Gadag-Betageri
Gadag-Betageri | |
|---|---|
 Veeranarayana Temple | |
 Interactive map of Gadag-Betageri | |
| Coordinates: 15°25′00″N 75°37′00″E / 15.4167°N 75.6167°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District | Gadag |
| Government | |
| • Type | City Municipal Council (CMC) |
| • Body | Gadag-Betageri CMC |
| Area | |
| 54.01 km2 (20.85 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 654 m (2,146 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
| 172,813 | |
| • Density | 4,657/km2 (12,060/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 367,258 |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 582 101-103 |
| Telephone code | 08372 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KA |
| Vehicle registration | KA-26 |
| Official language | Kannada[1] |
| Website | gadag-betagericity |
Gadag-Betageri is a city municipal council in Gadag district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Gadag District. The original city of Gadag and its sister city Betageri (or Betgeri) have a combined city administration. The municipality of Gadag-Betageri has a population of 172,813 and an area of 54.0956 km2 (20.8864 sq mi). Kanaginahal of Gadag is the birthplace of the first co-operative society in Asia.[2][3] The temples of Veera Narayana and Trikuteshwara[4] are places of religious and historic importance.
Gadag Schist Belt
[edit]The Gadag Schist Belt, also known geologically as the Gadag Greenstone Belt, forms a dramatic geological anomaly within the Dharwar Craton of North Karnataka.[5] Dating back 2.5 to 3.0 billion years to the Archean Era, the hills are among the oldest surviving landforms on Earth. Geologically, the region consists of the compressed, metamorphosed remnants of an ancient ocean floor and a submarine volcanic arc.
Formation and Mineralization
[edit]The foundational terrain is built on metavolcanic rock, originating from submarine volcanism when underwater fissures erupted across a primordial sea floor, cooling into sheets of lava (metabasalts).[6] As tectonic plates collided under extreme heat and pressure, these horizontal layers were buckled and squeezed into near-vertical, wave-like folds known as synclines and anticlines. During this process, superheated hydrothermal fluids were forced through fractures deep within the rock. This intense geological pressure drove quartz veins deep into the schist, leaving behind a heavily metalliferous greenstone bedrock containing massive iron ore deposits and auriferous (gold-bearing) lodes.[7]
Gadag Gold Field
[edit]The mineralization of the greenstone belt gave rise to the Gadag Gold Field, a historically and economically significant auriferous zone extending over 40 kilometers. Gold is primarily hosted in the structural shears and quartz-carbonate veins that cut through the metavolcanic rocks of the belt.[8] The region features extensive evidence of ancient indigenous gold panning and shallow mining. More intensive, deep-shaft extraction efforts were initiated during the British colonial period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with notable historic mining operations centered around villages such as Sangli, and Hosur.[9]
Topography and Kappatagudda Microclimate
[edit]Unlike the tropical rainforests of Dakshina and Uttara Kannada, the hard metavolcanic bedrock of the Gadag Greenstone Belt prevents deep root systems from taking hold, resulting in a treeless, velvet-green high-altitude steppe. Volcanic weathering over millennia has created an exclusive soil chemistry that supports a dense concentration of rare, endemic medicinal plants.[10] The abrupt elevation of the Kappatagudda hill range traps passing moisture and creates a massive natural wind tunnel. These unblocked, high-velocity winds shape the undulating velvet-green grass, drive extensive wind turbine farms, and keep the ambient temperature distinctly cooler than the surrounding arid Deccan plateau.
