Kalaburagi also known as ‘Kalumbarigi’ or ‘Kalubarige’ in old inscriptions is one of the important towns of Hyderabad Karnataka region. It is situated at a distance of about 613 km by road north of Bangalore and 643 km by railway on Chennai-Mumbai line. The place is well connected to Mumbai and Bangalore (overnight journey) Hyderabad, about 220 km from Kalaburagi.

In Persian ‘Gul’ means ‘flower’, ‘Burg’ means ‘leaf, the name given during Muslim rule. In Kannada, ‘Kalburgi’ means a stony land or stone roofing. In 1873, under the Nizam’s rule Kalaburagi was made a district place and was made the divisional headquarters since 1956 after the reorganization of the states. Kalaburagi town assumed great importance during the Bahmani rule and it was the capital city of Ala-ud-din Bahmanshah from 1347 and continued as capital till 1426 when the capital was shifted to Bidar.

The Bahmanshahs built the city tastefully with palaces, elegant mosques, bazaars and other public buildings. The city is a great centre of Indo-Sarcenic art with its majestic fortification, fine palaces. mosques and dargahs.

The largest in area in Karnataka having 16,224 sq km of territory and ten taluks, with the population of 3,130,922 (2001), Kalaburagi district is on the Deccan plateau with very rich traditions. It has Malkhed, the former capital of the Rashtrakutas and Kalaburagi, the former capital of the Bahmani Sultans (from 1347 to 1626) and their rule has given rich legacy to their region. The discovery of Sannati, a Shatavahana site having also Ashokan edicts and the remains of Buddhist stupas has shown the antiquity of its written history in addition to many pre-historic sites. The rule of the Kalyana Chalukyas have left behind wonderful monuments at Kalgi, Nagai, Sedam etc. There are many Rashtrakuta temples at Nagavi. The Bahmanshahis and Bijapur rulers have their grand structures like mausoleums and mosques. Of these, those at Kalaburagi have a place of pride in Indo-Sarcenic style, representing a separate school which later further articulated itself at Bidar and at Ashtur near Bidar. Of the dargahs those at Gogi, Chincholi, Yadgir, Nagavi, Sedam etc. are famous and some of them are artistic. The forts at Kalaburagi and Malkhed are notable monuments, beckoning the trekkers and adventure lovers.

The Krishna and her tributary, the Bhima and minor rivulets like the Amarja and the Mullamari have added to the natural beauty to the district. The Chandrampalli dam across the Chincholi is turning this dry district green.. The district is known for its limestone deposits, helping the coming up of many cement factories. The Shahbad stone slabs used for flooring are very famous.

There is one railway line passing through the district from the south to the north, connecting Chennai with Bombay. Wadi is a junction with one more line leading to Secunderabad from there. The road network and transport facilities in the district are fairly good. The place has the famous centre of Dattatreya worship at Ganagapur. Shakti worship is popular at Sannati. The samadhis of Sharanabasappa Appa are not only venerable to the Veerashaivas but to all other communities.. There is a Jaina centre at Jevargi. Malkhed has the samadhi of Madhwa saint Jayateertha (Teekacharya). The district is approachable from Hyderabad and Raichur by railway and by bus from Bijapur.
There are direct and train connection from Bangalore to Kalaburagi.