Messrs. Fuste and Mehta introduced us to History at school. They wrote a drab book, filled with names, dates, events and badly printed illustrations. It was mind-numbing and uninteresting enough to put us off the subject. That's the way it remained, till much later I got wind of narrative history and some brilliant writing to revive my interest.
Bidar was a name that stuck from Fuste and Mehta. Fiddling around on an uneventful Sunday, I became curious when Google map threw up Bidar just 126 kms from Hyderabad, my present base.
Sanjay Sandilya, an old friend, joined me on an early morning start in my Swift for a day trip to Bidar.
A two and a half hour ride, with a leisurely breakfast thrown in midway at the passable Mahindra Resorts, brought us to Bidar. We traversed through ORR and NH9 before diverting at Zaheerabad onto a quaint 26 kms stretch of state highway that leads to Bidar.
Where on earth is Bidar?
In today's map of India, Bidar occupies a unique location. It is technically a part of Karnataka; in fact, the northern-most town in the state. The state capital, Bangalore, lies a distant 690 kms away.The Telengana border is just 3 kms outside the town, The closest capital city is Hyderabad. The peculiarity of Bidar's location may be gauged from the uniform mix of vehicles there bearing registration numbers of Karnataka, Telengana and Maharashtra. We even noted an auto-load of pilgrims arriving from the neighbouring state (sign at the back of the auto :`Latur City').
In local government lingo Bidar (pop: 211,000) is the 22nd cleanest town in India. In layman's parlance, it is just like any other dusty small town dotting our country. Abdul Karim, our local guide, mentioned that Bidar once had a population of a million during the Nizam era. Goes to show which way migration progressed over time, as Bidar dwindled in significance.
In recent years Bidar has acquired a mini-Manipal status. The proliferation of educational institutions at all levels bears testimony to this aspect.
A bit of history
Bidar's existence dates back several centuries to the Mauryas, through the Satavahanas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, till the Deccan was annexed by the rulers of Delhi. The Muslim officers under the command of Delhi thereafter rebelled and established the Bahmani kingdom in the 14th century. Allauddin Shah, the Bahmani sultan, shifted his capital from nearby Gulbarga to Bidar in 1427, and Bidar attained its heights in this period under the Bahmanis and then the Barid Shahis.
In and around Bidar
The locals eulogise a former `Commissioner Saab' named Harish Gupta. They sing praises of his efforts to restore landmark monuments of Bidar and to boost the famous `bidri work' industry that originated here. They remain in awe of how he and his wife made their daily rounds of the town to oversee the progress of restoration, and how they mingled withe the hoi polloi `without gunmen' for protection!
Bidar Fort
Bidar Fort was the citadel of the Bahmani kingdom and the rulers that followed. It lay in serious disrepair till eight years ago, when ASI took over and commenced restoration. Progress has been slow and laboured. But further deterioration has been arrested. To provide an idea of its expanse, the walls of the fort measure 4 kms in circumference, interspersed with seven imposing gateways. Visitors are allowed access to the fort between 9AM and 5PM. There is no entry fee. Significant parts of the fort are out of bounds and remain under lock and key. Apart from a young foreigner couple (Lord only knows what brought them here!), we were the only visitors on a Saturday morning. Any other land, and you would have been guaranteed streams of visitors lining up to buy expensive tickets for entry to a site of this stature. Sanjay put his `gentle art of persuasion' to play with the ASI guardians. My serious looks and our photography equipment did the rest. We were allowed access to the inner chambers, escorted! The guardian who gave the nod was in a chatty mood. He talked at length of his 32 year association with the fort. He had started as a daily wage earner in 1985, and was given a formal appointment by ASI in 1997. He has been witness to the derelict state of Bidar Fort, a den of anti-socials and gamblers, before ASI moved in. He estimates that a fort which requires at least 30 full-time employees for upkeep and security has only eight today. A fort museum that contains an impressive array of items was to be opened last year. `It is 74% complete. The remaining 26% is in limbo on account of lack of directive from the government. And so we continue to wait'. But his stories are not all doom and gloom. He proudly highlights that the shooting of
`Mera Ishq Sufiana' from Dirty Dancing was done in the confines of the fort.
Bidri art
About a kilometre from the fort stands the Chaubara. The tall structure, with a dysfunctional clock thrown in as a later addition, served as a watchtower to raise the alarm for advancing enemies. Adjacent to the chaubara lies a dusty, narrow lane with a high decibel level of hammers and chisels striking metal. This is the hub of the priceless bidri work creation, which I first heard about from my wife Sonali. A colony of artisans chips away on the zinc-copper alloy. A complex process that includes a unique oxidation methodology by boiling the mud from the fort and applying on the items results in the base metal turning pitch black without affecting the silver. Sanjay and I were made to taste the mud to appreciate its uniqueness. We found it tangy and salty.
We broke for lunch at ABC Restaurant at a high street location. We chose to ignore their signature `broasted' chicken (has to be a Portmanteau of chicken breast roasted). The conventional fare of chicken and egg with rotis was agreeable and did not leave a dent on our constitution. Couldn't take chances, being the `amaasha'-sensitive Bongs we are!
Nanak Jheera Sahib
The site resembled an erst of bees. All inmates were busy fulfilling some work or the other. The sheer size of the complex and scale of operations make you take a deep breath. Nanak Jheera Sahib holds a high rank in the pecking order of places sacred to the Sikhs. Guru Nanak visited Bidar on his second `udasi'. Legend has it that on hearing the locals' plea on shortage of water, he moved a rubble with his toe, and a fountain of water gushed from the hillside, which continues to flow today. The place where this happened is christened `Amrit Kund'. The water from Amrit Kund is believed to have curative properties. The authorities of the gurdwara manage operations on a massive scale, that includes colleges, schools, hospitals, a huge `langar' and a guest house that can possibly accommodate the whole town!
The Bahmani tombs
All travel sites will advise this as a `must visit', and with good reason. The place evokes immediate comparison with the Qutb Shahi tombs at Hyderabad. Although this was on a smaller scale as compared to Qutb Shahi, the setting was superior..... a perfect symmetry of fine tombs in an undulating, rolling hills landscape, away from the hustle and bustle of a dusty town in close proximity. Apart from us, a few ladies in burkhas, with kids in tow, were scattered around the spot. A hassled security guard kept reminding the kids that playing cricket and cycling were not part of the `do-ables' at the site. The guard informed that the tomb most damaged had been struck by lightning. Obviously, this was before earthing conductors came into play. I assume they have installed them since.
We had set aside time for a visit to the Narasimha Jhira Cave temple. It sounded exciting, having to wade through 300 metres of waist-deep water in a bat-invested cave beneath a hill to reach the deity. What we forgot was that we arrived on Sharat Purnima, a day considered sacred by pilgrims. The long queue outside the cave was a ready deterrent, and we decided to maintain this as a stopover for a possible next visit.
Our next stop was at Deva Deva Vana. This is located on the state highway that connects Bidar to Zaheerabad. In short, this is a major fraud being perpetrated by the Forest Department on the paying public. There is precisely nothing of interest in this enclosure in the forest, other than the officials' tall claim that this houses a large variety of medicinal plants. A strict `must miss' on your Bidar leg!
On our onward journey earlier in the day, we had seen a mausoleum in stunning white in barren, undulating land, with no human in sight. Since the sun was against the subject, we had noted to stop by on our return leg to visit this place. What we thought to be a construction with fresh bright white paint was in actual fact wrapped in white marble!! The photographs below may tell the story.
Expansion work is in progress on NH9 between Zaheerabad and Patancheru. This may take another couple of years. It is advisable to avoid a drive on this 76 kms stretch after sundown. The traffic gets worse as the evening progresses.
Bidar was a name that stuck from Fuste and Mehta. Fiddling around on an uneventful Sunday, I became curious when Google map threw up Bidar just 126 kms from Hyderabad, my present base.