Soil profile
[edit]The topography of the Gadag region features a distinct transition in soil types. While the broader plains of Northern Karnataka are dominated by deep black cotton soils (Vertisols), the elevated areas surrounding the Gadag Schist Belt are heavily characterized by red sandy and loamy soils (Alfisols).[11]
The elevated hills and ridges of the Gadag Schist Belt are covered by red sandy and loamy soils (Alfisols). This red soil is primarily a residual product derived from the extensive weathering of the underlying Archean granites, gneisses, and metalliferous schist. Its prominent reddish hue is a direct result of high concentrations of iron oxides—particularly hematite and limonite—leached into the surface layers.[12] Characterized by a porous, well-drained texture, the soil is structurally aerated but naturally low in organic humus, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Agriculturally, these red soil tracts are optimized for rainfed dryland farming, predominantly supporting crops such as groundnut, sunflower, sorghum (jowar), and various pulses.
In sharp contrast, The broader, flat plains of the district are dominated by deep black cotton soils (Vertisols). Originating from the weathering of ancient basaltic rock, this clay-rich soil is characterized by its high moisture-retention capacity and its tendency to develop deep fissures during dry seasons—a "self-ploughing" trait that naturally aerates the earth.[13] These fertile plains are extensively cultivated for cotton, which thrives in the soil's deep moisture reserves. This geographical advantage historically established Gadag as one of the primary cotton trading sub-hub
Etymology and name
[edit]The name Gadag is notable for being a palindrome in both the Latin and Kannada scripts. Spelled as G-A-D-A-G in English and ಗದಗ in Kannada, the word reads identically both forwards and backwards. This symmetry extends to the town's major transport hub, Gadag Junction railway station, where its official Indian Railways station code (GDG) forms palindrome. List of palindromic places
The name Gadag is historically derived from ancient Kannada designations found in Chalukya-era inscriptions, where the settlement was variously recorded as Kratuka, Kratapura, Galadugu, and Gadugu.
Gadag style of architecture
[edit]The Gadag style of Architecture,[14] marked by Ornate pillars with intricate sculpture,[15] originated during the period of the Western Chalukya (or Kalyani Chalukyas) king Someswara I, and it flourished for a period of 150 years (During 1050 CE to 1200 CE) during which period some 50 temples were built; some examples being: The Trikuteshwara temple complex at Gadag, The Kasivisvesvara temple, Lakkundi, The Doddabasappa Temple at Dambal, The Amriteshwara temple at Annigeri, etc.
Demographics
[edit]As of 2011[update] India census,[18] Gadag-Betageri had a population of 172,813. Males constitute 86,165 of the population and females 86,648. Gadag-Betageri has an average literacy rate of 85.56%. The Sex ratio is about 1006 females per 1000 males to females. 18,419 of the population is under 6 years of age. Kannada is the main and widely spoken language, while English and Hindi are spoken and understood by few people.[17]
Transport
[edit]Rail
[edit]Gadag Junction (station code: GDG) is a major railway junction operating under the Hubballi division of the South Western Railway (SWR) zone.[19] The station falls under NSG-4 Category under Non-Suburban Grade (NSG) classification system and serves as a crucial intersection for three primary lines: routing west towards Hubballi Junction, east towards Hosapete, and north towards Solapur via Vijayapura.[20]
Guntakal-Ballari-Hosapete-Gadag-Hubballi-Vasco da Gama line is freight heavy and connects Steel plants of Ballari to Marmagao Port[21]
Significant infrastructure upgrades have been completed across the region. This includes 25 kV AC route electrification and extensive track doubling along the Hubballi–Gadag–Hosapete section and the Gadag–Hotgi line.[22] The junction serves as a scheduled commercial halt for numerous daily express trains and intercity trains. It also has direct train connectivity to major cities of India like Vasco da Gama, Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Barmer, Ajmer, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata.
Gadag Bypass Railway Station (station code: GDGB)[23] is a halt station built primarily to allow some of the freight and passenger trains to bypass the main station
Road
[edit]Gadag is well-connected to the state and national road networks. National Highway 67 (NH 67) facilitates transit between Hubballi and Hosapete. State Highway 57 (SH 57) and National Highway 48 (NH 48) facilitate transit towards Ranebennur and Bengaluru.[24] National Highway 52 (NH 52) facilitates transit towards Bagalkote and Vijayapura. Public road transport is managed by the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), which operates an old and a new central bus stand in the city providing regular inter-city and inter-state bus services.
