Category: Travel

Yes, Yellur fort or Rajhansgad fort is the vantage point for Belgaum because from this fort you can view every part of the Belgaum and this fort is visible from every part of the Belgaum. Located at the distance of about 24 km from the Belgaum near Yellur village, Rajhansgad fort being surrounded by grain fields, from the top provides you the prime view of Belgaum.

The fort is about 762 meters above the sea level, here is the picture of the aerial view of Rajhans Gad fort.

Reaching the fort is easy because roads are good and if you are on the bicycle ride to the fort, you are gonna enjoy it.

The walls of the fort are heavy and strong, when you look at the fort in a situation like as if any enemy army or troop is approaching, you can find that the fort is built so strategically that it provides you with many preventive measures and alert signal to avoid and resist enemy capture, like strong and heavy walls to resist enemy, binocular window to spot enemy, small exit routes through the walls for a surprise attack on the enemy, if they have breached the fort entrance.
And the entrance door of the fort is a masterpiece in itself because it is designed in such a way that a visitor or intruder can be spotted from three different directions from the fort, before entering the fort.

It is believed that the fort is many centuries old and different kingdoms like Adilshah, Yadav, Peshwas, and Bahamani ruled over it in their time. People also say that there was a tunnel which used to connect Belgaum fort to the Rajhans Gad in the past.

What is on the Yellur fort?

The road around the fort is in such a way that, when traveling to the fort, you can experience the fort from different angles, which will make your travel more exciting. On the fort, you will find a well of fresh and sweet water and a Lord Shiva Temple which has been renovated recently.

You can observe the panoramic view of Belgaum/Belagavi city from the Yellur fort, in the evening times, the view looks even more beautiful.

When you are traveling to Belagavi for more than a day, you need a good place to stay and good food to eat, so here is the list of hotels in Belagavi/Belgaum from which you can choose the one that suits your budget and requirement.

In the below-mentioned list of hotels in Belagavi/Belgaum, you will get the features that hotels offer, pricing at which per night stay is available and the addresses of the hotels

1. Fairfield by Marriott Belagavi

Address:  Gogte Plaza, Belgaum, Karnataka 591113

Contact :  0831 241 6977

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19  

Pricing: 3770/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Marriott

  2.  UK 27 The Fern, Belagavi

Address:   Ayodhya Nagar, Sadashiv Nagar,    Belgaum, Karnataka 590019

Contact :  0831 427 2727

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19  

Pricing: 4200/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: UK 27, The Fern

3. Hotel Sankam Residency

Address:  Airport Road, Off, Madras Bombay Trunk Rd, Gandhi Nagar, Belgaum, Karnataka 590016

Contact :  0831 421 8700

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19  

Pricing: 3750/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Sankam Residency

4. Hotel Native By Chancery

Address:  CTS.No:732, Near 3rd Railway Gate, Khanapur Road,Opp D Mart, Tilakwadi, Belgaum, Karnataka 560088

Contact :  095135 09116

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19  

Pricing: 3500/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Chancery Hotel

5. Hotel Blu Ray

Address:  Goaves Circle, Near, Mahatma Phule Rd, Hulbatte Colony, Shahapur, Belgaum, Karnataka 590003

Contact :  0831 421 5521

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking 

Pricing: 2200/- per night (may vary slightly)

6. Hotel Samudra

Address:  Hotel Samudra, 1164, 1165, Saraf Galli, Shahapur, Belgaum, Karnataka 590003

Contact :  070906 04444

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free parking  

Pricing: 3100/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Hotel Samudra

7. Treebo Trend Elite Residency Belgaum

Address:  1676/1, Kirloskar Road, Opp.Nucleus Mall, Ramling Khind Rd, Belgaum, Karnataka 590001

Contact :  093228 00100

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Room Service
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19 

Pricing: 2800/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Treebo Trend Elite Residency

8. Hotel RK Renaissance

Address:  10637, Laxmi Pride, Opp. Phoenix School J.N.M.C Road, Nehru Nagar, Belgaum, Karnataka 590010

Contact :  070264 72222

Features: 

1. Free Wifi
2. Free Parking
3. Taking safety measures related to Covid-19 

Pricing: 2000/- per night (may vary slightly)

Website: Hotel RK Renaissance

Another beauty in the garland of Western Ghats that you can’t miss, Surla waterfalls or Sural falls is an amazing and thrilling place for tourists to trek. Surla falls is located 50 km from Belgaum at Karnataka and Goa border, this waterfall attracts many tourists from the various parts of the country.

