Bijapur

The southern state of Karnataka is host to many hidden gems. The historical city of Bijapur Karnataka, with its majestic historical monuments, has earned quite a reputation as one of those said gems. Located 550 km (330 miles) northwest of the capital city of Bangalore this city is a commercially important place in the state. For the tourists visiting here, however, this city is like a ticket back in time with monuments like the glorious Ibrahim Rauza, Gol Gumbaz, and Jumma Masjid or Jamia Masjid. Built during the reign of Kalyani Chalukyas during the 10^th-11^th centuries, the city has lived to see many more dynasties, like the Brahmi dynasty and the Adil Shahi dynasty. The city now hosts relics from these kingdoms and sultanates, preserving its rich past. During its inception years, this city was known by the name of Vijayapura which literally translates into the city of victory.

Bijapur Overview

Best Time to Visit Bijapur

Planning a trip can send one trip, there are way too many things to consider like what is the best or most appropriate time to visit a place. It is essential to consider two factors here, the climate of the place year-round and any popular festival celebrated there. Bijapur weather is mostly hot and dry. The winters are comfortably cool, summers, however, are all too hot with temperatures ranging between 40-42 degrees Celcius. The monsoon lasts between June and October as this city gets both the southwest and the northeast monsoon. Bijapur temperature is only uncomfortable during the sweltering heat of the summer As a resolution, it can be said that winter, the months between October and March,  is the best time to visit Bijapur.  Makar Sankranti is celebrated with a fair in this city which is an attraction for both locals and tourists alike. Various music festivals are also organized during this time of the year, making it the best time to visit Bijapur.

How to Reach the Places to Visit in Bijapur?

This city is big enough that one would need transportation to move from one end to the other. The places of historic interest are also not close enough to be within walking distance. Therefore, though it is most interesting to explore a new place on foot, here transportation does become necessary. Online cab booking is a convenient option, to be sure, but in this case, it is a bit of a hassle because online cabs wont take you on several trips at once and multiple bookings will only add up to avoidable costs. Booking a private car service for a day of sightseeing is a smarter choice. If you do want to stay on the affordable side auto-rickshaw, tuk-tuk and manual rickshaws are also available for a round trip of sightseeing. They might ask for higher charges from tourists, so it is only smart to negotiate the price beforehand. 

What are the Things to See and Do in Bijapur

Bijapur city in Karnataka mainly attracts history buffs or it changes a person into a history enthusiast with larger-than-life relics of the past and the stories associated with them. This city has a lot more to offer, like Malik-E-Maidan, Mehtar Mahal, the ruins of Gagan Mahal, and a more recent attraction in Bijapur place, the Shivagiri Temple.

Places to Visit in Bijapur

Gol Gumbaz

One of the main tourist attractions of Bijapur place is the largest dome of the country or the Gol Gumbaz, also known as Gola Gummata. It was made for Muhammed Adil Shah, the Sultan of this city. His tomb lies here. The architecture here is a classic example of the Indo-Islamic school of architecture.

Ibrahim Rauza

Ibrahim Rauza lovingly called the “the Taj Mahal of the Deccan”, is one of the more famous Bijapur places. Built during the 17^th century this historic architecture is about 1 km away from the city centre. It is a set of two buildings facing each other where the remains of Adil Shah and his wife, queen Taj Sultana lie.

Bara Kaman

The ruin of Bara Kaman is not actually a ruin but rather an unfinished building meant as a mausoleum for Adil Shah II. The place gets its name from twelve columns and horizontal arches that make the base structure of the building. Why the construction of the building was abandoned is lost in history but has led to the birth of a lot of local legends.

Restaurants

The tourism industry that has slowly developed in the tourist sites in the city over the years has led to the expansion of culinary escape in the city. This city now has restaurants that cater to the varying mood and tastebuds of tourists and locals alike.

Qaswa Hill Restaurant

The Qaswa Hill Restaurant is a popular eating space in this city. It is located very near Gol Gumbaz and therefore sees a heavy rush of tourists. It is a multi-speciality restaurant serving both Indian and Chinese dishes.

Sigdi Restaurant

The Sigdi Restaurant is one of the go-to restaurants in Bijapur for the vegetarian population coming here.  No boring vegetarian food can be found here as they serve dishes from multiple culinary worlds, like Chinese, Indian as well as Italian.

Kamat Restaurant

Kamat Restaurant is known for serving everything from gobi Manchurian to dosa and from filling thalis to pakoras for snacks. They serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and both Chinese and Indian cuisine.