Air
[edit]The nearest commercial aviation facility is Hubballi Airport (IATA: HBX), located approximately 60 kilometers west of Gadag. The airport provides scheduled domestic flight connectivity to major metropolitan cities: Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Navi Mumbai.[25]
The closest international airport is Dabolim Goa International Airport (IATA: GOI), located approximately 240 kilometers away.
Kempegowda International Airport (IATA: BLR) is the primary international gateway, located approximately 426 kilometers away.
Climate
[edit]| Climate data for Gadag (1991–2020, extremes 1932–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.5 (94.1) |
37.7 (99.9) |
40.0 (104.0) |
41.1 (106.0) |
41.7 (107.1) |
40.6 (105.1) |
34.9 (94.8) |
35.4 (95.7) |
37.8 (100.0) |
35.6 (96.1) |
37.2 (99.0) |
34.1 (93.4) |
41.7 (107.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.2 (86.4) |
32.7 (90.9) |
35.7 (96.3) |
37.1 (98.8) |
36.3 (97.3) |
31.0 (87.8) |
28.9 (84.0) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.8 (85.6) |
29.2 (84.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.2 (73.8) |
25.5 (77.9) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.6 (85.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
25.7 (78.3) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.2 (77.4) |
24.1 (75.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
25.6 (78.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.0 (60.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
20.9 (69.6) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.9 (69.6) |
20.7 (69.3) |
20.4 (68.7) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) |
11.1 (52.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
17.3 (63.1) |
16.6 (61.9) |
18.5 (65.3) |
18.3 (64.9) |
15.5 (59.9) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.2 (50.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.3 (0.01) |
1.9 (0.07) |
7.3 (0.29) |
39.5 (1.56) |
71.5 (2.81) |
99.6 (3.92) |
77.5 (3.05) |
93.6 (3.69) |
112.9 (4.44) |
123.7 (4.87) |
38.7 (1.52) |
7.2 (0.28) |
673.8 (26.53) |
| Average rainy days | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 45.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) | 31 | 26 | 22 | 27 | 36 | 63 | 71 | 70 | 63 | 54 | 45 | 38 | 45 |
| Source 1: India Meteorological Department[26][27] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[28] | |||||||||||||
Notable people
[edit]
- Kumara Vyasa - Gadag immediately brings to mind the name of Naranappa, popularly known as Kumara Vyasa, the author of Karnata Bharata Kathamanjari. It is the classic Mahabharata in Kannada. Naranappa was born in the nearby village of Koliwada. He composed his work sitting before Lord Veera Narayana, his chosen deity.
- Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai, visually challenged singer from Gadag. His music school Veereshwara Punyashrama [29][30] is a renowned institution in north Karnataka.
- Puttaraj Gawai, recipient of the "Padma Bhushan" Award from Govt Of India, visually challenged Indian musician (classical Hindustani tradition), scholar, music teacher and social servant. A student of Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai (above). He headed the Veereshwara Punyashrama until he died in late 2010.
- Shri Aluru Venkataraya
Shri Aluru Venkataraya from Holealur is revered as Karnataka Kulapurohita (High priest of the Kannada family) in the Karnataka region for his contribution towards the cause of a separate Karnataka state. He became famous for undertaking a Karnataka Ekikarana movement in support of the formation of a state for the Kannada-speaking population of Mysore, Bombay Presidency and the Nizam's Hyderabad.
- Bhimsen Joshi, Hindustani singer, recipient of the Bharat Ratna Award - Highest Civilian Honour of India
- Sunil Joshi, cricketer, born in Gadag.
