Belgaum

Belgaum got its name from Venugrama, meaning "bamboo village". The most ancient place in Belgaum district is Halsi, once the capital of a dynasty of nine Kadamba kings. In 1776 the city was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore, but was retaken by the Peshwa with British assistance. In 1818 it was handed over to the British East India Company, and made district of Sangli state. The weather of Belgaum is pleasant, owing to its hilly topography. Summers (April–June) are mildly hot and winters are cool (November–February). It experiences heavy southwestern monsoon rains during July–September. It receives as much as 1250 mm of rain annually. Both Kannada and Marathi are spoken in Belgaum, with a sizable population also speaks Urdu. Since the language choice can be a source of contention in the region, use English or Hindi where possible.