Bijapur is a district in the state of Karnataka in southern India. The city of Bijapur is the headquarters of the district, and is located 530 km northwest of Bangalore. Bijapur is well known for the great monuments of historical importance built during the Adil Shahi dynasty.
1) Gol Gumbaz This is the most famous monument in Bijapur. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627-1657). It is the second largest dome ever built, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome. A particular attraction in this monument is the central chamber, where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction at the Gol Gumbaz is the Whispering Gallery, where even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 metres away. Gol Gumbaz complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana (a hall for the trumpeters) (now it is used as museum) and the ruins of guest houses.
2) Ibrahim Rauza This is the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the fifth king of the dynasty and, like the Mughal emperor Akbar, known for religious tolerance. Built on a single rock bed, it is noted for the symmetry of its features. It is said that the design for the Ibrahim Rauza served as an inspiration for that of the famous Taj Mahal(Bijapur).
The Quran, written in gold at Jumma Masjid
3) Jumma Masjid in Bijapur Built by Ali Adil Shah I (1558–80) is one of largest Mosque in the region. It has a large hall, elegant arches, and an excellent dome with thirty-three smaller domes surrounding it. It has an exquisite copy of the Quran, written in gold. Elaborate entrance gate was built by Emperor Aurangzeb.
The Gun Malik-E-Maidan, which means the master of the war front
4) Malik-e-Maidan in Bijapur (The Monarch of the Plains) the largest medieval cannon in the world. Being 4 m long, 1,5 m in diameter and weighing 55 tons, this gun was brought back from Ahmadnagar in the 17th century as a trophy of war by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and tens of men. It was placed on the Sherza Burj (Lion Gate) on a platform especially built for it. The cannon's nozzle is fashioned into the shape of a lion's head. It is said that after igniting the cannon, the gunner would remain underwater in a tank of water on the platform to avoid the deafening explosion. The cannon remains cool even in strong sunlight and if tapped, tinkles like a bell. In 1854 the cannon was auctioned for Rs. 150 but the sale was cancelled in the end.
5)Uppali Buruj in Bijapur Built around 1584 by Hyder Khan, is an 80 ft (25 m) high tower standing to the north of Dakhani Idgah in Bijapur. This is a spherical structure with stone steps winding round the outside. Top of the tower offers a commanding view of the city. This is also known as "Hyder Burj", "Upli Burj". On top of Upli Burj there are two guns of huge size. The parafeet this tower which was used for monitoring purposes has been fenced now. One needs to climb the circular stairs to reach the top. However except for this tower there is very little evidence of the citadel wall in this area due to rampant construction.
6) Chand Bawdiin Bijapur , Ali Adil Shah (1558–1580) built this tank near eastern boundary of Bijapur. When there was large influx of people into Bijapur after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire, and new settlements came up within the walled city raising the need for better infrastructure and providing water supply. This has a storage capacity of 20 million litres. Later it became a model for many other tanks constructed in the city. A grandeur complex came up around it, which was mainly used to house the maintenance staff though members of the royal family occasionally used it for recreation. He named this after his wife "Chand Bibi".
7) Asar Mahal in Bijapur , The Asar Mahal was built by Mohammed Adil Shah in about 1646, which was used to serve as a Hall of Justice. The building was also used to house the blessed relic - the holy hairs from the Prophet's beard. The rooms on the upper storey are decorated with frescoes and the front is graced with a square tank. Here women are not allowed inside. Every year there is urs (festival) held at this place. In front of the hall, one can see three tanks the bigger tank, which is at the centre is about 15 feet deep however the other two are comparatively smaller in size as well as depth. Behind Asar Mahal one can still see the remain of the citadel. Just a kilometer away behind Asar Mahal, one can still find the old mosque which is on top of the citadel wall. There is a big entrance with arc below this mosque. Many stones have inscriptions. The site is under maintenance of Archeological Survey of India.
8) Gagan Mahal in Bijapur, which means Sky Palace, is built with a 21- meter façade and four wooden massive pillars, has a majestic central arch. Sikandar Adil Shah, in silver chains, surrendered to Aurangzeb in 1681 here.
9) Barakaman (Ali Roza-II) in Bijapur. A mausoleum of Ali Roza built in 1672. It was previously named as Ali Roza, but Shah Nawab Khan changed its name to Bara Kaman as this was the 12th monument during his reign. It has now seven arches and the tomb containing the graves of Ali, his queens and eleven other ladies possibly belonging to the Zenana of the queens.
Among the other historical attractions at Bijapur, some notable ones are the Anand Mahal, Jod Gumbaz, Sat Manzil, and Jal Manzil.
Shreekumar Logistics India Private Limited takes you to the Bhatkal is a port town in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. The town lies on NH-17 running between Mumbai and Mangalore. Bhatkal is one of the major stations along the Konkan Railway line running between Mumbai and Mangalore.The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport.
Bhatkal Tourism
Bhatkal is an old port town located in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is situated 130 km from Karwar and 145 km from Mangalore, in the midst of the Western Ghats, sharing its boundary with Arabian Sea. It was the main port during the Vijayanagar kingdom in the 16th century and is famous for Jain Chandranath Basadi and a temple dating back to the Vijaynagar kingdom. The temple is worth a visit due to the intricate classical carvings in Vijayanagar style. A holiday experience here includes serene blue sea, white sand beaches, medieval monuments and archeological treasures.
SIGHTSEEING HIGHLIGHTS in Bhatkal
There is a lot to do in Bhatkal, from spending the day basking in the sun on the unspoiled beautiful beaches, to visiting the elegant mosques, with classical architecture especially Jamia Masjid, Sultani Masjid, Noor Masjid and Khalifa Masjid which date back to a few centuries. The Kethapayya Narayan temple in Mud Bhatkal is the best example of its rich heritage while the Jain Chandranath Basadi and Parshwanath Jain Basadi on the Main Bazar Road, are ancient structures that have stood the ravages of time.
Bhatkal Town is Situtated around 130 Kms from Karwar and about 147 Kms from Mangalore on NH-17. This Town is located in the midst of Western Ghats which has an coastal line covered by the Arabian Sea. This Town has a boundary of 5.23 Kms and is famous for Imported Goods. The total population of this Town is 31,774. Though it is a small Town, it is well developed by the projects under taken by KUIDFC. Bhatkal is famous for Ancient Monuments like Chinnadapalli, an Mosque, Sultan palli, Chandranath Basadi, Basti, and a beautiful sight of Kadavinakatta dam built across Venkatapur river. Since this is an coastal town we can also enjoy the sight-seen of sea shore along with lighthouse.