by Swatee Jog
Got relatives visiting Belagavi? Guests at your company or organization? Do you feel ‘what do I show them around in Belagavi’? Don’t worry. Here’s a hitch-hiker’s guide to Belagavi.
- Take them to Military Mahadev, Military Durga Devi Mandir and Military Vinayak. Not many cities in the world have the country’s strong army’s name attached to places of worship. And they are wonderful places, especially the trees and the coconut orchard at Military Mahadev. OK, don’t show them the ground opposite Military Mahadev, it’s in disarray and you have no answers for questions like ‘Why’? If they look spiritually inclined, come to Vitthaldev Galli, a whole street that hosts the Lord’s abodes, with some beautiful old carvings and stone figurines. Don’t skip the magnificent St. Mary’s church at Camp and let them marvel at the architecture.
- Come towards Hindalga and show them the magnificent sunset from atop the hillock near Argan lake. There’s no place as beautiful to watch the sun amidst the clouds, as that point where the skies play Holi within a matter of an hour in the evening, every single day.
- Just park your vehicle at Sardar’s High School ground and watch the players play cricket. You will soon be absorbed in a particular batsman’s magic or that spinner’s bowling. Rub shoulders with the cyclists who have perched themselves on the compound wall. It’s fun, trust me.
- Visit Shahapur vegetable market at 10.00 a.m. when the freshest of veggies from around Belagavi take center stage as the customers move around first adoring and then bagging them. Green leafy ones, fresh radish, luscious fruit, mounds of juicy tomatoes and the shiniest of Gokak Brinjals, all a feast to the eyes.
- Let them have a glimpse of history, go visit Veer Soudha, a beautiful venue to commemorate the Congress Conference that Gandhiji attended and one that has made good use of the uneven topography. Visit the Ramkrishna Mission and don’t forget to drop at the wonderful library that even has CDs, Charts, calendars, gift packs, all reasonable priced and with great content.
The veer Soudha now has a lush green Lawn - Have an evening out at Shivaji Garden and Gandhi Udyan. Where else can you find twin gardens with distinct personalities and attracting a totally different set of visitors each?
- Skip the usual hotels, restaurants and the new fancy branded outlets, for they are ubiquitous even in their cities. Allow them to relish alepak, mande, gural chutney, kardant and that God of sweets, Kunda.
Alipaak Belgaum 
- Have an evening out at the Fort Lake. Show them the ‘Before’ and ‘After’ images to get that ‘Wow’ from them. But before that, have a peek at Kamal Basti, an archaeological site, so also the fort. Now just push them around if they ask where is the real fort, for all we have is the rampart and the meandering moat filled with weeds. Oh! Yes. Plan your itinerary to avoid the closed railway gates. Even if you get stuck, show pride that you can pass through in less time than the traffic jams in big cities.
Fort Lake - Tell them Belagavi produces a hundred plus varieties of rice and pack a bagful of the most aromatic basmati for them as a goody- bag! On the way to the airport, drop by at some jaggery unit and get a wide smile on their face. The green fields have already blown them away as they landed.
- Brag about how you have it all and yet are unable to make it as the ‘Most desired city’. BY the end of your soliloquy, they would have sympathized with you already. You never know, the sweet water and the food and more than anything else, your pride, will earn you that contract, for where else would you find all this, but in Belagavi.
Hi,
You seem to have adapted to the new name Belgavi (which i personally don’t like)… Anyways, when are you changing the name of your website?
There isa very beautiful Ganapati temple at swamy vivekanada nagar which is worth visiting
Do we still get Alipak? Where? Shahapur market on Saturday mornings especially should not be missed.
yaa we get it in congress road sugar cane juice center near corporation bank
Mr.Rehan, Officially belgaum is now belagavi, every one has to adopt it.
Indeed a very good article. These places portray the cultural vitality & originality of this city in all its facets…Thank You.
Nice article, now Suvsrn Soudha n old maruti temple at maruti gall I….
Belgaum is cool and beautiful district in Karnataka. I miss a lot.
Hats off to this article. Very nicely written about belagavi ! I think its worth to visit all the gardens of the city.
For me I like the name “BELGAUM” with all those british names like cattle road, Havelock road… do they still exist… I do not want to get into the argument of being a kannadiga or a maharastrian … for me I am still a typical belgaumite and the name change does not really matter…. amasni “belgaum” chakot ahe….
Those British names still do exist in Camp
Nice article about Belgaum
Nice article, In 1st point u would explained the forts and Cha, Shivaji maharaj statue.
and the name if u used Belgaum it would be good to read.
As a past resident of good Ole’ Belgavi(Belgaum) Nothing can be more enchanting a place as such. Nice Reviwal down Memory Lanes and viewing the Old sites and Meeting the simple and cheerful citizens around. Also an occassional stroll on Congress Road during evenings is welcome provided there is not much traffic and it is safe for evening walkers !!!!!! Jan M. Shaikh. ( Past resident 1943 -1957)
Hi u have missed out the most beautiful plave a morning walkers delight vaccine depot where u can feel the fresh air.
Nice Article.And the Strange thing is that as residential of Belgaum we will be not aware of Importance of Belgaum but We will come to know the importance of Belgaum by such Article and and when we far away from our Location.Thank You Admin for Posting Such Article.Let this Article Reaches the People those who are ignoring the Belgaum and Even for the people who are not thinking to develop the Great 2nd Capital City of Karnataka.I Mean So Called Great Political People.
You have missed Kanabargi siddeshwar temple
One can visit Kanabargi Siddeswar temple and Ramtheerth , nice silent place.
Namma Belgavi Sundar Belgavi
very good article & informative .
These are the 10 reasons why I left belgaum or belgav and shifted to Bangalore :p
These are the 10 reasons why I left Belgaum or Belgav and shifted to Bangalore
Hi, Belgaon seems be more closer to heart then other,, any way love the belgaon as it is with all its specialties , either it is alepak or sugarcane juice with it, ajanta misal, yummy pavbhaji n what not , u feel lost in belgaon when u think of all these.. I love you belgoan. Me parat yenar…
Mr manoj, r u satisfied in b’lore or u want to leave banglore also?
Nice article u missed budramatti
What about the historic race course ? Hindalga jail? Suvarna soudha ? The beautiful campuses of JNMC? The planetarium? MLIRC and drive through the beautiful cantonment?/
Ramakrishna Ashram in Fort, Ramdev Area, Bogaravase , Most Important MG Road (Maruti Galli)…..BTW nice article , thanks for the shadow.
Nice article. Belgavi is also one of the important cities of karnataka. Here there is admixture of
all types of people. Different cultures people are staying here. At Tilakwadi, Shahapur , Vadagaon, All Gallis of old Belgaum and at Goa road mostly marathi speaking people are staying there. But at Malamaruti, Ashok Nagar, Sadashiv Nagar and at Kolhapur Road mostly Kannada speaking people are staying. There are nice looking spots at Belgavi. Especially Military Mahadeva Temple & its Garden ,
St.Mary’s Church, Shivaji Garden at Shahapur, Kamal Basti, Swami Vivekanand Ashram, Veer Soudha,
Vidhana Soudha etc.
Nice article. At Belgaum there is admixture of all types of people. But it is very certain that
it is a important city of Karnataka State.
basically belgaum has nothing to do for youngsters (18 – 27 yrs).
it is a boring place, but places around belgaum is good for adventure but only during season
anyone plz tell me history of miltary mahadev temple
Google it
most loving thing is climate.in summer it is hot during day but cool at night, and camps speciality is unity in diversity. Another is a vast and green area for morning walks: