Bidar – Heritage Destinations in Karnataka
If you are on a tour across Karnataka and you are a digger of history, you would love the historical heritage destinations in Karnataka. One of the most prominent and famous of them is the Taluk of Bidar. It is situated in the northeast part of the Karnataka state. Standing around 2200 feet above the sea level, Bidar, facing the Manjira river valley, comes from a rich and varied historical background. It was one of the most prosperous south Indian cities during the 15th century.
The name of Bidar comes from the word ‘Bidiru’ that means Bamboo. From Bidiru, it was transformed into Bidaroor, then into Bidare and finally into Bidar.
Bidar was a significant part of the Vidharbha kingdom in Mahabharata. It was included within the Chalukyan Empire during the 10th century. It was also the capital of the Bahamani kingdom during the 14th century, forming a piece of the total group that included Bijapur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Golconda and Bidar. It later passed on to the hands of the Muslim ruler, Birad Shah. This led to some development to a new style of architecture among the upheaval of the times. It was later on conquered by the Yadavas (Devagiri) and followed by the Kakatiyas (Warangal).
Later on, Bidar was annexed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and it became a possession of the Nizam of Hyderabad during the 16th century. After India’s freedom in 1948, Hyderabad became a state in India. Later, it was incorporated in the Mysore state and was renamed as Karnataka. Bidar, with Koppal, Raichur and Gulbarga is collectively known as Hyderabad. Bellary, the ceded one to the British by the Nizam, is also counted among these.
Some of the tourist heritage destinations in Bidar, Karnataka are as follows:
Bidar Fort – Strongest of the forts of the contemporary, this fort is a sign of the strength of the Bahamani dynasty. In the year 1429, Ahmad Ali Shah built this fort and it has been some irksome object to the Mughal rulers who tried to conquer it.
Rangin Mahal Palace – It was set up by the Ali Barid Shah in the year 1500. It is intricately decorated with inlay work of pearls and calligraphy, and has a charming Persian influence to it, a last of its kind in Bidar.
Solah Khamb Mosque – Laid out with a few places around, this mosque is one of the most beautiful heritage destinations in Karnataka. With its dome-shaped structure, it is the oldest Muslim building in Bidar and predates the fort as well.
Guru Nanak Jhira – Gurudwara Bidar is one of the holiest places in Karnataka. Here Guru Nanak once came and relieved the place of its famine, by running a miracle of stream out of a crevice.
Papanasha Shiva Temple – According to the local belief, the Lord Shiva shrine was placed by the Lord Ram during his quest back from Lanka. It is a great tourist place and the Shivratri festival is worth watching.
Narasimha Zarna – When you have to wade through chest deep water, for about 300 meters deep into a cave, to have a glimpse of a deity, it is always more of a thrilling experience than a blissful one. That’s what you experience when visiting the Narasimha Jhira Cave Water temple.
Then you can never miss being on the Lord Veerabhadra Jatra (fair) in Humnabad village and Changlare village. Thousands of tourists attend this event just to get a view of the famous moving pillar.