Gulbarga is one of the very few places in India that occupies a unique place in history. Primarily because its history dates back to the pre-historic period. The Indian political history supposedly begins from the Mauryan rule around 300 BC and since then Gulbarga has its prime position in the Indian peninsular. The path breaking discovery of Ashokan edicts and a Buddhist settlement at Sannati, on the banks of River Bhima in Chittapur taluk, are testimonies to its historic eminence.

Gulbarga is not Gulbarga. It is originally Kalburgi, which literally means the land of stones. Since `kal’ or `kallu’ (stone) also symbolises Lord Shiva, some historians opine that Kalburgi is the play field of Shiva. The ancient Kalleshwara temples found in this part may substantiate this claim. In a number of ancient inscriptions found in Gulbarga and elsewhere in the State, the place is referred to as Kalambarige, Kalamburage, Kalaburage and Kalaburagi. Nowhere can you find Gulbarga’ In 1445, Persian traveller Abdul Razak describes the extent of Vijayanagar empire up to the extremities of Kalburgah. Kalburgi metamorphosed into Gulbarga after the advent of the Muslim Bahman dynasty in the 14th century. In Persian, gul means flower and burg means leaf. Indeed a very poetic name!.

A number of material evidences have been discovered to conclusively prove that human habitation and culture existed here several centuries ago. Discovery of stone axes of the early palaeolithic age and the discovery of a megalithic culture consisting of cromlechs and other relics in several parts of the district leave no doubts in one’s mind about its pre-historic existence.

Famous dynasties - Shatavahanas who succeeded Mauryas, Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Kalachuris and Bahman Shahi - have lorded over this district. The historic walled city has the rare distinction of giving birth to two dynasties - the Rashtrakutas in the 8-9 centuries and Bahman dynasty in 1347 AD. The mighty Rashtrakutas had their capital at Manyakehta, now Malkhed, on the banks of River Kagna. The Rashtrakuta empire, presided over by Nrupatunga, was counted as one of the greatest empires in the world along with China, Baghdad and Constantinople.

It was during Nrupatunga’s period that Kannada’s first literary work `Kavirajamarga’ was produced here by Srivijaya. It acknowledges the high intellectual calibre of Kannadigas by stating that people without any formal education were capable of understanding and appreciating the intricacies of poetry and fine art.

Nagayi Ghatika in Chittapur taluk was one of the most well developed centres of excellence offering higher education in the vedas, sastras and other subjects in the 11th century. It was a residential university where pupils and teachers lived together. It was the most sought after higher education institution in the entire southern peninsula. Interestingly, it was in the Nagayi Ghatika that the earliest form of a well equipped library was developed and managed by a `Saraswati Bhandari’ - a professional librarian. It contained hundreds of manuscripts of vedas and sastras. The Ghatika had an intake of 250 students coming from various parts.
Gulbarga has the rare distinction of being the homeland of two great personalities - celebrated mathematician Mahaviracharya and the jurist of unparalleled intellect Vijnaneshwara. These are the two intellectuals who have made path breaking contributions in the field of Mathematics and Law & Justice respectively. Their works are relevant even to this day.

Mahaviracharya’s magnum opus `Ganitasarasangraha’, written in beautiful poetic form in Sanskrit around 850 AD discusses various aspects of arithmetic, geometry and algebra. It informed the world 1200 years ago that a proper fraction is the sum of  improper fractions, a negative number does not have a square root, besides floating a formula for finding the sum of complex progressions.

Legendary jurist of the 12th century, Vijnaneshwara, who hailed from Martur, about 16 km from Gulbarga, has a unique place in the history of Indian jurisprudence. His magnum opus `Mitakshara’, a commentary to the Yajnavalkya Smrithi, has still maintained its relevance in modern India. Mitakshara is regarded as the cornerstone for the development of Indian jurisprudence in general and Hindu Law in particular, and even today the high courts and the Supreme Court keep looking at Mitakshara to find solutions to tricky issues pertaining to property rights and succession matters. Dealing with both civil and criminal laws, the ideas of Vijnaneshwara have been found revolutionary. What is heartening is that the commentary written by a Gulbarga Kannadiga has remained the sole system of justice throughout the country right from 12th century.

Gulbarga has been the cradle of major religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Islam. At a time when English language was in wilderness in England, Kannada had attained a high literary status in this part through the Vachana Sahitya in the 11-12 century. Vachana Sahitya is the finest form of Kannada literature.

