08 Apr 2017   |    Views : 2225    Must See;   |    ;

Belgaum Fort is located in the city of Belgaum, in Karnataka state of India. It was built by Jaya Raya, also called Bichi Raja, an ally of the Ratta Dynasty, in the year 1204 AD. It has undergone several renovations over the centuries under different dynastic rulers of the region.

The fort, built with fine ramparts and a large moat, has a rich history with several historical and religious monuments dated to the Adil Shahi dynasty. It is also notable in modern history because Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned by the British in this fort during India's freedom struggle.

The fort has Hindu, Jain and Muslim architectural influence with temples and mosques located within its limits, indicating cultural syncretism. The architectural styles seen in the mosques are of the Indo-Saracenic and Deccan type. The fort has been built with stones and mud. A wide moat runs round the fort.

There are two Hindu shrines at the fort entrance - one devoted to Ganesha and another to goddess Durga. The Durga temple dedicated to multi-armed goddess Durga, is considered the goddess of forts and warfare. It is located in a corner of the fort. The outer facade of the temple exhibits painted images of mythological figures.

Of the two Jain temples inside the fort, the Kamal Basadi, a Jain Basadi with the Neminatha idol in black stone (idol found in a forest nearby) is deified on a stone carved pedestal here, is more famous. It was built in the Chalukyan style in 1204 AD. The other temple called the Chikki Basadi is ruined. Both the Jain temples were built inside the fort in the Chalukyan architecture style.

The fort has two mosques or masjids, namely the Safa Masjid and Jamia Masjid; the former mosque is the most frequented by the Muslim population of the city of Belgaum. Safa masjid was completed in 1519 by Asad Khan Lari.

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