Overview
Kalaburagi district is an administrative district in the northern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It lies in the Kalyana-Karnataka region (formerly Hyderabad-Karnataka) and is known for its semi-arid plains, historic monuments dating to the Bahmani period, and as a major centre for the cultivation and trade of red gram (tur dal). The district headquarters is the city of Kalaburagi, formerly known as Gulbarga.
Key facts
| State | Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Region | Kalyana-Karnataka |
| Headquarters | Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) |
| Former name | Gulbarga district (renamed in 2014) |
| Country | India |
| Official language | Kannada |
Geography
The district forms part of the Deccan plateau and is largely characterised by undulating plains, black cotton soil, and rocky outcrops. It is drained chiefly by the Bhima River and the Krishna River system, along with their tributaries such as the Kagina. The climate is generally hot and dry, with summer temperatures among the highest in Karnataka and rainfall received largely from the south-west monsoon.
Kalaburagi district is bordered by the districts of Bidar and Yadgir in Karnataka, and shares boundaries with parts of Maharashtra and Telangana.
History
The region has a long political history. It came under successive rule of the Rashtrakutas, the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, the Kakatiyas, and briefly the Delhi Sultanate. In 1347, Gulbarga became the first capital of the Bahmani Sultanate under Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, before the capital shifted to Bidar. Monuments from this period, including the Gulbarga Fort and the Jama Masjid within the fort, remain prominent landmarks.
Subsequently the area passed to the Bahmani successor states, the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, the Mughals, and finally the Asaf Jahi Nizams of Hyderabad. After Indian independence, the territory was integrated into Hyderabad State following the 1948 police action, and on 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, the district became part of the newly enlarged Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka in 1973.
In 2010, Yadgir district was carved out of the erstwhile Gulbarga district. In 2014, the district and its headquarters town were officially renamed from Gulbarga to Kalaburagi as part of a broader renaming of cities in Karnataka.
Administration
The district is divided into several taluks, including Kalaburagi, Afzalpur, Aland, Chincholi, Chittapur, Jevargi, Sedam, Kamalapur, Kalagi, Yadrami, and Shahabad, following more recent reorganisation. Administration is headed by a Deputy Commissioner, while local self-government in rural areas is handled by the Zilla Panchayat. The Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike administers the district headquarters city.
Kalaburagi is also the seat of a bench of the Karnataka High Court, established to serve the Kalyana-Karnataka region.
Economy
Agriculture is the backbone of the district's economy. Kalaburagi is one of India's leading producers of red gram (tur or arhar), and is often referred to as the "Tur Bowl" of Karnataka. Other significant crops include jowar, bajra, sunflower, cotton, sugarcane, and pulses. Cement manufacturing is a major industrial activity, with limestone deposits in the Shahabad–Wadi belt supporting several large cement plants. Textiles, dal milling, and stone-based industries are also present.
Education and culture
The district hosts Gulbarga University, established in 1980, the Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women's institutions presence, the Central University of Karnataka at Kadaganchi (Aland taluk), and the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences. The Sharana tradition of the 12th-century Lingayat reform movement has deep roots in the region, and the dargah of the Sufi saint Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesudara