Karnataka State has been ruled by many rulers, kings and kingdoms. The witnesses of the kingdoms such as palaces, inscriptions, temples, monuments and forts legacy of the extinct dynasties. Among these Devanahalli Fort has its own charm in the State.
In the midst of this massive change Devanahalli natives with even small pieces of land registered to them profited a great deal. Small time farmers with farm land next to the fort were offered upwards of Rs. 50 lakh for one acre. Most people decided to give in and sell to the highest bidders. Devanahalli therefore has become a unique place where one can buy a coffee from an upscale coffee shop and saunter over to a temple built in the 16th century. Every turn in the road can lead one right to the front door of an ancient home or a temple.
Signboards strategically placed point tourists in the direction of the Fort and the temples nearby. A deceptively narrow lane leads up to the entrance of the actual Fort. Signboards in Hindi, Kannada and English declare the Fort as being the birthplace of Tipu Sultan.
Spread over an area of 20 acres, the Fort is a magnificent reminder of the power that the rulers held since the 15th century. The Fort’s history begins with a small family of refugees who fled from Kanchi (Conjeevaram at that time). Their leader, Rana Baire Gowda dreamt of a harmonious settlement in the region where the current Fort stands. His illustrious son Malla Baire Gowda was responsible for founding the towns of Doddabllapura, Chikkaballapura and Devanahalli.
The area where the Fort stands today passed from one royal patronage to another through time, from the Gangawadi to the Rashtrakutsa to the Nolamba and then subsequently to the Cholas, Pallavas, Vijayanagara and Hoysala rulers. The land saw several royal patronages till the Fort was constructed from mud by Malla Baire Gowda with the consent of Devaraya, the ruler of the area that was known as Devnanadoddi at that time.
The Wodeyars soon conquered the Fort in 1747 under the command of Nanja Raja. The Marathas soon took over from the Wodeyars, only to lose it to Haider Ali. The Fort as it stands today was a vision that came to life because of Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan.
The oval structure roughly faces East with at least 12 bastions spaced out across the Fort at regular intervals. The East and West entrances have cut plasterwork adorning them. Although the entrances seem small by today’s standards, they were large enough to allow horses to comfortably pass through.
The Fort as it stands today is a frame-worthy picture of a period long lost in the sands of time. The walls, the bastions and the entryways have seen numerous eras and people of all kinds walk through them. Simply experiencing the sudden calm within the walls of the Fort is reason enough to visit.
Tourists look at the Fort as a piece of history and something that needs to be preserved. For the locals the Fort and the temples are a part of their everyday lives. Little children play hide and seek in the long forgotten courtyards while old men sit around swapping tales of the days that have long gone by. Life for Devanahalli locals continues as it has done for many eons with small changes creeping in through the cracks in the Fort’s walls.
Bengaluru, Nandi Hills, and KIA are the nearby places one can visit during Devanahalli Fort trip. It can be visited throughout the year.