Sanjay Sandilya, an old friend, joined me on an early morning start in my Swift for a day trip to Bidar.
A two and a half hour ride, with a leisurely breakfast thrown in midway at the passable Mahindra Resorts, brought us to Bidar. We traversed through ORR and NH9 before diverting at Zaheerabad onto a quaint 26 kms stretch of state highway that leads to Bidar.
Where on earth is Bidar?
In today's map of India, Bidar occupies a unique location. It is technically a part of Karnataka; in fact, the northern-most town in the state. The state capital, Bangalore, lies a distant 690 kms away.The Telengana border is just 3 kms outside the town, The closest capital city is Hyderabad. The peculiarity of Bidar's location may be gauged from the uniform mix of vehicles there bearing registration numbers of Karnataka, Telengana and Maharashtra. We even noted an auto-load of pilgrims arriving from the neighbouring state (sign at the back of the auto :`Latur City').
In local government lingo Bidar (pop: 211,000) is the 22nd cleanest town in India. In layman's parlance, it is just like any other dusty small town dotting our country. Abdul Karim, our local guide, mentioned that Bidar once had a population of a million during the Nizam era. Goes to show which way migration progressed over time, as Bidar dwindled in significance.
In recent years Bidar has acquired a mini-Manipal status. The proliferation of educational institutions at all levels bears testimony to this aspect.
A bit of history
Bidar's existence dates back several centuries to the Mauryas, through the Satavahanas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, till the Deccan was annexed by the rulers of Delhi. The Muslim officers under the command of Delhi thereafter rebelled and established the Bahmani kingdom in the 14th century. Allauddin Shah, the Bahmani sultan, shifted his capital from nearby Gulbarga to Bidar in 1427, and Bidar attained its heights in this period under the Bahmanis and then the Barid Shahis.
In and around Bidar
Bidar Fort
Bidar Fort was the citadel of the Bahmani kingdom and the rulers that followed. It lay in serious disrepair till eight years ago, when ASI took over and commenced restoration. Progress has been slow and laboured. But further deterioration has been arrested. To provide an idea of its expanse, the walls of the fort measure 4 kms in circumference, interspersed with seven imposing gateways. Visitors are allowed access to the fort between 9AM and 5PM. There is no entry fee. Significant parts of the fort are out of bounds and remain under lock and key. Apart from a young foreigner couple (Lord only knows what brought them here!), we were the only visitors on a Saturday morning. Any other land, and you would have been guaranteed streams of visitors lining up to buy expensive tickets for entry to a site of this stature. Sanjay put his `gentle art of persuasion' to play with the ASI guardians. My serious looks and our photography equipment did the rest. We were allowed access to the inner chambers, escorted! The guardian who gave the nod was in a chatty mood. He talked at length of his 32 year association with the fort. He had started as a daily wage earner in 1985, and was given a formal appointment by ASI in 1997. He has been witness to the derelict state of Bidar Fort, a den of anti-socials and gamblers, before ASI moved in. He estimates that a fort which requires at least 30 full-time employees for upkeep and security has only eight today. A fort museum that contains an impressive array of items was to be opened last year. `It is 74% complete. The remaining 26% is in limbo on account of lack of directive from the government. And so we continue to wait'. But his stories are not all doom and gloom. He proudly highlights that the shooting of
`Mera Ishq Sufiana' from Dirty Dancing was done in the confines of the fort.
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| Lalbagh Garden in the foreground, Tarkash Mahal and Gagan Mahal in the background and Solah Khambha Mosque on the right |
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| View of Lalbagh Garden from within Tarkash Mahal |
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| Inside Solah Khambha Mosque (I am rather tickled about this one from a photography perspective!) |
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| Solah Khambha Mosque |
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| Rangeen Mahal |
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| Diwan-e-Khas, where they shot the sequence in Dirty Dancing |
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| Takht Mahal, the throne room |
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| View of the land below from atop Bidar Fort |
Bidri art
About a kilometre from the fort stands the Chaubara. The tall structure, with a dysfunctional clock thrown in as a later addition, served as a watchtower to raise the alarm for advancing enemies. Adjacent to the chaubara lies a dusty, narrow lane with a high decibel level of hammers and chisels striking metal. This is the hub of the priceless bidri work creation, which I first heard about from my wife Sonali. A colony of artisans chips away on the zinc-copper alloy. A complex process that includes a unique oxidation methodology by boiling the mud from the fort and applying on the items results in the base metal turning pitch black without affecting the silver. Sanjay and I were made to taste the mud to appreciate its uniqueness. We found it tangy and salty.
