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NARGUND

Nargund or Naragunda is a town in Gadag district, Karnataka. Nargund is around 50 km north-west of Gadag.

The name Naragunda means hills of jackals. The astrologist and a Jain Sridharacharya from this town was the author of Jatakatilaka.

A fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji is the prime attraction here. Nearby towns include Belavaniki (east) and Navalgund (south).

Nargund was ruled by the Venkat Rao of the Bhave dynasty during the late 18th century on behalf of the Maratha Peshwas of Poona. Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore subjugated it in 1778. It was attacked by Tipu Sultan in 1784. The Marathas and the Bhave family and the Pethe family (who were their accountants) were humiliated by means of brutal torture and rape at the hands of Tipu's commanders. They were imprisoned in Mysore until their release in 1799 by the Marathas. They returned to Nargund.

Two forts of Ramdurg Fort and Nargund Fort were built by Shivaji ca. 1675. They were taken by Aurangzeb in 1691-92 and recaptured in 1706-07 by Ramrao Dadaji Bhave. In 1728, Ramrao, who already had been granted the title of Pant Sachiv by Sambhaji of Kolhapur, began managing the estate with the help of his nephew Dadaji. On his death in 1740 while on a pilgrimage to Benares, his son Yogirao had his cousin Dadaji murdered, "an act which led to a long-continued feud between both branches of the family." In 1761, the family succeeded in having the Peshwa grant the estates jointly to Yogirao and Dadaji’s son Bhaskarrao. The family arrangement was that Bhaskarrao would manage the estates and pay an allowance to the other branch for their support. The arrangement continued in effect until 1786 when Tippu Sultan took over Nargund and the family scattered, the chief and his immediate family being taken as prisoners to Mysore.

Nargund is also famous for its cotton crop.

HOW TO REACH NARGUND
Hubli Airport is 60 km south-west of Nargund. Gadag Junction Railway is the nearest railhead. State Highway 30 passes through Nargund.