Bidar, India

Welcome to Bidar, a beautiful city located in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. With a population of over 2 lakh, Bidar is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. Despite being located 744 km (462 mi) from the state capital Bangalore, Bidar is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider Bidar Metropolitan area, and it is likely to get upgraded to a municipal corporation in the next 5 years. This city is home to many sites of architectural, historical and religious importance, making it a prominent place on the Archaeological Map of India. Among the many heritage sites in and around Bidar, the Bidar fort is one of the most famous. It is more than 500 years old and still standing strong, showcasing the city’s rich heritage. The fort is just one of 61 monuments listed by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, of which about 30 are tombs located in and around Bidar city, hence the city’s nickname, City of Whispering Monuments. In recent years, Bidar has become a popular destination for film shooting, with Bollywood and the Kannada film industry making regular visits. Bidar is also home to the second biggest Indian Air Force training centre in the country, the IAF Station Bidar, which is used for advanced jet training of prospective fighter pilots on BAe Hawk aircraft. Besides its historical and cultural significance, Bidar is also known for its Bidri handicraft products, its rich history, and is considered one of the holiest places for Sikh pilgrimage. Unlike other places in the region, Bidar is the coldest and wettest place in north Karnataka. In 2009–10, Bidar was ranked 22nd among the cleanest cities in India and the 5th cleanest in Karnataka. The whole city is integrated with a 4 lane road, with SH4 passing through Bidar. The name Bidar appears to be derived from ‘bidiru’ which means bamboo, and it was also referred to as Bhadrakot. Bidar’s recorded history goes back to the 3rd century B.C. when it was a part of the Mauryan Empire. After the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Kadambas, and Chalukyas of Badami and later the Rashtrakutas reigned over Bidar territory. The Chalukyas of Kalyana and Kalachuris of Kalyanis also re-conquered the area. For a brief period after Kalyani Chalukyas, the area of Bidar was under the Seunas of Devagiri and Kakatiyas of Warangal. The Delhi Sultanate invaded the area first by Allauddin Khilji, and later, Muhammed-bin-Tughluq took control of the entire Deccan including Bidar. In the middle of the 14th century, the Sultan of Delhi’s officers, who were stationed in Deccan, rebelled and this resulted in the establishment of Bahmanid Dynasty in 1347 A.D. at Gulbarga/Hasanabad (present Kalaburagi). There was frequent warfare between the Bahmanids and the Vijaynagar Kingdom. The history of the present fort at Bidar is attributed to the sultan Ahmed Shah Wali Bahmani, the sultan of the Bahmani dynasty till 1427 when he shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar since it had better climatic conditions and was also a fertile and fruit-bearing land. The earliest recorded history of its existence as a small and strong fort is also traced to prince Ulugh Khan in 1322, whereafter it came under the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty. With the establishment of the Bahmanid dynasty (1347), Bidar was occupied by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah Bahmani. During the rule of Ahmad Shah I (1422–1486), Bidar was made the capital city of Bahmani Kingdom. The old fort was rebuilt and madrasas, mosques, palaces, and gardens were raised. Mahmud Gawan, who became the prime minister in 1466, was a notable figure in the history of Bidar. Bidar remained under the Barid Shahi dynasty until the Bijapur Sultanate