Hotel Shubhashree

Hotel Shubhashree boasts a nice interior. Keeping with the trend, they too serve multi-cuisine food like Indian and Chinese. While they do serve North Indian food as well, it is their curation of South-Indian food that steals the show.

Laziz Hotel

Laziz Hotel is heaven for meat lovers as they serve mouthwatering tandoor dishes as well as lip-smacking beef dishes to go with a curation of rotis.

Places to Stay

Kyriad Hotel

Kyriad Hotel is a well-known and well-liked hotel among tourists. They are known for their services and the amenities they provide. Wi-fi access, laundry service, free newspaper on request, and LED TV with DTH service are available in all rooms.  There is an in-house restaurant called BISO for the boarders and a choice of rooms at different price ranges to choose from.

KSTDC  Hotel Mayura Adilshahi Bijapur

KSTDC  Hotel Mayura Adilshahi Bijapur is another excellent place to have a convenient stay in this city. They have a free cancellation till check-in policy. Along with the usual amenities, the hotel provides vehicles for local sightseeing. This hotel is located some 900 m away from the city centre. They have beautiful gardens for those looking for a relaxing holiday

Fern Residency Vijayapura

The Fern Residency Vijayapura will allow you to have a luxurious stay in this city. They have in-house entertainment and an in-house doctor. The hotel has spacious conference rooms, so its the perfect choice for office delegates on tour.

Hotel Pleasant Stay

Hotel Pleasant Stay too has a free cancellation till check-in policy. They have both AC and non-AC rooms and they provide excellent staff service with great amenities. This hotel is located some 6 km away from Bijapur railway station. They also have facilities to hold business conferences, birthday parties, and other reception parties.

Foods to Try in Places to Visit in Bijapur

The food culture of Bijapur is a result of the confluence of various food cultures. This citys cuisine has mainly been influenced by South-Indian food culture and Maharashtrian cuisine. There is also a strain of Andhra cuisine in the food of Bijapur places. The food here is predominantly spicy. This city couldnt escape the modern cosmopolitan culture and so, Chinese, Italian, and North Indian food have now become a recurring part of the local food scene. Some local delicacies still call the tastebuds of the local community here like Kaipalya which is a vegetarian preparation, Laku Palya which is made of lentils. Roti made of different grains is also a common feature of this citys cuisine, likeRaagi and Akki ki roti and Jolada roti.

Things to Buy in Places to Visit in Bijapur

This city is not the most extensive when it comes to shopping. However, buying souvenirs on the way back home from a trip is unquestionably essential. Luckily, this city has some items unique to it which make for the best gifting solution.

Sandalwood items are unique to this city and are therefore highly sought after here. There are shops dedicated only to sandalwood products and they sell products like raw sandalwood as well as animals and traditional artefacts made of sandalwood.

Lambani Jewellery is a unique kind of jewellery made and worn by the Lambani tribe of Karnataka. Getting these as souvenirs is truly taking a piece of Karnataka and its heritage home.

Many local shops also sell stone decorative items which make for stunning home decorative pieces and lend a unique look to any place they are kept in. Buying locally crafted items is an excellent way to support local craftsmen and businesses.

Some of the popular local shops in the city include

Sai Sadhna Sugandha Store

This store is famous for selling religious goods and puja items of top-notch quality.

Signature Mall

You can find brands such as Woodland and Reliance Trends here and shop to your hearts content.

Patil Planet

If you would like to take some garments back home, then you must come here to shop with your loved ones.

But when one does arrive at that fresh frontier, there are ways better than others to begin your journey of discovery. Follow these steps and see the world with a new light.

• Discover a new city through a food tour. Food tour's are the easiest way to take a tour, learn about the local delicacies, and the best of all, get great tips that aren't just "local" tips for tourists, but sometimes, lessons for a lifetime too
• Use Public Transportation. When you are in a new city, you can possibly see places and people that you wouldn't normally see when simply walking to the places that checks your list. Some buses or rails take you to parts of the city you wouldn't get to see otherwise. Whilst using public transportation, just ensure that you are following the local norms and do remember to watch the locals!
• Find a local festival. Go beyond what other tourists might do while visiting a place. Look for the unique things you would want to do. Use social media or the local tourism website to find out what's going on locally. You may have to move out of the center of the city to do some of the less popular but more unique things, so just keep that in mind!

Conclusion

This city is not the main place of interest for tourists even in Karnataka. But this underdog has a lot to offer in the way of historical richness, architectural grandeur, unique craftsmanship, and local cuisine. Walk into this city, walk into a time machine.