| Bhalki | |
| Native Name Lang: | kn |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Image Caption: | Bhalki Fort |
| Image Alt: | hh |
| Pushpin Map: | India Karnataka |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Karnataka, India |
| Coordinates: | 18.05°N 77.21°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Karnataka |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Bidar |
| Established Title: | Municipal Council constituted |
| Established Date: | 1953 |
| Named For: | Bhallunke |
| Government Type: | Town Municipal Council |
| Governing Body: | Urban Local Body |
| Leader Title: | President of Town Municipal Council |
| Leader Name: | Mr. Basavaraj Vanke[1] |
| Leader Title2: | Chief Officer |
| Leader Name2: | Mr. Rathod Shivraj Naik[2] |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 8 |
| Elevation M: | 587 |
| Population Total: | 78,974 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | Bhalkinavaru |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Kannada |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 585328 |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
| Area Code: | 91 08484 |
| Registration Plate: | KA-39 |
| Website: | www.bhalkitown.mrc.gov.in |
Bhalki is a town in Bidar district in the Indian state of Karnataka.It is 30 km from Bidar.It is the headquarters of Bhalki taluka panchayat.It is well connected by roadways and railways The karanja river one of the main river of Bidar district flows through bhalki taluka.
First mention of the town was made as "Bhallunke" in the vachanas of 12th century sharanas. The sharana Kumbara Gundaiah was from Bhalki who was part of Bhakthi movement.
[3] Bhalki's importance in the 1857 war is played out at the very end of the war, when one of Tatya Tope's followers is arrested and tried by the Nizam, in 1867. This person was Madho Rao, alias Rama Rao, the nephew of Shrimant Shahu Chatrapati, the Maharaja of Satara. He was also known as Jung Bahadur, as referred by Sir Richard Temple in his diaries. During a search, officials discovered that Jung Bahadur carried several papers in English and Marathi, translation of a deed of agreement and a seal saying he was the `Chatrapati of Satara'.
Jung Bahadur raised an army of over 1500 people in and around the forests of Bhalki, spending up to 20,000 Rupees. and gave 200 Rupees to his follower Deva Rao to recruit 500 soldiers. A jamadar got a monthly salary of 40 Rupees, a sepoy 30 Rupees and a sawar 10 Rupees. He recruited soldiers in the villages issuing them Kaulnamas or appointment letters, in which he asked young men to join him in the task of "murdering the British and regaining the lost glory of the Royal family of Satara". Jung Bahadur and his followers moved on foot from village to village, disguised as mendicants.
He caused great damage to the British government, and captured a cantonment area called Ashti in Bidar district. He and his main followers were eventually arrested by two officers of the British resident in Hyderabad state. Their trial however, was conducted by the Nizam’s courts. The Magistrate of the criminal court, Moulvi Nasrullah Khan, completed the trial in less than a month, charging them with "trying to bring about insurrection against the empire".
Jung Bahadur, Bheem Rao, Balakishtayya and Vithoba were sentenced to transportation to life. Jung Bahadur is said to have spent his last days in the Hyderabad prison, where he died. His followers Yeshwanta and Jehangir Ali were sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. Others like Eshwanna Naikwadi and Vir Peddappa were given minor punishments.
Bhalki is located at .[4] It has an average elevation of 587 metres (1925 feet).
India census,[5] Bhalki town has a population of 40,333. Bhalki has literacy rate of 80.34%, higher than the state average of 75.36%; with 87.52% of the males and 72.72% of the females literate. 12.12% of the population is under 6 years of age. Female Sex Ratio is of 945 against state average of 973. Child Sex Ratio in Bhalki is around 974 compared to Karnataka state average of 948. Kannada language is spoken by the majority of the population. Marathi & Urdu are also spoken by some.
Bhalki is 40 km from District headquarters Bidar. It is well connected by road to major towns in Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra.
Bhalki's railway station is connected by trains available from and to Hyderabad, Bidar, Latur, Purna, Nanded, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai, Shirdi, Bangalore, Kazipet, Guntur, Kakinada, Machilipatnam and Tirupati. Bhalki comes under the South Central Railways zone of the Indian Railways; it is part of the Secunderabad Division.
Bhalki is the center place in district which equally connect to other talukas (Bidar, Basavakalyan, Aurad B, Humnabad) including Udgir, and Shahajani Aurad in Maharashtra.