- Huilgol Narayana Rao, writer of "Udayavagali namma cheluva kannada nadu" the anthem which heralded the birth of Karnataka state.[31]
- Vijay Sankeshwar, businessman, founder of VRL Group, Vijaya Karnataka newspaper and Vijayavani.
- Vilas Nilgund, runner, who represented India in 100 metre sprint, and 4x100 metre.[32]
- R. S. Mugali famous writer and author of "Kannada Sahitya Charitre"
- Giraddi Govindaraj famous critic and former president of "Karnataka Sahitya Akademi"[33][34]
- G. B. Joshi famous playwright and founder of "Manohara Granthamala"
- H. K. Patil Indian National Congress (INC) party politician and currently minister in Government of Karnataka.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "50th Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India (July 2012 to June 2013)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ↑ Nayak, N. Dinesh (18 March 2016). "Reviving the Kanaginahal cooperative society". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ↑ Vincent D'Souza (13 May 2009). "Asia's first co-op bank's future bleak | Hubballi News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ↑ "Gadag" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine www.nkpost.kar.nic.in. Retrieved September 9, 2012
- ↑ Chadwick, B. (2000). "The geology of the Dharwar Craton". Precambrian Research. 104 (3–4): 147–188.
- ↑ Ramakrishnan, M. (2008). Geology of India. Geological Society of India. ISBN 978-8185867984.
- ↑ Ugarkar, A.G. (1998). "Gold mineralization in the Gadag schist belt, Karnataka". Journal of the Geological Society of India.
- ↑ Radhakrishna, B.P. (1996). "Gold resources of India". Geological Society of India.
- ↑ Exploration for Gold in Gadag Schist Belt (Report). Geological Survey of India. 2014.
- ↑ "Medicinal Plants of Kappatagudda". Karnataka Forest Department. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
- ↑ District Groundwater Brochure: Gadag District, Karnataka (PDF) (Report). Central Ground Water Board, Government of India. 2013.
- ↑ Natarajan, A. (1998). "Soil Resources of Karnataka". National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP).
- ↑ Bhattacharyya, T. (2013). "Soils of India: Historical perspective, classification and recent advances". Current Science. 104 (10): 1308–1323.
- ↑ "In search of Indian records of Supernovae" (PDF). Retrieved 12 March 2009.
- ↑ "Kalyani Chalukyan & chanakya temples". Retrieved 12 March 2009.
- ↑ "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Karnataka". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
- 1 2 "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue (Town): Karnataka". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
- ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- ↑ "South Western Railway: Hubballi Division". South Western Railway. Indian Railways. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
- ↑ "Gadag-Hotgi railway line doubling work to be completed soon". The Hindu. 14 December 2022.
- ↑ https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2206595®=3&lang=1.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ Electrification of Railway Tracks in SWR (Report). Ministry of Railways, Government of India. 2023.
- ↑ "Gadag Bypass (GDGB) Station Details". eRail.in. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
- ↑ "National Highways in Karnataka". Karnataka Public Works Department. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
- ↑ "Hubballi Airport". Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
- ↑ "Climatological Tables 1991–2020" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ↑ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M95. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ↑ "Normals Data: Gadag – India Latitude: 15.42°N Longitude: 75.63°E Height: 670 (m)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ↑ Parvathi Menon "A movement for music" Frontline, frontlineonnet.com. Volume 22, Issue 12, 4–17 June 2005. Retrieved 9 September 2012
- ↑ "Shri Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ↑ Amaresh Datta (2006). The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume Two) (Devraj To Jyoti) (Volume 2 ed.). Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. p. 1585. ISBN 81-260-1194-7. Retrieved 9 September 2012. Note: Google Books link
- ↑ "Islamabad-bound athletes named" Deccan Herald(on-line), 21 March 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2012
- ↑ "Giraddi Govindraj passes away". The Hindu. 11 May 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ↑ "Ambikatanayadatta Award for Giraddi Govindaraj, Venkatesh Murthy". The Hindu. 22 January 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
External links
[edit]