Hub of Islam
Gulbarga is one of the major Islamic centres of the country. The establishment of Bahman Kingdom by Hasan Gangu in 1347 AD paved the way for Islam in this part of the State. Sufi saint Khwaza Banda Nawaz is credited with sowing the seeds of Islam. The Persian scholar has written a number of books in Udru for the first time in the country during his stay here from 1407 to 1422.

A spurious copper plate epigraph of Badami Chalukyas and about 28 Persian and Arabic inscriptions belonging to Adilshahis and Mughals have been reported from the city. The city is full of Islamic monuments and structures such as forts, palaces, mosques, gumbazs, dargahs, chillas, bazars, etc. The Bahman capital was shifted to Bidar in 1424 during the reign of Ahmed Bahman Shah. In 1485 it was annexed to the Adilshahi kingdom of Bijapur. In 1657, with the invasion of Mir Jumbla, it passed into the hands of Mughals. Later it came under Hyderabad Nizam’s rule and became a part of Karnataka in 1956.

The strong and beautiful fort of Gulbarga is said to have been built by Raja Gulchand, a king from Warangal and later strengthened by Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah. Built in an area of 20 acres and a circumference of 3 km, it consists of two fortifications. It has a 30 ft deep moat around and 15 bastions with about 26 guns. One of the canons is about 25 ft long.

Marvellous mosque
The Jama Masjid, standing under open skies, braving the onslaughts of weather and generations, is a Marvellous mosque. It is the first of its kind in India and the second after Cardova in Spain. Built in 1367 by an architect from Iran during the regime of Mohammad-I, this mosque is not a traditional masjid for it does not have an open courtyard and a hauz. Supported by 140 pillars, 250 arches and 5 large domes of which the central dome is 63 ft in diameter, its interior surface is decorated with flowers and creepers. It is said to be a mixture of Persian and Indo-Islamic architectural traditions.

On Aland Road are located the tombs of Ala-ud-din Hasan Gangu, founder of Bahman dynasty, and Mohammed Bahman Shah-I. Similarly, gumbazs of Chand Bibi, Siddhi Ambari, Ismail Mokshi and Langar Mosque are also attractive constructions. The Khalandar Khan’s mosque of 15th century reminds the Jami Azar Mosque of Cairo in its beauty.

Banda Nawaz Dargah
Khwaza Banda Nawaz Dargah is one of the holiest dargahs of the country, attracting Muslim devotees in lakhs. It is a beautifully constructed dargah in memory of the sufi saint. The walls are decorated with sentences from Quran, painted in gold. The paintings are in Turkistani and  Iranian styles. The saint’s corporeal remains are preserved in it. The library contains about 10,000 rare books and manuscripts in Urdu, Persian and Arabic. It provides excellent resource materials for Islamic scholars and researchers. The annual urus of the sufi saint takes place in the 15th Zakaid month.

The Haft Gumbaz, located on the way to dargah, consists of the tombs of Bahamani rulers. Chor Gumbaz on Aland Road, believed to have a secret passage, is called as the `Gol Gumbaz’ of Gulbarga, as the monument echoes sounds at least seven times.

Sharana Basaveshwara Temple
Sri Sharana Basaveshwara, a prominent proponent of Veershaivism from Aralagundagi in Jewargi taluk, came to Gulbarga to make it his karmabhoomi. His trividha dasoh’ philosophy, put into practice by himself, helped thousands and lakhs in distress. A tower was constructed in his memory and the same has come to be known as Sharana Basaveshwara Temple.

The temple assumed its present form in 1912-15. It has been built incorporating the samadhi of Sharana Basaveshwara. It is an excellent piece of 20th century architecture. The annual jatra of Sharana Basaveshwara takes place on panchami after the Holi full moon day, lasting several days.

Education centre
Gulbarga has become one of the major education centres of the State. Though it was a major educational centre in ancient and medieval period during Islamic rule, it lost its primacy in education soon after and even after the reorganisation of the State, education remained in the back seat. Earlier it was under the Osmania university and after the formation of the State, it came under Karnataka University, Dharwad, till a separate university was formed in 1980.

It has two medical colleges, a homoeopathic and an ayurvedic medical college, three engineering colleges, a couple of dental colleges, nursing colleges, etc; HKE Homoeothatic Medical College is the first college in the State to offer degree courses in Homoeopathy.

Nutan Vidyalaya Society, which celebrated its centenary last year, is one of the earliest educational institutions of the State. The Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society, founded by Mahadevappa Rampure, has grown by leaps and bounds. The Sharana Basaveshwara Vidya Vardhak Sangh and the KBN Education Society are the other prominent educational institutions.