Overview
Bijapur district, officially renamed Vijayapura district in 2014, is an administrative district in the northern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. The district is named after its headquarters city, Vijayapura (formerly Bijapur), which served as the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty between the late 15th and late 17th centuries. It is part of the Belagavi division and lies in the semi-arid Deccan plateau region.
Key facts
| State | Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Division | Belagavi |
| Headquarters | Vijayapura |
| Renamed | Bijapur to Vijayapura (2014) |
| Region | North Karnataka, Deccan plateau |
| Predecessor district | Carved out with Bagalkot district in 1997 |
Geography
The district lies in the Krishna river basin, with the Krishna and its tributaries—the Bhima and the Don—draining its terrain. The landscape is largely flat to gently undulating, with black cotton soils suited to rain-fed cultivation. The climate is semi-arid, characterised by hot summers, moderate monsoons, and cool winters. Vijayapura district shares borders with Bagalkot, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Yadgir, Raichur, and Belagavi districts in Karnataka, and with Solapur and Sangli districts in Maharashtra to the north.
Administrative history
Under British rule, Bijapur formed part of the Bombay Presidency. After the reorganisation of Indian states on linguistic lines in 1956, the district became part of the new Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka in 1973. In 1997, the southern talukas of the original Bijapur district were separated to form the new Bagalkot district. In 2014, the Government of Karnataka renamed Bijapur district and city as Vijayapura.
History
The region has a long recorded history, having been ruled successively by the Chalukyas of Badami, the Rashtrakutas, the Chalukyas of Kalyani, the Yadavas of Devagiri, and the Khalji and Bahmani sultanates. In 1489, Yusuf Adil Shah established the independent Adil Shahi sultanate at Bijapur, which became one of the five Deccan sultanates that succeeded the Bahmani kingdom. The Adil Shahis ruled until 1686, when the sultanate was annexed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Subsequently the area passed to the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and eventually the British, who incorporated it into the Bombay Presidency in 1818 after the defeat of the Peshwa.
Monuments and heritage
Vijayapura city, the district headquarters, is noted for its concentration of Indo-Islamic architecture from the Adil Shahi period. Prominent monuments include:
- Gol Gumbaz — the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, famous for its large hemispherical dome and whispering gallery.
- Ibrahim Rauza — the tomb complex of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, often cited as an architectural inspiration for later Mughal mausolea.
- Jami Masjid — a large congregational mosque begun in the late 16th century.
- Bara Kaman — the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II.
- Malik-e-Maidan — a large medieval cannon mounted on the city's walls.
Economy
The economy of the district is predominantly agrarian. Major crops include jowar (sorghum), bajra, pulses such as tur and Bengal gram, sunflower, and cotton. Horticulture has expanded substantially, and the district is among Karnataka's leading producers of grapes, lemons, and pomegranates. The Almatti Dam on the Krishna river, located within the district, is a major irrigation and hydro-power project under the Upper Krishna Project, and has significantly extended irrigated agriculture in the area.
Transport
Vijayapura is connected by the South Western Railway zone and lies on rail routes linking Solapur, Hubballi, and Bengaluru. National Highway 13 (now part of NH-50/NH-52 in the renumbered scheme) and other state highways pass through the district. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) operate bus services within the district.
Education
Educational institutions in the district include the Karnataka State Ak