The Hindu : Karnataka News : A historical fort in disrepair Living Heritage

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Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

A historical fort in disrepair Living Heritage

Bidanur Fort saw the growth of the Keladi dynasty

ONCE STRONG: Bidanur Fort is in need of protection.

Efforts are under way to preserve the famous Bidanur Fort at Nagar in Hosanagar taluk of Shimoga district. An authority has been set up by the Shimoga district administration to take up the development of not only this fort but also other places of tourist interest in the vicinity as part of a tourism development programme.

Veerabhadra Nayaka (1629-1645) of the illustrious Keladi dynasty built the fort in 1640 after the fall of Ikkeri, the original capital of the dynasty at the hands of the Bijapur Sultan. The fort, which saw the growth of power of the Keladi dynasty, now stands as a monument to two-and-half centuries of its rule.

Shivappa Nayaka, Veerabhadra’s uncle, succeeded him in 1645 AD as the latter had no sons. Considered the most benevolent among the Keladi rulers, Shivappa Nayaka did much to improve and enlarge the capital. His successors ruled there until its fall in 1763 AD to Haidar Ali. Though he renamed Nagar as Haidar Nagar, it became the practice to call it simply as Nagar, a name in vogue to this day. The fort, which is also known as the Shivappa Nayaka fort, offered excellent protection. The fort is entered by a gateway supported by two round bastions. The courtyard inside shows signs of a former guard room. Inside the third wall is a large open court facing which is a terrace overlooking the fort.

Here appears to have stood the fort palace or citadel of Shivappa Nayaka. Keladi Channammaji (1672-1697), the celebrated queen of the Keladi dynasty, succeeded her husband, Somasekhar Nayaka, and ruled the kingdom from this fort with great distinction up to 1697.

She came into prominence when she offered political asylum and protection to Raja Ram, son of the famous Maratta warrior Shivaji in 1685. After the assassination of her husband, there were intrigues, rivalries and internal fights in which some agents of the Sultan of Bijapur had a hand. She tactfully thwarted them and restored order. When the forces of Aurangzeb invaded Bidanur she fought with courage for several days, finally losing to a powerful army in the war.

Pramod Melligatti in Shimoga

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