Gulbarga, also known as Kalaburagi, meaning a stone land in Kannada. The city is famous for its rich ancient culture and heritage. This stone land has been ruled by various dynasties and their influence can be witnessed clearly in this city. Gulbarga, situated in Karnataka has many shrines and thousands of temples and mosques to entertain the visitors. Gulbarga is famous for its religious importance. From Kalaburagi to Gulbarga, which translates to a city of flowers and gardens in Urdu. Most of the monuments present in Gulbarga were built by the Bahmani rulers. The city is known for its Islamic art and architecture and an important religious center of Sufism.
Some of the marvelous art and architecture dates back to the 6th century.
Gulbarga is one of the perfect budget places to visit. There are many places to visit in Gulbarga that one can endure and be lost in the ancient city of medieval India with its rich art and culture. It also offers many colorful festivals that can be witnessed by visitors.
One of the most famous tourist attractions is the Gulbarga Fort, that one just can not miss, the marvelous monument is one of the best places to visit in Gulbarga.
Initially, the city of Gulbarga was under the Hindu rulers of Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Kalahari, Yadavs, Hoysalas, and the Kakatiyas. The city of Gulbarga was one of the favorite cities of the ruler Md. bin Tuglaq. After the Hindu rulers, came the Bahmanis under the influence of Zafar Khan Alauddin Hasan Gangu. The city has experienced a culture shock, which even we can witness with such an amalgamation of the Hindu-Muslim art and culture. In the 18th century, the city of Gulbarga came under the Princely state of Hyderabad. With so much historical melodrama, one can surely be awe-inspired by the culture of this beautiful city.
One of the best places to visit in Gulbarga is Khwaja Bande Nawaz, which hosts the famous colorful Urs festival in August and the other known celebration is the annual Car festival of Sharana Basaveshwara temple, held in March.
Gulbarga is also famous for its unique cuisine which is influenced by Persian, Marathi, and Kannada culture. The main ingredients are distinctly sweet and spicy, with chilies and jaggery. One of the staple foods is Jolada Rotti, made with whole grain. Tumbu Gai is an eggplant dish that is served with ground peanuts masala. The city also offers some of the best sweet dishes like the Godi Huggi, Shenga Unde, Malpuri, and many more.
The best time to visit Gulbarga is during the winter months i.e. October to March, to avoid the scorching heat of summers. During these months, the weather remains pleasant and cozy.
One of the most serene places to visit in Gulbarga. Situated in the Gulbarga University, a Buddhist significant place built in the conventional Buddhist style and is among the best places to visit in Gulbarga. This monument stands tall on 170 pillars, the structure is influenced by the Buddhist architecture at Sarnath, Sanchi, and Ajanta. The place was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama to spread the message of non-violence and peace.
This is the tomb of famous Sufi saint Khwaja Bande Nawaz. The tomb houses thousands of books composed in Urdu, Arabic, and Persian language. It is one of the best places to visit in Gulbarga. The architecture has been influenced by Indo-Saracenic, Persian, and Arabic, which can be witnessed from the towers and dome of the Dargah. The Dargah is 600 years old and its beautiful carvings and inscriptions on the walls are just amazing to look at. The famous Urs festival marks the death anniversary of the Khwaja Bande Nawaz and attracts many visitors.
One of the most popular and best places to visit in Gulbarga. The fort was built by the Kakatiya King Raja Gulchand in the 12th century. The whole fort is made of granite, depicting the blend of Persian and Indian architecture. There are in total 15 towers and 26 guns surrounding the fort, making it even more glorified. The fort was later reconstructed by the founder of the Bahmani Kingdom, Alauddin Hasan. One can also visit the Jama Masjid and Bara Gazi Toph in the Gulbarga Fort.
The temple is dedicated to Saint Basaveshwara, who was believed to be a teacher, philosopher, and enlightened being. It is also known as Sabhamandap, was built in the 12th century by the Lingayat Saint Sharana Basaveshwara, a marvel monument for the Hindu pilgrim. The structure is a blend of both Hindu and Mughal architectural styles. The walls, intricate design, supporting pillars, and beautiful sculptures are the attributes of the temple. The temple even has intricate carvings of Hindu gods, goddesses, demigods, animals, and events. It hosts the famous Car and Jatra festival. One can also taste the local delicacies provided by the temple.
