Bgalkot district (/blkote/; Kannada: ) is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located in the town of Bagalkote. The district is located in northern Karnataka and borders Belgaum, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur and Bijapur. The new Bagalkote district was carved out of Bijapur in 1997 via Government of Karnataka directive Notification RD 42 LRD 87 Part III.[1] The bifurcated Bagalkote district consists of six taluks Badami, Bagalkote, Bilagi, Hunagund, Jamakhandi and Mudhol.[2] Historically, Badami which is part of Bagalkote was the capital of the Chalukyan Empire of South India under Pulakeshin I, who conquered the district in 550 CE. Bagalkot's Badami taluk remained the seat of the throne of the Chalukyas from 550 CE 753 CE, when Chalukya king Kirtivarman II was overthrown by the Rashtrakutas. Remnants of Chalukyan art and architecture are important tourist attractions in Bagalkote. Pattadakallu has many UNESCO World Heritage temples built by Vikramaditya II, while Aihole, which lies on the banks of the Malaprabha River, is an important temple town with over 140 temples belonging to both the early and later Chalukya times. The cave temples of Badami Cave Temples and the Jain temples of Rashtrakutas at Lokapura and Bilgi are also famous. Cottage industries occupy a predominant position in Bagalkote. The district is popular for its silk and handloom industries. Ghataprabha River, Malaprabha River and Krishna River flow through the district. Koodalasangama lies at the point of confluence of rivers Krishna and Malaprabha. Like most districts in India, Bagalkote is headed by a Deputy Commissioner, with various Tahalsidars heading individual taluks in the district. The Samadhi of 12th-century social reformist Basavanna, known for his crusade against caste exploitation, is located in Koodalasangama, a town in the taluk of Hungund.
