Gajendragad

Gajendragad (also called Gajendragada) is a Town Municipal Council city in Gadag District, Karnataka, India with Population of 32,359 as of 2011 Census data and is located at 15.73°N, 75.98°W. It has an average elevation of 643 metres (2109 feet). This place is known for its hill station,hill strip, film shooting spots, Fort, kalakaleshwara temple, Market for Javali / Dress Materials for marriage & festivals, windmills, Handloom. It is about 55 kilometers from the district head quarter Gadag, 110 kilometers from Hubli, 200 kilometers from Belgaum and 450 kilometers from state capital Bangalore

Introduction


Gajendragad (Gajendra:Elephant;gad:fort), is a historical place in the Gadag district. The name Gajendragad is a combination of Elephant and a fort. Local people generally call it as Gada. It is about 55 km from Gadag and is one of the big towns in the Gadag District. Gajendragad is a pilgrimage destination due to its Kalakaleshwara temple.

History
Gajendragad is surrounded by the historical places associated with Badami Chalukyas and Western Chalukya and the places are Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Mahakuta, Banashankari, Sudi, Mahadeva Temple at Itagi and Kudalasangama. Rastrakuta Monuments at Kuknur. The Gajendragad fort and town were built and renewed by Shivaji.

Ghorpade
The founder of the Ghorpade family was Valabhasinh Cholaraj Ghorpade and then the descended Bahirjirao Ghorpade.

The Royal families of Kapsi and Gajendragad owe their origin to Vallabhasinha and the Chiefs of Sondur are descended from the third son of Cholraj.

Treaty of Gajendragad
After the Second Mysore War, Tippu Sultan had to engage in an armed conflict (during 1786–87) with the Marathas and the Nizam. The war concluded with the treaty of Gajendragad. Tipu Sultan ceded Badami to the Marathas.

Tippu Sultan would release Kalopant and return Adoni, Kittur, and Nargund to their previous rulers. Badami would be ceded to the Marathas. Tippu Sultan would also pay an annual tribute of 12 lakhs per year to the Marathas. In return, Tippu Sultan would get all the places that they had captured in the war, including Gajendragarh and Dharwar. Tipu would also be addressed by the Marathas by an honorary title of "Nabob Tipu Sultan Futteh Ally Khan".

Tourism


The pilgrim Kalakaleshwara temple, is a huge mountain with the temple carved into it. This is a weekend destination which could be wound up in a day's time. One can see many windmills lined on the hill opposite the hill on which the temple is located.
 * Kalakaleshwara temple:

Mallikarjuna Temple, Twin Towered Temple, Ishwara in a stone made shelter and Naga Kunda are prime attractions of Sudi.
 * Sudi:

The temple of Bhimambika, about 13 km from Gajendragad
 * Itagi Bhimambika:

It is known for temple of Banashankari, and Annual car festival.
 * Banashankari:


 * Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal and Mahakuta:
 * Badami
 * Aihole
 * Pattadakal
 * Mahakuta

Mahakuta is the source of an important Badami Chalukya inscription called Mahakuta Pillar inscription.

MahaMaya temple, Navalinga Temples at Kuknur.
 * Kuknur:

At Kudalasangama the rivers Krishna and Malaprabha merge (sangama) here, This place is closely associated with the 12th-century poet and social reformer Basavanna. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Sangameswara, worshipped in the form of a linga. The temple is an ancient monument built in the Chalukya style architecture. This place is well developed as one of the great tourism place.
 * Kudalasangama:

Kalakaleshwara temple


A little known pilgrim of North Karnataka. Gajendragad is a Town Municipal Council lying amidst hills, in one of which is encapsulated Kalakaleshwara temple of Lord Shiva (known as Dakshina Kashi), who is worshipped in the form of Kalakaleshwara. There are some large steps that lead you up to the temple. It is a traditional temple with Udbhava Linga. There we can find God Veerabhadra temple also in the same premises. But one would definitely be amazed at the story in which the significance of the destination lies. Just outside the temple exit is a small square water reservoir called AntharaGange. It is an evergreen water resource that constantly falls along the roots of Peepal tree into the pond all throughout the year. It is said to be flowing even in the peaks of summer season and has an unknown root.

Mythology
More amazing is the story attached to this destination that has taken a few lives too. These were the daring people who wanted to try to learn more about a miracle that happens on the previous night of Ugadi, New Year of Kannadigas. The pandit/pujari of the temple prepares a solution of limestone, and keeps it ready for application along with a brush, inside the temple. The next morning, the jobs done. But the temple is painted on its own and this happens without fail every year. A hookah that is also kept along with it seems to be used when seen the next morning.

MMTC's wind farm
Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC) Limited under the ministry of commerce and industry. MMTC's Gajendragad plant started in 2007, the plant has delivered electricity power of over 102 million units to Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) Limited. The plant generate a total capacity of 15 MW of power, with 25 wind energy generators, can each generate 600 KV.

Environmental issues


Windmills set up to generate wind energy, are posing a threat to the very existence of rare hyenas and wolves at Gajendragad. Earlier Gajendragad was recognized as a safe haven for highly endangered species like the Indian grey wolf and striped hyenas, but wind farming and windmills with huge noisy fans and human traffic to maintain these machines have driven away these species from their habitat.

Notable people

 * Raghavendra Acharya - scholar in Vedanta, Vyakarana (Grammar), Nyaya (Law), Mimamsa and Alankar, lived in Gajendragad
 * Prahlad Balacharya Gajendragadkar - served as the Chief Justice of India from 1964 to 1966, was native to Gajendragada.

Demographics
As of 2011 India census Gajendragad is a Town Municipal Council city in district of Gadag, Karnataka. The Gajendragad city is divided into 23 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Gajendragad Town Municipal Council has population of 32,359 of which 16,198 are males while 16,161 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 4418 which is 13.65 % of total population of Gajendragad (TMC). In Gajendragad Town Municipal Council, Female Sex Ratio is of 998 against state average of 973. Moreover Child Sex Ratio in Gajendragad is around 921 compared to Karnataka state average of 948. Literacy rate of Gajendragad city is 79.49 % higher than state average of 75.36 %. In Gajendragad, Male literacy is around 89.33 % while female literacy rate is 69.74 %.

Gajendragad Town Municipal Council has total administration over 6,235 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. It is also authorize to build roads within Town Municipal Council limits and impose taxes on properties coming under its jurisdiction.

Gajendragad 2022 - 2023 Population
Current estimated population of Gajendragad Town Municipal Council in 2023 is approximately 44,000. The schedule census of 2021 for Gajendragad city is postponed due to covid. We believe new population census for Gajendragad city will be conducted in 2023 and same will be updated once its done. The current data for Gajendragad town are estimated only but all 2011 figures are accurate.