Dharwad District |
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About: |
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Dharwad district is an important district in the southern state of India, Karnataka. It is strategically located in the northern part of Karnataka almost equidistant from the two industrial centres of India- Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka and Pune, a rapidly developing industrial city in Maharastra. The etymological significance of the term "Dharwad" is a resting place. However the district's nomenclature is shrouded in conjectures and surmises. With a 900-year-old history, once a kingdom of the Chalukyas is the focal pint of North Karnataka's academic, economic and industrial development. Occupying an area of 13738 sq. km and lying to the east of the Western Ghats, the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad are strategically located 420 km north and 550 km south of the urban metropolis of Bangalore and Mumbai, respectively. The district headquarters is located at Dharwad. Dharwad means a resting place after a long travel and is an appropriate name as it acted as a gateway between the Malenaadu and the Bayalu plains and became a resting place for the travelers. The district has a temperate climate and is surrounded by numerous lakes, hills and other small water bodies. The major lakes are Kelgeri and Sadankeri. In 1961, the town merged with the neighbourhood town Hubli to become a single municipality, Hubli- Dharwad. In 1997 two new districts Gadag and Haveri were created out of Dharwad`s administrative territory. A part of Dharwad district was coalesced with lands, which were earlier, the part of three other districts in order to make the new district of Davanagere. Dharwad is known for its prestigious educational institutions. It houses the Karnataka University, which caters to graduate and research students. Karnataka College offers educational services to students just out of high school who aspire to make a career either in the arts or the sciences. S.D.M. Engineering college a more recent addition to the list of educational institutions offers education in Engineering. Hubli has an Engineering college( B.V.B College of Engineering and Technology), the Karnataka Medical College and other institutions. Dharwad is perhaps best known for its "Pedhas", a sweet made out of milk, and is a must-buy for any tourist visiting the city.Today, Dharwad has grown beyond its borders, with industries dotting both its northern and southern boundaries. In years ahead, it promises to be a beehive of commercial activity. The location of the city on the NH4 makes it equidistant from 2 of the most industrialised centers in the country - Bangalore , the capital of Karnataka state and Pune the 2nd most industrialised city in Maharshtra. |
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Location info: |
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Along with Dharwad, which is situated at a distance of 22 kms.from Hubli forms a twin city.The twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad are located at a distance of around 430 kms from Bangalore the capital of Karnataka state. | |
Climate/Weather of Dharwad District: |
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The climate is hot and wet during the summer and rainy seasons and pleasant during winter. | |
History of Dharwad District: |
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Historical records say that the Chalukyas ruled Dharwad in the 12th century and at that time it was an important city. Having a historical connection, the town has many temples and is an important religious center. Someshwara Temple, Murugha Math, Shankara Matha, Dattatreya Temple, Vanavasi Rama Mandira, Ulavi Basappana Temple, Laxmi-Narayana Temple, Tapovan, and Renuka Devi-Temple are some of the famous temples of the district. The Chalukyas ruled Dharwad during the 12th century. A stone inscription indicates that there was a ruler by the name of BhaskaraDeva in 1117. In the 14th century, the district was first overrun by the Bahmani Sultanate, after which it was annexed to the newly established Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, an official of which named Dhar Rao, according to local tradition, built the fort at Dharwad town in 1403. After the defeat of the king of Vijayanagar at Talikot (1565), Dharwad was for a few years practically independent under its Hindu governor; but in 1573 the fort was captured by the sultan of Bijapur, Adil Shah, and Dharwad was annexed to his dominions. Adil Shah built a fort in an area later called MannaKille, and later Nazratabad. With this fort, the strategic importance of Dharwad increased and it thus attracted the attention of subsequent conquerors, including Aurangzeb, Shivaji, Aurangzeb's son Mu Azam, Peshwa Balaji Rao, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and finally the British colonizers. In 1685, the fort was taken by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Dharwad, on the break-up of the Mughal empire, fell under the sway of the Maratha Peshwa of Pune. In 1764, the province was overrun by Hyder Ali of the Mysore, who in 1778 captured the fort of Dharwad. The fort was retaken in 1791 by the Marathas. After the final defeat of the Peshwa by the British in 1818, Dharwar was incorporated into the territory of the British East India Company's Bombay Presidency. During the early 19th century, when the British were expanding their domains, they faced a lot of opposition from local rulers, including Baba Saheb of Naragund and Kittur Rani Chennamma. |
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Educational Institutions of Dharwad District: |
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Law Colleges in Dharwad
Homoeopathic Medical Colleges in Dharwad
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Langauge |
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The prominent language spoken is Kannada. The Kannada spoken here is known as Dharwad Kannada as it slightly varies from Kannada spoken in southern Karnataka. Other languages like Marathi, Urdu,Telugu and Gujarati are also spoken by small portion of population. | |
Culture of Dharwad District: |
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The Dharwad region has contributed to some of the greatest exponents of Hindustani music including Sawai Gandharva, Mallikarjun Mansur, Bhimsen Joshi (now living in Pune), Basavaraj Rajaguru, Kumar Gandharva and Gangubai Hangal. Dharwad is an unlikely outpost of the Kirana Gharana. Ustad Abdul Karim Khan was a frequent visitor to Mysore Darbar, where he had been conferred the title of Sangeet Ratna. On the way to Mysore, he used to stay with his brother in Dharwad, where he taught his most famous disciple, Sawai Gandharva. Sawai Gandharva in turn was the guru to Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi and Basavaraj Rajaguru. |
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How to reach Dharwad District? |
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Nearest Railway Station:Several express and passenger trains ply between Hubli and Bangalore everyday. Hubli being an important railway junction has daily trains to Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune,Miraj, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Mysore and weekly services to Chennai, Howrah and Thiruvananthapuram. Trains and Railway Stations
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Nearest Airport:Kingfisher Airlines provides daily flights to Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad. With night-landing facilities being constructed at Hubli Airport, the traffic is expected to grow. Hubli airport is currently being expanded, this will convert Hubli into the hub of North Karnataka | |
Road Transport:There are many private bus operators who render travel services between Hubli and Bengalore, Mangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Goa and Hyderabad. Bus Stations
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Tourist Attraction |
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PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST IN THE TOWN OF DHARWAD
PLACES OF INTEREST IN THE TOWN OF HUBLI
OTHER PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST IN THE DISTRICT
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Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation nearby Dharwad District: |
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Links |
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http://www.regional-commissioner-belgaum.gov.in/tps/dharwad.html http://www.dharwad.nic.in/ |
Dharwad District Major Attraction |
Lakundi |
The Chalukyas who wrested power from the Rashtrakutas (9th-10th centuries), made Kalyani their capital. Nothing remains of this city now. Most of the later Chalukya temples are preserved in Lakkundi, 20 km from gadag in the east. It is 24 km from Dambai and around 50 km from Kukkanur.....more |