Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tucked away in Karnataka's far northeastern corner, Bidar is a little gem that most travel-
lers choose to ignore, and no one quite knows why. At most an afterthought on some itin-
eraries, this old walled town - first the capital of the Bahmani kingdom (1428-87) and
later the capital of the Barid Shahi dynasty - is drenched in history. That aside, it's home
to some amazing ruins and monuments, including the colossal Bidar Fort, the largest in
South India. Wallowing in neglect, Bidar sure commands more than the cursory attention
it gets today. The old town has a conservative Islamic feel to it.
Sights
Bidar Fort
( 9am-5pm)
Keep aside a few hours for peacefully wandering around the remnants
of this magnificent 15th-century fort. Sprawled across rolling hills 2km east of Udgir Rd,
it was once the administrative capital of much of southern India. Surrounded by a triple
moat hewn out of solid red rock and 5.5km of defensive walls (the second longest in In-
dia), the fort has a fairy-tale entrance that twists in an elaborate chicane through three
gateways.
While entry to the fort is free, the catch is you'll need a guide (?150 to ?200) to unlock
the gates to the most interesting ruins within the fort. These include the
Rangin Mahal
(Pain-
ted Palace), which sports elaborate tilework, teak pillars and panels with mother-of-pearl
inlay, the
Solah Khamba Mosque
(Sixteen-Pillared Mosque) and
Tarkash Mahal
with exquistive
Islamic inscriptions and wonderul roof-top views.
There's also a small
museum
in the former royal bath with local artefacts and crude
wooden rifles. Clerks at the
archaeological office
beside the museum often double as guides.
FORT
Bahmani Tombs
( dawn-dusk)
The huge domed tombs of the Bahmani kings in Ashtur, 3km east of Bidar,
have a desolate, moody beauty that strikes a strange harmony with the rolling hills around
them. These impressive mausoleums were built to house the remains of the sultans - their
graves are still regularly draped with fresh satin and flowers - and are arranged in a long
line along the edge of the road. The painted interior of Ahmad Shah Bahman's tomb is the
most impressive, and is regularly prayed in.
About 500m prior to reaching the tombs, to the left of the road, is
Choukhandi
(admission
free;
HISTORIC SITE
dawn-dusk)
, the serene mausoleum of Sufi saint Syed Kirmani Baba, who travelled
