Belgaum

The Town of Contrasts

Belgaum today exhibits a blend of Kannadiga, Maharashtrian and Goan cultures. The old part of the town thrives on its industries of silk and cotton, while the new half still has remnants of the British era-cantonments, and tree-lined avenues. Tourists have a lot of places to visit in Belgaum - temples, churches, forts etc. The most prominent among them are the Kapileshwara temple and the Ananthasayana temple.

The landscape by itself is similar to that of Goa, lush and green, nestled in the Western Ghats. You can also expect heavy downpours at times; infact Belgaum also has a nickname - ‘malendu’ or rain country. An interesting feature of Belgaum is its toy manufacturing industry; the materials used for making the toys range from wood and yellow teak to leather. The town is also famous for its gold and silver jewellery.

Belgaum was originally ‘Venugrama’ which means ‘village of the bamboos’.  The history of Belgaum goes back to the second century AD. Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Rattas, the Goa Kadambas, the Yadavas, the Vijayanagaras, the Bahmanis and the Marathas ruled the country consecutively.