Surla falls is also called Venezuela of Karnataka, the depth of waterfall is about 300 feet and it looks very impressive throughout the year, being surrounded by the beautiful forest, it makes surla falls an exciting trekking route.

The Best time to trek: 

Surla fall is beautiful all over the year, you can visit here in any month but if you want to experience the fullest of Surla falls then you must visit here in monsoon. In monsoon also you get two peak opportunity to live the excitement at its best, first is in August and September, at this time rain takes a short break and the sunshine is smooth and crispy, clouds float over the green western ghats you are gonna love this view from the known viewpoints.

And the second time is from October to January, at this time water in the sural fall is moderate and you will get the best opportunity to trek from the base to the top and vice-versa. At this time you can chat with the birds in the forest and explore flora and fauna.

Trekking guide:

Trek starts from the Kalsa, passing through rocky beds you will reach the beautiful Kalsa waterfall, there also you can explore for some time then forward in the forest you will reach the surla waterfall.

When trekking in monsoon don’t forget to put on your jackets, take care of your electronic gadgets in rain to avoid any damage, don’t go far alone because the forest is dense, and mobile network signals are weak there. You should prefer wearing a dull outfit because crisp and bright colors may scare animals, wear track pants and boots for ease. And if you want to trek to the top or bottom of the waterfall then you should prefer trekking after the monsoons for ease in trekking

Parasgad fort is located at the distance of 93 KM from the Belgaum city in the Belgaum district. It is believed that this fort was built on the hilltop to keep an eye on the Saundatti village. The fort is built of giant stones and it will take you a complete hour to take a walk around the fort.

Parasgad fort is located on the hill which has dimensions of about 500 meters from north to south and about 300 meters from east to west, on the top of the hill is a temple of Lord Hanuman, the fort is unsettled with the wreckage of old houses on it, which are assumed to be made to keep soldiers ready for war.

There is a natural spring named Ramatheeatha and a cave that hosts Hindu gods like Ram, Seeta, Parashurama, Jamadagni, Shivling, and a Nand.

Parasgad fort was built during the rule of the Ratta Dynasty, Rattan dynasty controlled over the Belgaum region and Saundatti used to be the capital of the Ratta Dynasty in 875-1250 CE, but after some time, the capital was shifted to Belgaum. As of now, this historical fort is under control of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Do you know?

The fort grabs the attention of many visitors throughout the year, there is no specific month to visit here but the suitable time is between October and March because at this time weather in Belgaum is just perfect, and it will enhance your exploration.

Traveling to the Parasgad fort is not problematic at all because you can reach Belgaum easily by air, bus, train, and cabs, the city is well connected with other cities of Karnataka by all means. And traveling within the city is also easy by local buses, cabs, and autorickshaws.

Attention, since the fort is built on the hill, so the roads leading to the fort are rocky, it is suggested to wear boots and watch out while you are walking to avoid any injury.

Know about more travel places in Belgaum.

No fort in the world has a silent history, forts are the things which used to decide the outcome of the battle. Whoever captures the fort, wins the battle.
Similarly, the Belgaum fort also has a history of annexations and victories. And, this is exactly what makes forts exciting to visit.

The Belgaum Fort is a well-known place of attraction for the tourists visiting Belagavi/Belgaum. It is located near the NWKRTC bus stand. The Karnataka government honored the fort as the ‘state heritage monument’. It acted as a defensive guard against the enemy attack in the past.
During the Freedom struggle for India, Mahatma Gandhi was also imprisoned here, this fort has seen remarkable events of history.

Brief History 

The fort was built in 1204 AD during the Ratta dynasty by a Ratta officer named Bichi Raja and the city Belgaum, which is around the fort, was called the capital of the dynasty. 

The Yadav Dynasty of Devagiri defeated the Rattas and gained control of the fort for a short period. When the 14th century arrived, then Khiljis controlled this region. In 1474 AD, the Bahmani Sultan captured the fort in the shadow of Mahamood Gawan.

And the power game continued for a long time, rulers annexed the forts then some other ruler fought back and gained his control over it. In 1686, the Mugal Emperor Aurangzeb gained control over the region by defeating Bijapur Sultanate, but shortly after the death of Aurangzeb, the Mugal lost its grip over the area.

