State Karnataka ; District Belgaum ; Coordinates 15.55° N; 74.35° E ; Area 13,415 km²;
Elevation 2500ft/762 m ; Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) ; Population 4,779,661 (2011) ;
Codes
– Postal 590 001-6
– Telephone +91831
– Vehicle KA-22
Belgaum, is a town located in the northwestern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Belgaum district, which borders the states of Maharashtra and Goa. The town enjoys rich cultural diversity stemming from this proximity: Kannada, Marathi and Konkani are the main languages spoken.
Belgaum is situated nearly 2,500 ft (762 m) above sea-level. Its salubrious climate, proximity to the coast and strategic position near Portuguese Goa commended it to the British as a suitable location for an army training center and cantonment. Apart from being an important training center for the Indian armed forces, Belgaum houses many interesting monuments, including a scenic fort dating to 1519 AD.
Belgaum is also an important educational center, and hosts the Visweswaraiah Technological University, to which all the engineering colleges in Karnataka are affiliated. The city is comparable to the state capital Bangalore in modernity and educational facilities.
Location
The Belgaum district is situated in the northwestern parts of Karnataka. It lies at the border of two states Maharashtra & Goa. It is one of the oldest towns in the State, lying at a distance of 502 km from Bangalore & 500 km from Mumbai. The district comprises 1278 villages with an area of 13,415 sq.km with a population of around 5 lakh. Nestling in the foothills of the enchanting Sahyadris (Western Ghats), at an altitude of about 779m, 100km from the Arabian Sea with River Markandeya flowing nearby Belgaum is unique. Its natural beauty & environment are a world of contrast & harmonies with swift & kaleidoscopic change in topography, vegetation & climate (50″ rainfall).
Climate
Belgaum is known for its pleasant climate, but can get extremely hot in the summer (April through June). It is at its coldest in winter (November through February), and experiences heavy and continuous Monsoon rains during July to September.
Tourism and Attractions
Imagine gushing rivers, enchanting hills and dense evergreen forests. Add to this a cool salubrious climate and you’re in Belgaum, a charming city nestling in the foothills of the Western Ghats; which create a beautiful backdrop. 502 kms from Bangalore and 125 kms from Goa, is a picture of contrasts. The old town area with cotton and silk weavers stands gloriously beside the modern, bustling, treelined British Cantonment. Step out of the forts and you have a wide choice of temples and churches to visit viz The historical fort, Kamala Basti, Kapileshwar temple (South Kashi), the hills of Vaijyanath, Ramtirth in Kanbargi, The aerodrome at Sambra etc.
Transportation
Air: Belgaum is directly connected with Bangalore, Goa, Mumbai and Kolhapur. Schedules have been erratic, as the air connectivity is primarily provided by feeder airlines.
Belgaum has an aerodrome at Sambra (about 11 kms from Belgaum City ) and daily flights are flying between Mumbai and Belgaum . The nearest Airport is Mumbai Airport which is 550 Kms. Flight services can also be availed for Bangalore which is 504 Kms, Mangalore which is 438 Kms. It is also linking up Chennai and Hyderabad .
Rail: Belgaum has a very well- connected rail network. It is connected to almost all the major cities of South India . Trains are also available for Pune and Mumbai. Belgaum is connected to Bangalore (via Londa), to Mumbai (via Miraj), Vasco da Gama. It takes 12 hrs from Belgaum to Bangalore and 12 hrs to Mumbai. There is a daily express train to Delhi from Belgaum and the journey takes about 37 hrs.
Road: Belgaum is connected to most of the places in South and West India by road. The main bus stand is situated near the old town area. We can say that Belgaum is like a MIDWAY between Mumbai and Bangalore. It falls on the Pune-Bangalore highway on Golden Quadrilateral.
Belgaum is connected by road via the National Highways 4 (connecting Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) and 4A (connecting Karnataka and Goa).