Chitapur or Chittapur is a City and Taluk in Gulbarga District in the state of Karnataka, India. It is also the headquarters of the Chittapur taluk. It is famous for polished stones and toor dal,also recently it became famous as Vikram V Itagi fiancee',s hometown.
Geography
Chitapur is located at. It is situated on the main railway from Hyderabad to Mumbai, 50 km from Gulbarga district. It has an average elevation of 403 metres. The town is spread over an area of 3.5 km². Chitapur Taluk has borders only with other Taluks of Gulbarga district. It borders Gulbarga taluk to the north-west, Chincholi Taluk district to the north, Sedam taluk to the east, Yadgir Taluk to the south-east, Shahpur Taluk to the south and Jevargi Taluk to the west. Kagna river flows in this taluk.
Governance
The TMC has 23 wards and an equal number of councilors. Chittapur TMC stretches to an area of 17.45 km2
Demographics
As of 2001 Indiacensus, Chitapur had a population of 26,974. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Chitapur has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 54% and female literacy of 38%. 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Chitapur Nagavi village in Chitapur Taluk was the location of a ghatika which is an ancient education centre for higher learning.
Sannati village in Chitapur Taluk along the banks of the riverBhima where rock edicts of the period of the King Ashoka and a possible early Buddhist settlement has been excavated.
Kanaganahalli ; also on the banks of the river Bhima is the place where an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa site has been excavated.
History
The town has the famous and ancient Nagavi University at the southern part of the town, which operated between the 10 and 13th centuries. There are ruined temples and mosques scattered all around this area probably belongs to Rashtrakoot Empire. Capital Malkhed of Rashtrakoot is located east of Chittapur about 14 km. Chittapur town has its own historic background of Nagavelambika Temple and Hajarat Chittavali shaha Darga. The Town Municipal Council Chittapur was constituted in 1952.
Excavations
In 1986, when the roof of the Kali temple in Chandralamba temple complex collapsed, it destroyed the idol. However it revealed four Ashokan edicts on the floor and foundation stone of the temple. These edicts were written in the Prakrit language and Brahmi script and one of them was used as foundation of the pedestal for the Kali idol. During subsequent excavations by Archaeological Survey of India and the State Archaeology Department, tablets, sculptures, and other terracotta items were found, and most importantly numerous limestone panels of sculptures of the ruined 'Maha Stupa' or Adholoka Maha Chaitya were found. Archaeologists believe that Ranamandal was a fortified area, spread over 86 hectares, out of which only 2 acres had been excavated by 2009. Clay pendants of Roman origin, black polished pottery, Shatavahana and pre-Shatavahana coins, ornaments made of copper, ivory and iron, a township with paved pathways, houses, and limestone flooring have been found. Many excavated items were later shifted to Gulbarga Museum. The government has asked the Archaeological Survey of India to take up further exploration of the Ranamandal area to know the history of the region emperor. In 2010, ASI along with Sannati Development Authority deputed Manipal Institute of Technology to prepare a blueprint for restoration and reconstruction of the stupas.
