Raichur: a jewel of North Karnataka

Located right between the legendary rivers of Tungabhadra and Krishna is the ancient and historically important city of Raichur. Many kingdoms ruled this city, from the Bahmani Sultanates to Vijayanagar kings to the Hoysalas before the city ended up with the Nizams of Hyderabad. In fact, Raichur was a part of the Hyderabad State till the re-organisation of State on November 1, 1956. Age-old inscriptions found in Belur mention a place called ‘Rachanoor’ which is the present-day Raichur. The name was originally ‘Rayachooru’, which literally translate to ‘king’s place’.

Must-visit places

Raichur Fort: Start your Raichur sojourn by visiting the imposing fort which was built by the Kakatiya rulers in 1294 AD. The major attractions of this fort include a 41-ft-long stone slab that has ancient records in Telugu, and a massive iron cannon. The fort also has many stone inscriptions in Persian and Arabic languageS.

Ek Minar ki Masjid: This is a one-of-its-kind mosque built in Persian style of architecture. True to its name, it has a two-storied 20-m-high minaret from where you can view the entire city.

Aam Talab: Also called as Mavina Kere, Aam Talab is a popular tourist attraction of Raichur. Records suggest that this lake was built during the Kakatiya dynasty in 1294 AD.

Ramagadde: Situated about 23 km from Raichur, Ramagadde is a scenic island. Legends say that Lord Rama stayed on this island for about a year during which he worshipped a shivalinga.

Must-eats

Apart from places within the city, there are many interesting sights around Raichur such as Manvi, Maski, Devasugur, Kallur and more.

North Karnataka is famous for jolada rotti oota, so indulge in some yummy jolada rotti with all the fixings such as spice powders, chutneys, salads, curries and more in any of the numerous khanavalis in Raichur. You can also enjoy sajji rottis (bajra rotti) here.

Raichur is also famous for fried treats such as mirchi and brinjal bhajjis. Head to the main market to relish these hot treats. You can also buy some spice powders such as chutney pudi and belluli pudi (garlic powder) from here.