One of the beautiful dams built-in 1793, surrounded by lush green forest and wonderful landscape. The dam is constructed on the bed of the river Bhima. One of the key attractions is an island located in the middle of the dam. Chandrampalli Dam is one of the best places to visit in Gulbarga, it also offers an ideal place for trekking and camping. The surroundings of the dam by the Gottam Gotta forest make it even more picturesque for visitors.
Jama Masjid is one of the important places to visit in Gulbarga. It depicts the establishment of the Bahmani Kingdom. The Masjid was built in the 14th century by the Persian architect known as Rafi, which showcases the essence of Spanish architecture. The interior of the Jama Masjid is similar to the Great cathedral-Mosque of Cordoba, Spain. The unique feature of the Mosque is that it does not have a courtyard and does not have any minarets either. The entire structure is covered with a roof. The unique architecture of the Jama Masjid attracts many visitors from across the globe making it one of the best places to visit in Gulbarga.
One of the popular places to visit in Gulbarga, also known as the Saat Gumbaz, showcasing the 7 tombs of the Bahmani military leaders built side by side. The monument is built in Persian style. The beautiful architecture and the sprawling gardens of the Gumbaz attract many visitors across the globe.
Koranti Hanuman temple is one of the recent additions to the best places to visit in Gulbarga. Built less than 100 years old. The significance of the temple is that it is dedicated to the God Hanuman. The huge idol of Hanuman can be seen kneeling as two royal elephants flank the statue. The temple is famous for hosting the Ram Navami festival. It is also believed by the locals that all the wishes are granted in this temple, making it one of the attractions to visit by the locals.
One of the first dry land wildlife sanctuaries of Southern India. It takes 2 hours to reach this wildlife sanctuary from Gulbarga. It is home to some of the rare species of flora and fauna. One can witness Blackbuck, Fox, Indian wolf, and many more. The sanctuary has dense vegetation of medicinal herbs, trees, and other flowering plants.
One of the ancient places to visit in Gulbarga, situated on the banks of river Kagina. It houses an ancient fort that is under restoration, this historic place was ruled by Rashtrakutas during the 9th and 10th centuries. Mayankheta used to be the center of Madhvacharya philosophy. The best time to visit Manyakheta is during the winter season.
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The top places near to Gulbarga are Hampi which is 225 km from Gulbarga, Hyderabad which is located 175 km from Gulbarga, Ajanta and ellora caves which is located 345 km from Gulbarga, Bijapur which is located 131 km from Gulbarga, Mahabaleshwar which is located 343 km from Gulbarga.
The top things to do in Gulbarga are Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah, Buddha Vihar, Gulbarga Fort, Sharana Basaveshwara Temple, Chandrampalli Dam, Jama Masjid Gulbarga. |
The best way to reach Gulbarga is from Hyderabad, as it takes only 4 hour from Hyderabad.. Gulbarga is one of the best-accessed cities in North Karnataka. The nearest airport is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad (230 km). There are frequent buses that go from Bangalore and Hyderabad. It has a major railway station which connects to many major cities in the country. |
The best time to visit Gulbarga is between the winter months of October and March. During this time, the average temperature is 25°C, which is cosy and comfortable. In the summer months between March and June, it gets scorchingly hot in Gulbarga – temperatures go as high as 40°C, making travel very difficult. Monsoon strikes the region at the end of June and extends till the end of September. Gulbarga sees heavy rains, which may hamper your travel plans. The rains tend to slow down as the year ends, so you can still visit the region in September.
What is the history and culture of Gulbarga? |
The city is a perfect blend of history and culture. The town has immense religious importance as well. Famous for its numerous temples, Gulbarga is a popular tourist attraction. The city was originally known as Kalaburagi. Kal means “stone” in Kannada while “buragi” means “fort”. |
There are 41 places to visit in Gulbarga.
The history of Gulbarga dates to the 6th century. It has mostly been under the rule of the Chalukyas. The region came under the control of Rashtrakutas, but the Chalukyas regained it after a short period and went on to rule for 200 years. The Kalyani Kalachuris who succeeded them ruled until the 12th century. |
Hazrat Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gaisu Daraz is also known as Syed wal Shareef Kamaluddin bin Muhammad was the well known Sufi saint from India of the Chishti Order advocated understanding as well as tolerance with the harmony among the different religious groups. Bande Nawaz was built on 7 August 1321 Gulbarga. |
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