Gokak
Gokak or Gōkāka is a taluka headquarters in the Belagavi district of Karnataka state, India. It is located around 70 km from Belagavi at the confluence of the Ghataprabha and Markandeya rivers. The population of the city is approximately 253,000, according to the 2021 census. Gokak city has the second highest GDP in the district of Belagavi after Belagavi city. Kannada is the commonly spoken language.
Gokak is surrounded on one side by a range of hills, and on the other by a vast plain of black soil. The river Ghataprabha flows from the north side of the city and cascades down through a cleft of 167 ft, to form Gokak Falls before flowing through the city. Since the colonial era, the a hydroelectric station under the waterfall has been used to power Gokak Mills, one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of yarn in India. The river Markandeya, a tributary of the Ghataprabha, dashes down through 43 ft step wise hill plates to form Godachinamalaki Falls.
History
Gokak is a place of philosophical and historical significance. According to Hindu Purans, Gokak was a part of Kuntala Country; it was the land of hunting tribes. During historical period many emperors had ruled the Gokak areas: Shatavahanas ruled it during 327 BC to 229 CE, the Western Chalukyas ruled it during 550 CE to610 CE, then it was also ruled by Rashtrakutas and Kalyana Chalukyas; the subordinate-kings of Rashtrakutas called Rattas too ruled Gokak Province during 850 CE to1250 CE under Rashtrakutas as well Kalyana Chalukyas, during their reign, temples and Basadies were built at Konnur, Gokak-Falls, Gokak and Mamadapur. Devagiri Yadavas captured this area after defeating Rattas but the Sultanas of Delhi captured it after defeating Yadavas. Then, it was controlled by many emperors namely Kampili Raya, Vijayanagara, Bidar's Bahamani kings, Bijapur Sultans, Mughals, Hyderali, Tippu Sultan, Maratha Ghorpade and Peshwas; in 1818 CE British captured Gokak by defeating Peshwas. Gokak city became Municipality in 1853 CE, it is second oldest Municipality in Karnataka State. The monuments build during Hindu, Jain and Muslim rules are still found at Gokak and its surroundings. There was a dispute and a battle as well in between Rani Abbakka and Gokak Kotwals who ruled the city in the 16th century. A fort which is in ruins can still be seen at the western side of the city. The Mallikarjun temple, also known affectionately as the "Malikjaan dargha", stands atop a hill, also called the Mallikarjun hill. The tomb of the of Kittur Mallasarja is at the nearby Duradundeshwar temple in Arabhavi Math. During the British rule in India, the Forbes Gokak Spinning Mill was set up in 1887 in Gokak Falls which is located about 6 km north-west of Gokak. It was modernised over decades and is functional till date being a major source of economy for the city. A hydroelectric power plant was also set up in Gokak Falls in 1887, is one of the oldest projects of a kind in the region. The first Hydroelectricity was generated here in Gokak Falls in whole Asia continent.Gokak taluka contributed to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund which was meant for humanitarian assistance for the Indian Ocean tsunami victims. Child Development Project Officer Mr P N Patil who addressed a press conference had disclosed that it was decided to donate a day's salary of government officials towards the relief fund. The employees of Forbes-Gokak textile industry also contributed about INR 7 lakh. Gokak is also known for its old Hindu Temples. The most famous once are Mahalingeshwara temple, Savalagi Shivalinga Matha, Kadasiddeshwar Matha Konnur-Maradimath, Yogikolla temple and Duradundeshwara temple in Arabhavi. Mahalingeshwara temple is well-known and is located on the Ghataprabha Riverside near Gokak water-falls. The temple is a large and sprawling structure built in the later Chalukyan style of architecture. The temple has a garbhagriha,, an ardhamantapa and a spacious but open mukhamantapa. The sanctum with its tall Shikara adorned with exquisite sculptures is a sight to behold. It faces north, an unusual orientation for Shiva temples. On the sides of the Ghataprabha River there are several temples apart from Mahalingeshwara temple that date back to the period of the later Chalukyas of Kalyana who ruled portions of the Deccan from the 10th to the 12th centuries.
The city is growing rapidly in terms of industries, business, as well as the fields of education, arts, literature and folk-art. It is associated with famous Kannada writers and thinkers such as Shri Krishna Murty Puranik, Anand Kanda, Prof K. Sharanappa, Dr. S. B. Totad, Dr. Arjun Y. Pangannavar https://www.educreation.in/author/arjunypangannavar/Basavaraj Kattimani, Prof. Kundanagar Rngler, D.C. Pawate and Raghavendra Patil. Many popular folk-artists such as Padmashri Dr.Chandrashekar Kambar, Ningayya Swami Pujari, Ishwarappa Minachi, Yallappa Pujeri, Dr. Hatapaki and Ishwarachandra Betageri are also associated with the town. Gokak has a world famous waterfall known as Gokak Falls.Dr. Arjun Y. Pangannavar has authored 35+ books on economics and literature, his latest contribution is "Shrimad Valmiki Ramayan Mahakaavya-Darshanm: Literature- Epic Poem, 2021.
