Bijapur

Gol Gumbaz boasts of the second largest dome in the world. 44 meters in diameter, this dome forms a highly sensitive echo-chamber. The slightest whisper echoes seven times over and the tick of a clock held at one end can be distinctly heard at the opposite end - 125 feet away ! But there's a lot more to Bijapur.

On the western outskirts of the city lies the mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah II - Ibrahim Roza, said to have inspired the Taj Mahal in Agra. Embracing 1,16,300 square feet is the Jumma Masjid - "one of the finest mosques in India".

Here, in a beautiful mihrab -covered by a heavy curtain - are verses of the Quran, beautifully inscribed in letters of gold. Malik-e-Maidan - the largest medieval cannon in the world - is fourteen feet long, weighing about 55 tons.

Legend has it that if you touch the gun and make a wish, it will come true ! Bijapur is full of such legends. Liked the one surrounding Afzal Khan's Centaph. It is said that Afzal Khanstarted the construction of his own tomb in his lifetime. But eventually could not be buried here.

You could spend days exploring Bijapur. Wandering around the Arakilla, the Anand Mahal, the Mehtar Mahal, the Bara Kaman, the Gagan Mahal, the Amin Durgah, the Assar Mahal, the Chota Asar, the Faroukh Mahal, the Jahz Mahal, the Jod Gumbaz… Listening to the quaint Deccan dialect.

Sampling the spicy curry with jowar rotis. And packing a host of delightful memories to carry back home.

Local Festivals
The Bijapur Music Festival - featuring the stalwarts of Indian music - is organized by the Government of Karnataka every year.

Language Spoken: Kanada, Urdu, English, Hindi.

Local Food Specialities: Non - vegetarian preparations distinctly Mughalai or Hyderabadi.

When to go Bijapur: Bijapur is extremely hot in the summer. September to February would be the best time to visit the Queen of Deccan.

How to Reach Bijapur
By Air: The nearest airport is Belgaum (205 kms).
By Rail: Bijapur is connected by rail to Bangalore, Bombay, (via sholapur) Hospet (via Gadag) and Vasco da Gama (via Hubli Londa).
By Road: Bijapur is connected by road to most places in south and west India. These are: · Aihole (129 kms) · Badami (132 kms) · Pattadakal (148 kms) · Hampi (220 kms) · Belgaum (205 kms) · Bangalore (550 kms) · Bombay (486 kms).