The district is located in the northern part of Karnataka. The most elevated portion of the district lies between 450 to 800 meters above the sea level extends over an area of 6593 sq. kms. The district is bounded by Bijapur district towards north, Gadag district towards south, Raichur district towards east, Koppal district towards south east and Belgaum district towards west .
Bagalkote is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located in the town of Bagalkot. The district is located in northern Karnataka and borders Belgaum, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur and Bijapur. The new Bagalkot district was carved out of Bijapur in 1997.
Remnants of Chalukyan art and architecture are important tourist attractions in Bagalkot. Pattadakal has many UNESCO World Heritage temples built by Vikramaditya II, while Aihole, which lies on the banks of the Malaprabha River, is an important temple town with over 140 temples belonging to both the early and later Chalukya times. The cave temples of Badami Cave temple and the Jain temples of Rashtrakutas at Lokapura and Bilgi are also famous. Cottage industries occupy a predominant position in Bagalkot. The district is popular for its silk and handloom industries. Ghataprabha River, Malaprabha River and Krishna River flow through the district. Koodalasangama lies at the point of confluence of rivers Krishna and Malaprabha.
Historically It is the home land of great chalukya dynasty. Aihole is place described as the laboratory for architecture rather a university of Indian architecture. Badami is famous internationally for caves carved in monolithic single stone in the period of Immadi Pulakeshi-I along with historical famous temples of Pattadakal, Mahakuteshwar temple in Mahakuta, Shivayogmandir and Banashankari temple in Badami. Mudhol is the birth place of great poet “Ranna”. Bilagi taluka Galagali village is famous for Galava Maharshi. Jamakhandi was the capital city during the period of “Patawardhana” Kingdom .
Kudalsangam the place where the great social revolutionist of 12 th century lord “Basavanna” was educated. The galaxy of sharana’s lived in this Holy Land is itself a matter of pride .
The district has 605 Revenue villages and 244 habitations and 270 wards as per the recent house to house survey Jan 2001. Some of the tandas are declared as revenue villages. The district for the administrative purpose has been divided in to 2 divisions Bagalkot and Jamakhandi. Bagalkot division comprises of 3 taluks. Bagalkot, Badami, Hungund and Jamakhandi divisions comprise of 3 taluks namely Jamakhandi, Mudhol and Bilagi
Bagalkot is 90Km away from the city of Bijapur. According to a legend, the town was believed to be granted to the Vajantries (ie. Village orchestra) of Ravana. In inscriptions, the old name of the twon was quoted as Bagadage, and headquarters of a unit called Bagadage-70 under the Chalukyas. one of the Bijapur kings said to have presented the town to his daughter as a bangle or ornament money; consequently the place is said to have been called Bagdikot and corrupted to Bagilakote or Bagalkot.
BADAMI: Badami is 500 KM away from Bangalore and 30 Km away from Bagalkot, is known as Vatapi and Badavi and was laso the capital fo the Early Chalukyas, called as Vatapiadhishtana. Ptolemy's Badiamaioi has been identified with this place. Chalukya King Pulikeshi I strengthened Badami fort and perhaps made it capital and this is inidcated by the earliest Badami Cliff Inscriptions of 543 and the place continued as the royal seat upto 753, barring a brief spell when Pallavas occupied it (642-55). Badami was also in the possession of the Vijayanagara kings, the Adilshahs, the Savnur Nawab, the Marathas, Haidar Ali and lastly it was annexed by the British who made it a part of the bombay presidency. The main archaeologicval interest Badami lies in its ancient rock-cut shrines situated in the western part of the Sourth fort, reached by a flight of steps.
Bhanashakri: About five km from Badami and the famous temple of Banashankari or Shakambari here is hightly reserved. The idol is of blackstone seated on linon and tramples a demon by foot. This old Dravidian temple has been modernised. In front of the temple is a large pond called as Haridra Tirtha corrupt form of Harishchandra Tirtha. t is enclosed by stone mantapas on the three sides with inner colonnades. A Jatra is held at Banada Hunnime .
Guledgud: It is around 24 Km from Badami and when some emigrants came and settled by the side of a hill, it began to be called as Guledgud, meaning Emigrants Hill. During the rule of Ibrahim Adilshah II, a fort was erected here in 1580, by a Bijapur Officer Singappa Naik Desai and later the place came under the Mughuls. On the site of a dry lake the present town was built in 1705. It fell into Tippu in 1787 and later came under the Marathas. The Choli(khana) cloth manufacture at this place is very famous and in great demand. The town comprises of large number of weavers .