Gokak is also renowned for its sweets, which are known all over India, such as Karadantu, a sweet richly stuffed with nuts and edible gum, and.
Etymology
Gokak was basically an 'Agrahar' founded in pre-historic period, place of tribal people/jungle people then ruled by Rattas, Bijapur Sultans, Tippu-Sultan and British and became Municipality in 1853, next to Belgaum City. It derives its name from Goki trees that grow abundantly in the region as well as it was the place of 'Cow Grazers. Gokak does not have an anglicised name. Gokak is also the last name for many people, most notably the famous scholar V. K. Gokak. The city is also known for "Gokak Kotwals" who ruled the town in the 16th century and had disputes and fought a battle as well with Rani Abbakka at the time.Dispute regarding district status
Bifurcation of Belgaum district, which includes a total of 16 talukas, has been a longstanding issue. Being the second largest city in Belgaum district, Gokak has been a strong contender for a separate administrative district. Most of these protests in Gokak have been peaceful, however sometimes these protests have turned out to be violent leading to the damage of public property. The protests are held in neighbouring towns surrounding Gokak also.In October 2008, Bandh was declared in Gokak to demand the District status. All the educational institutions, business establishments, Movie theatres and other trading centres remained closed. The North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation had suspended its transportation services throughout the day but resumed them in the evening.
The P. C Gaddigoudar committee, set up by the state government, recommended formation of Gokak district which would include the talukas of Gokak, Hukkeri, Raybag, Chikkodi and Athani with its sub-divisions at Gokak and Chikkodi, respectively. As of early 2012 no decision has been made regarding bifurcation.
Geography
Gokak is second biggest city after Belgaum city in Belgaum district and is surrounded by the Western Ghats. The Ghataprabha River, which has water almost throughout the year, is the chief source of agricultural and drinking water for local people living in the surrounding villages. It has an average elevation of 553 metres. The city is situated in the central part of Belgaum district which is located in northwestern parts of Karnataka and lies at the border of two states, Maharashtra in the north and Goa on the west. It is located at a distance of 540 km from Bangalore which is the capital city of the state of Karnataka. Gokak comes under Tropical deciduous moist belt in south central India. Majority of the soil in Gokak taluka is composed of laterite soil and small amounts of black soil is found as well.Vegetation of Gokak can be classified into dry deciduous forests which is generally found scattered in the central and eastern parts of Belgaum district. Domestic animals which are directly dependent on plants can be found in the region. They are used for agricultural as well as transportation purposes in rural areas. Ground water resources are also extensively tapped in remote areas which are not easily accessible to canals and rivers. It has also been found that about 40% of area in Belgaum district has a higher concentration of nitrates in drinking water due to extensive dependency on fertilisers for agriculture. According to a geological survey, ground water in Gokak has a pH of about 8.6 with desirable limits being 6.5 to 8.5. The region around Gokak contains large quantities of gneisses rock which ultimately gives rise to clay deposits. Region lying to the north of Gokak consist of sandstones and quartzite that form low ridges. The manganese deposits occur in Belgaum district between Londa and Gokak taluka. Building stones and moulding sand are available around Khanapur & Gokak in Belgaum district.
Climate
Being situated in central region of Belgaum district which lies in the rugged terrain of north-western Karnataka, Gokak is well known for its pleasant warm climate throughout the year except for the winter. Gokak receives rainfall from both the northeast and the southwest monsoons and the wettest months are June–September. It has the Tropical savannah with dry winter climatic conditions. December & January are generally cold as compared to the rest of year. The coldest month is January with an average low temperature of 15.2 °C and the hottest month is April with an average high temperature of 35.7 °C. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 14 °C, and summer temperatures seldom exceed 34–35 °C.Demographics
India census, Gokak had a population of 135,166. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Gokak has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 60%. In Gokak, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Kannada is the common language in the region, however other languages like Urdu are spoken by a small population. According to the 2011 census Gokak had a SC and ST population of about 7216 and Below Poverty Line population of about 12203. Total population living in slums was about 7496. The literacy rate in men and women as of 2011 was about 76% and 68% respectively which is a little above national average.Majority of the population in Gokak follows Hinduism. The religions represented in Belgaum district include Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Christians along with Sikhs, Buddhists and others making up the rest of the population.