Overview
Gadag district is an administrative district in the northern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. Its headquarters is the town of Gadag, which together with the adjoining town of Betgeri forms the twin-town municipality of Gadag–Betgeri. The district is known for its medieval Chalukyan-era temples, its handloom weaving traditions, and as a centre of Kannada literary heritage.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Karnataka |
| Region | Kittur Karnataka (formerly Bombay Karnataka) |
| Administrative headquarters | Gadag–Betgeri |
| Formed | 24 August 1997 |
| Carved out of | Dharwad district |
| Official language | Kannada |
Background
The area now constituting Gadag district has a long history of habitation and political importance. It formed part of the heartland of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani during the 10th–12th centuries, a period that left a dense concentration of stone temples in towns such as Lakkundi, Dambal, Lakshmeshwar and Gadag itself. After the decline of the Chalukyas, the region passed through the hands of the Seunas (Yadavas), the Vijayanagara Empire, the Bijapur Sultanate, the Marathas and finally the British, under whom it was administered as part of the Bombay Presidency.
After Indian independence and the linguistic reorganisation of states in 1956, the area became part of the new Mysore State (renamed Karnataka in 1973) as a taluk of Dharwad district.
Formation
Gadag district was created on 24 August 1997 when the erstwhile Dharwad district was bifurcated as part of a wider reorganisation of districts in Karnataka. The reorganisation, carried out under the J. H. Patel government, was intended to bring administration closer to citizens in larger districts of northern Karnataka.
Geography
The district lies on the Deccan plateau in the semi-arid northern Karnataka belt. The terrain is generally undulating, with black cotton soils predominating in the cultivated tracts. The Tungabhadra river forms part of the southern boundary, and the Malaprabha river flows along the northern fringes. The Kappatagudda hill range, declared a conservation reserve, runs through the district and is noted for its biodiversity and medicinal plants.
The district is bounded by Dharwad to the west, Haveri to the south-west, Vijayanagara and Koppal to the south-east and east, and Bagalkot to the north.
Administration
The district is divided into taluks for revenue administration. The principal taluks include Gadag, Ron, Naragund, Shirhatti, Mundargi and Lakshmeshwar, with Gajendragad having been carved out as a separate taluk in subsequent reorganisations. The Zilla Panchayat of Gadag, headed by an elected president and administered by a Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Administrative Service, is the apex rural local body.
Gadag district falls within the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency for parliamentary elections and contains several Karnataka Legislative Assembly constituencies including Gadag, Ron, Naragund and Shirhatti.
Economy
Agriculture is the mainstay of the district's economy. Major crops include jowar (sorghum), bajra, cotton, groundnut, chilli, onion and pulses. Gadag is also part of Karnataka's cotton-growing belt and historically supported a significant handloom and powerloom textile industry centred on Gadag–Betgeri. The district has wind-power installations on the Kappatagudda ridge and other elevated tracts, making it one of the wind-energy producing districts of Karnataka.
Culture and heritage
Gadag district is celebrated for its Chalukyan temple architecture. Notable monuments include:
- Trikuteshwara temple complex, Gadag – an 11th–12th century Chalukyan temple dedicated to Shiva, with the adjoining Saraswati shrine renowned for its lathe-turned pillars and sculptural detail.
- Lakkundi – a heritage village with more than fifty temples and stepwells, including the Kashiv