 In 1776, Haider Ali won over the region, but it was also short-lived because Peshwas with the help of Britishers defeated Haider Ali and gained control. After a few years as the circumstances and needs both changed, Britishers attacked the fort with the help of Shivalinga Raju and Kittur Desai. And as a payback for the help, the British let the Desai rule over Belgaum town. 

What is in the Fort?

This fort is an architectural marvel, it is oval in the shape with huge bulwarks built from stone and mud. Arches, domes, and gateways of the fort depict the Chalukya, Indo-Saracenic and Deccan styles of architectural work.

It is said that there were 102 shiva temples and 108 Jain temples in the fort which were destroyed by Muslim rulers. And with the same stones from the demolished temples, pillars of the fort were built.
Belgaum fort has a lake referred to as fort lake which poses a cafeteria and for tourists pedal and motorboats are available. The fort has been renovated over time.
There are two Hindu temples at the entrance of the fort, one devoted to God Ganesha and another devoted to goddess Durga.
There are two Jain temples also, named Kamal Basadi and Chikki Basadi.

The fort has a mosque named Jama Masjid, which is believed to be made from demolished temples.

There is a Ram Krishna Ashram which has been built recently after Swami Vivekanand stayed there for a few days.

There is another mosque in the fort premises named Safa Masjid, which comprises arches, domes, and minars, built-in Deccan and Mughal style of architecture.

Timing and Fare 

Exciting thing is that this fort is open every day, even on public holidays from 8: AM to 6:30 PM. And the fee to get in is just 25 Rs for Indians and 150 Rs for foreigners.

At the distance of about 10km from the Gokak town, there lies a beautiful waterfall named Gokak Falls.
Gokak Falls is one of the magnificent waterfalls in the country, it is also named as “Niagara Falls” of India. This waterfall looks beautiful because of its unsettling water effusing over the rock beds and down to a fall of 170Ft.

When the Ghataprabha river after traveling through long-distance comes to the rocky beds of Gokak, here the waterfall is formed, having a height of 52 meters when falling into Gokak valley, it forms a shape of a horseshoe at the crest.
The width of Gokak Falls is 177 meters, during the rainy seasons’ waterfall speaks for itself, a dull roar could be heard from some distance due to increased water flow.
Below you can see the Gokak falls in rainy seasons.

In this picture you can easily see the hanging bridge on the river Ghataprabha, the bridge lies 14 meters above the rocky bed and is 200 meters in length, from here you can easily enjoy the elevated view of the waterfall.             

You would be surprised to know that, for the very first time electricity in India was generated here in 1887 and you can get to this small electricity generation plant through the ropeway bridge, which is truly an exciting experience.

Gokak falls preserves historical monuments on both banks belonging to the Chalukyan era. You can see there on the riverfront, the Mahalingeshwara Temple depicting Chalukyan style of architecture.

Brief History of Gokak Town

Gokak is the town located at the junction of two rivers, Ghataprabha and Markandeya, from one side it is surrounded by a range of hills and by plains of black soil on the other side. Gokak is one of the largest producers and exporters of yarn in India.

Gokak was founded in 1853 and it got its name from the Goki tree which grows in abundance in the region. It is not an anglicized name.

You can also find the term Gokak in the titles of many people like the famous scholar V.K Gokak.

In the 16th century Gokak Kotwals used to rule the town and because of several disputes, had fought a battle with the Rani Abbakka at that time.

How to reach Gokak Falls and the best time to reach.

Gokak Falls is located at a distance of 6 km from the Gokak town and 60km from Belagavi. Bus services are available from Belagavi to Gokak town and from there you can hire an auto-rickshaw to the waterfall.

The nearest Airport is Sambra Airport which is 10km east from Belagavi. And Belagavi is well connected to the rail network of Karnataka.

The best time to visit the waterfall is in the rainy season in July and September, because at this time Gokak falls come to its fullest and speaks for itself.

Things to do, when you are visiting Gokak Fall and nearby places.

Here are the things you should not miss,

1. Kemple park- you can find various Flora and Fauna here, it is a good picnic spot.
2. There are various temples nearby like Kariyamma temple, Laxmi temple, Hanuman temple, and Yogikolla Mallikarjuna temple, etc.
3. Boating in the Markandeya river, nearly 8km from the Gokak Falls
4. An interesting trekking destination named Yogi Kolla hiking, which is 3 km from the Gokak Falls.
5. Saundatti Yellamma (78 km) from Belagavi
6. Godachinmalki waterfall which is nearly 13 km from the Gokak Falls 

Kittur fort is the famous tourist place for the people visiting Karnataka, people also call it kittur chennamma fort, well why they call it so, you will get to know this later in the article.