BILAGI: Bilgi is situated at a distance of 30 Km from Bagalkot. To the north of Bilgi is a stone pond called Arettina Bavi (Six - bullock well) , an object of interest. The shrine inside the well, of Mahadeva, is not worshipped as the linga is broken. The stone inscriptions in Kannada, marathi and persian built into the walls of the well register that it was constructed by vVisajipanta in the year 1708 A.D. There is a dargah of Hasan Dongri, in the town. Moharam festival is celebrated in a big way here. One Km to the south of Bilgi is the temple of Siddeshvara, encompassed by hillocks. On a footstep of the temple is an inscription of 1695-96 which records construction of the eastern doorway by Khanderao Timmaji, a subordinate of Vajir Haidar Khan ..
HUNGUND: Hungund is around 40 Km from Bagalkot and is on the National Highway. The earlier names of Hungund was Honnakunda or Honnagunda, which was derived probably owing to the tracing of Yellow coloured talc, resembling gold on the hill overlooking the town. According to an inscription here, lands were granted to Mallikarjuna by Satyavati Mahadevi whose husband was king Ayyanorva of the Ballala family. A branch of the Vijayamahanteshvara matha is functioning here .
Ilkal: is the biggest town in the taluka. It lies about 13 Km away from Hungund. The town is noted for its matha of Vijayamahantheshaswami. To the south - east of the town, on the bank of the Hirehalla is a big temple, consisting of gadduges relating to Vijayamahanteshaswami and his religious preceptor Gurumahanta Shivayogishvara. In this place is held annualy , a car festival in honour of Vijayamahantesha. To the east of the town, on the elevated spot stands erected a big domed structure, housing the Dargah of Hazarath Syed Murtaza-Sha-Khadri. It is held in high esteem and annual urus draws huge crowds. The town is famous for several varieties of sarees like saw handloom, art silk and silk. .
JAMAKHANDI: Jamkhandi is an important town, about 80 Km from Bagalkote. Jamkhandi was the capital ofthe former Maratha Pricipality of the Patavardhans, cousins of the Miraj family in Maharashtra. The place is known as Jambukandi in records, probably derived from the Jambukeshwara temple of the place. The temple of Kadapatti Basaveshvara is widely respected in the town. There are also shrines of Sangameshvara and Neelamma in this temple. Every year a Jatra of Basaveshvara and a cattle fair is conducted at this place. Another old temple here is Jambukeshvara, which is a Chalukyan monument .There is a mosque in the town and the dargah of Abubakar is highly venerated. To the west of the town on a hillock called Ramatirtha stands a grand edifice 'Ramachandra Prasad', once the royal residence of the Jamkhandi rulers, and Tripura Sundari Temple. Shurpali, 10 Km from Jamkhandi is on the banks of Krishna, and has a Lakshminarayana temple and the Sadananda Matha. It was an agrahara. Rabkavi-Banhatti is a place about 19Km to west of Jamkhandi. This town area comprises of four places namely Rabkavi, Banhatti, Hosur and Tampur. In 1952 the municipalities of Rabkavi and Banhatti were merged into one Municipality. The plae is very famous for its powerloom and handloom sarees, which has a very good market
MUDHOL: Mudhol is situated about 50 Kms from Bagalkot on the left bank of the Ghataprabha river and administered by a municipality. In the bygone days it was called as Muduvolal means 'Lovely Town'. it is believed to be the birth place of great kannada poet Ranna. Mudhol served as a capital of the erstwhile princely State of the Ghorpades, the descendents of Baji Ghorpade, whio was an army officer int he Bijapur Court and they ruled till 1947. There is an old under ground Shiva Temple in hte town which is a fine monument. The Swetamabar Jaina temple here has fine images like Munishvaraji and Mahaviraswami. The Brahmagaddi Matha (big one) and Mahalingeshvara math are two matha in the town. The famous dargah of Saifi Saheb is located on a highly elevated spot and its yearly urus attracts large number of people. The town is noted for its grinding stones and basil stands. Mahalingapura is a town about 19Km to the North west of Mudhol. Its earlier name Naragatti subsequently renamed as Mahalingapura in honour of Saint Mahalingeshwvara. Large number of handlooms are working in the town and handloom sarees manufactured here find ready markets