Bailhongal

Bailhongal
Taluk
Bailhongal Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 15°49′01″N 74°52′01″E / 15.817°N 74.867°E / 15.817; 74.867Coordinates: 15°49′01″N 74°52′01″E / 15.817°N 74.867°E / 15.817; 74.867
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Belagavi
Area
• Total	25.9 km2 (10.0 sq mi)
Elevation	664 m (2,178 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	88,900
• Density	4,250.65/km2 (11,009.1/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	591 102
Telephone code	08288
Vehicle registration	KA-24

Bailhongal or Bailahongala is a Taluk in Belgaum district of Karnataka state in southern India. Bailhongal Taluk is located towards the northeast part of Belgaum. The Taluk headquarter is about 45 km from the district headquarters.The total geographical area of the taluka is 1122.40 km². There are 126 revenue villages and 14 hamlets with a total population of 356,400 people, according to the 2001 census.

There are important pilgrim places in the taluk. These include Bhartinand Swamiji Math Inchal, Sogal Someshwar Temple, Hafiz Bari Dargah, a Jamia Masjid. Also historical places like Kittur where freedom fighters like Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna lived and devoted their lives to country for freedom. A major part of the agricultural land is controlled by the Malaprabha irrigation project. There are many educational institutes including Talukas are Saundatti, Gokak, Belgaum.

Geology

• Minute quantities of gold are found in some of the nullahs in the Bailhongal^[1]
• Uranium deposits have recently been found in Deshnur, a small village in Bailhongal taluka.^[2]

Demographics

• 
  Malaprabha River

As of 2001 India census,^[3] Bailhongal had a population of 43,215.But in 2011 the population was around 78,196 Males make up 51% of the population and females 49%. Bail Hongal has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 85% of the men and 71% of women literate. 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.Kannada is main language spoken here. As

of 2011, the average literacy rate is 78% with male literacy 85% and female literacy 71% of the total population.

Civic administration

The civic administration of the town is managed by the Bailhongal Municipal Council, which was established as a municipality in 1919.^[4] Earlier It was a municipal district governed by Bombay act III of 1906^[5]
Today the Municipal Council oversees the engineering works, health, sanitation, water supply, administration and taxation in the city. It is headed by a Municipal President who is assisted by municipal chief officer and council members. The city is divided into 32 wards and the council members (also known as councilors) are elected by the citizens of Bailhongal every five years. The council members in turn choose the Municipal President. The growth and expansion of the city is managed by the Bailhongal Municipal Council which is headed by a municipal chief officer. Its activities include developing new layouts and roads, town planning and land acquisition.

The citizens of Bailhongal elect one representative, currently Mr. Vishwanath Patil, to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly through the constituency of Bailhongal. Bailhongal, being a part of the larger Belgaum Lok Sabha constituency, also elects one member, currently Mr.Suresh Angadi, to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.

Economy

Bailhongal is a major cotton ginning center in north Karnataka. The first cotton ginning and pressing mill was established in 1911
by Late Mr. prajwal wali,in basveshwar oil mill a young entrepreneur of the town. He imported entire machinery such as cotton gins of Platt Brothers and hydraulic press, steam boiler and turbine etc. from England. This was the most important milestone in the growth and prosperity of the farming community of the region. Today many new and most modern ginning mills are in the town.

Agriculture is the main occupation of the Taluka. The crops grown mainly are cotton groundnut, corn, jowar, wheat, maize, sugarcane etc.

The Agricultural Produce Market Committee is a marketing board established by the state government of Karnataka has a market yard in Bailhongal since 1936. It facilitates farmers to sell their produce and get reasonable price constituted APMC in many towns. Most of the APMC have market yard where traders and other marketing agents are provided godowns and shops for the sale of agricultural products from farmers. Farmers can sell their produce to agents or traders under supervision of APMC.^[6]

Places of tourist interest

• 

  Jain Temple Ruins in Wakkund
  Bailhongal Fort: Rani Chennamma was captured and imprisoned by British Raj at Bailhongal Fort, where she died on 21 February 1829.
• Memorial of Rani Chennamma: Rani Chennamma was buried at with full military honors. Her Samadhi is still preserved at Bailhongal.^[7]
• Maddi Bhavi(Well): The famous Mallaprabha (Nayanagar) river is the source of drinking water, Maddi Bhavi[well] is a secondary source of drinking water.
• Ramallinga Temple: Famous Ramallinga Temple of Bailhongal is an architectural expression of Chalukya architecture.^[8]
• The Jain temples in Devalapur
• Mallammana Belavadi.

Sogal water falls- exotic and mythological.

• Jain Temple ruins in Wakkund

Transportation

External links

• Municipal Council of Bailhongal

References