–Maratha War, the British incorporated Belgaum into the Bombay Presidency, developing it as a cantonment, administrative centre and hill-climate station. Churches, bungalows, schools and a strong military presence shaped the colonial town.

Post-Independence, Belagavi became part of Mysore (Karnataka) after linguistic reorganisation, while retaining a substantial Marathi-speaking population. Today, it is a major industrial, educational and defence hub, and its fort, Kamal Basti Jain temple and colonial quarters recall centuries of layered Deccan–Konkan history.