This fort is located at a distance of 50km from the Belgaum/Belagavi. Kittur is just a small town near Belgaum, but it gained popularity due to the fort, which it carries at the head like a crown because of its great historical significance.

When you enter the fort, you will see a palace which is a three-story standing structure which used to be the palace of Rani Chennamma, but as of now it just remains of the past glory depicting Peshwa and Islamic types of architecture.

In the palace, you will get to explore a prayer room, restrooms, discussion rooms, guest rooms, bathrooms, storerooms, and several kitchens. You should spend some time looking at these things and think if they were alive.
Within the palace you will also find a pole star vision room, from there Rani Chennamma might use to see the pole star (also called “Dhruv” star).

In the museum, it is crammed with antiques like paintings, religious idols, and ancient weaponry, your eyes won’t stop looking at them for a while. Outside the museum, the open place is used to display cannons, stone sculptures, engraved doors, shields, and windows of the Kittur Palace.

Kittur Fort History

Kittur is a taluka/tehsil of the Belgaum district, previously it was a part of Bailhongal taluka/tehsil but in 2012, it was declared independent taluka and is in the same state as of now.

Rolling back in the time, the Kittur fort was built between 1650 to 1681 under the rule of Allppa Gowda Sardesai who was the ruler of the Desai dynasty, the palace inside the fort was also constructed by him.

Kittur Fort was constructed in the area of about 23 acres, it used to be a moated fort but now there is no water left there.

Kittur Rani Chennamma after the death of her king husband and her son in 1824, she held the control of the fort, she was born in October 1778, in Kakati, a small village in Belagavi district. Being from the Lingayat community, she received training in horse riding, sword fighting, and archery from a young age. She is well known for her impressive act of bravery against the British East India Company.

Name her as Rani Chennamma or the Kittur Rani Chennamma, she is remembered among the people by both names. She fought with the British because they were interfering with the tax collection process of her estate. The rebellion started on 3rd December 1827 and ended on the 5th of December, 1827. This was the heroic fight by Kittur Rani Chennamma in which she killed but unfortunately, she lost and was captured by the British and was sent to a jail in Bailhongal. 

Before visiting the fort be aware that:

1. You can visit the fort and the palace inside it, at any time of the year.
2. You would not be charged any money for visiting the Museum.
3. September to April is the best time to visit because then, the weather is awesome.
4.  There are no arrangements of food stalls inside the fort but stalls are available outside the fort.

Want to explore more travel places in Belagavi?

Military Mahadev Temple is one of the key attractions in the Belagavi/Belgaum, located in the cantonment area, close to the railway station. This Mahadeva Temple has a garden all around it. The holy shrine of the temple hosts a Shivaling and a statue of Mahadeva. And there are two idols of Nandi in front of the Shivaling.

The construction of this famous temple started in 1954 and was completed in 1955 by the Lt. General of the Indian Army named Sir SM Shrinagesh. The temple has been renovated over time including reconstruction of the Dome, which looks similar to the one which was before.

Your keen gaze won’t be able to digest the persona of this temple, well this is the common thing among all the South Indian temples, their majestic looks, and fascinating stories they whisper. This is what makes these places tourist attractions. 

The name Military Mahadeva Temple has a reason behind its military name, it is so because Indian Army personnel worship here for a long time, and the temple premise is maintained also by army people.

There is an animal park inside the temple premise, which contains wild animals like deer and emus. This place could be a good picnic spot, if you are with your family, gardens are beautiful with benches to sit, and there is a place for kids too where they can have fun.

You can visit the temple at any time of the day, on any day from 6 am to 8 pm, and there is a decent parking area also where you can park your vehicles.

Few Important things you should know before visiting the Temple:

1. On Mondays, the crowd of devotees is huge.
2. If you want to witness the grandness of the temple, then visit on Mahashivaratri.
3. Photography within the temple is allowed, free of cost.
4. Do not throw scraps anywhere in the temple premise.
5. Since the Belagavi/Belgaum is well connected to every city of Karnataka by rail, road, and airways, you would not encounter any problem in reaching out here.
6. Taxi, bus, and auto-rickshaws are available easily, so you can move around the Belgaum easily.

Explore more travel places in Belagavi