Bijapur – Heritage Destinations in Karnataka
You must have heard about the mysterious whispers of Gol Gumbaz, haven’t you? That’s one of the historical attractions of this place called Bijapur. Bijapur is a ‘must’ destination when you are thinking of having a tour to Karnataka. Don’t forget Karnataka, though it is evolving as one of the IT center hubs in the world, is still renowned as a great historical destination to go to in India. Karnataka has a unique traditional charm on its own and every tourist comes to love and devour that charm. And Bijapur is a big part of that charm.
Bijapur is aligned to the northwestern side of the Indian city of Bangalore, and northeastern side of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was the seat of the mighty Bahamani dynasty, and it carries with its enriched historical and cultural heritage along with it. One proof that stands to demonstrate that is the Gol Gumbaz tomb. Bijapur is the capital of the Adil Shah dynasty. Bijapur, near to Belgaum, lies on the gateway to the state of Karnataka, from Bombay and Goa.
Bijapur, one of the best heritage destinations in Karnataka, is a nice place to visit. With all its glorious relics from the past, it is not going to stop amusing you in your tour to this great place of Karnataka.
Here are most important historical, architectural and cultural objects of interest that you can find in Bijapur.
Gol Gumbaz (Gola Gummata)
It is the second largest tomb all over the world, being over 44 feet in diameter. It has four minarets with four staircases leading to the topmost dome. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the Gol Gumbaz tomb is the clarity of acoustics. Down the corridor, if you make a little sound over one end, you will be able to hear it on the other end. You will be able to watch the physical concept of ‘Echo’ directly.Story goes that Adil Shah was walking with his beloved, and asked her sweetheart jokingly if she loved him enough. If so, she could jump from the balcony, and she did. And Adil Shah pained for it for the rest of his life. Gol Gumbaz is a symbol of eternal love. The excellence and beauty of this place SHOULD be watched at least for once in a lifetime.
Jumma Masjid
Famous for its golden copy of Quran, this Jumma Masjid is larger than any other Masjid in this region. Built by the Adil Shah, Barah Cummon (12 arches) is one center stage with twelve interleaving arches for different festivities on art.
Malik-e-Maiden
You will find the largest cannon from the medieval age here. It is around 14 feet long and weighs around 55 tons. They say that if you touch this gun and make some wish, it comes true! You will also love to watch the Jod Gumbaz, Asar Mahal, Ark-Killa, Ananda Mahal, Afzal Khan’s Cenotaph, etc.
Ibrahim Roza
It was a beautiful tomb… a mausoleum built by Ibrahim Adil Shah II, with nicely carved corridors and interconnected structures, spicily decorated walls and stone windows (perforated). This is supposed to be the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. There are several forts, arches around that bring out its sheer beauty in the moonlight.
This place is something you must visit when you are on your tour to Karnataka. Though it has been under deliberate attack by Aurangzeb, there’s much to this town.