 |
| Semi-finished bidri vase |
We broke for lunch at ABC Restaurant at a high street location. We chose to ignore their signature `broasted' chicken (has to be a Portmanteau of chicken breast roasted). The conventional fare of chicken and egg with rotis was agreeable and did not leave a dent on our constitution. Couldn't take chances, being the `amaasha'-sensitive Bongs we are!
Nanak Jheera Sahib
The site resembled an erst of bees. All inmates were busy fulfilling some work or the other. The sheer size of the complex and scale of operations make you take a deep breath. Nanak Jheera Sahib holds a high rank in the pecking order of places sacred to the Sikhs. Guru Nanak visited Bidar on his second `udasi'. Legend has it that on hearing the locals' plea on shortage of water, he moved a rubble with his toe, and a fountain of water gushed from the hillside, which continues to flow today. The place where this happened is christened `Amrit Kund'. The water from Amrit Kund is believed to have curative properties. The authorities of the gurdwara manage operations on a massive scale, that includes colleges, schools, hospitals, a huge `langar' and a guest house that can possibly accommodate the whole town!
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| Sukhasan room, where the `Guru Granth Sahib' is maintained. |
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| The holy tank in the foreground, with the massive guest house as a backdrop |
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| Sanjay in front of Amrit Kund |
An octagonal tomb
On the way to Bahmani tombs and a few kilometers out of the fort on the Bidar-Astur road, we stopped by at this structure that the locals call `chowkhandi'. A subsequent search on the net advised that this was the shrine of Syed Kirmani Baba, a Persian saint who was a guru to the Bahmani rulers. A serene location, with barely anyone around, this seemed perfect for someone's last resting place. And we had no complaints about the blueness of the sky, as our CPL filters went on overdrive.The Bahmani tombs
All travel sites will advise this as a `must visit', and with good reason. The place evokes immediate comparison with the Qutb Shahi tombs at Hyderabad. Although this was on a smaller scale as compared to Qutb Shahi, the setting was superior..... a perfect symmetry of fine tombs in an undulating, rolling hills landscape, away from the hustle and bustle of a dusty town in close proximity. Apart from us, a few ladies in burkhas, with kids in tow, were scattered around the spot. A hassled security guard kept reminding the kids that playing cricket and cycling were not part of the `do-ables' at the site. The guard informed that the tomb most damaged had been struck by lightning. Obviously, this was before earthing conductors came into play. I assume they have installed them since.
We had set aside time for a visit to the Narasimha Jhira Cave temple. It sounded exciting, having to wade through 300 metres of waist-deep water in a bat-invested cave beneath a hill to reach the deity. What we forgot was that we arrived on Sharat Purnima, a day considered sacred by pilgrims. The long queue outside the cave was a ready deterrent, and we decided to maintain this as a stopover for a possible next visit.
Our next stop was at Deva Deva Vana. This is located on the state highway that connects Bidar to Zaheerabad. In short, this is a major fraud being perpetrated by the Forest Department on the paying public. There is precisely nothing of interest in this enclosure in the forest, other than the officials' tall claim that this houses a large variety of medicinal plants. A strict `must miss' on your Bidar leg!
On our onward journey earlier in the day, we had seen a mausoleum in stunning white in barren, undulating land, with no human in sight. Since the sun was against the subject, we had noted to stop by on our return leg to visit this place. What we thought to be a construction with fresh bright white paint was in actual fact wrapped in white marble!! The photographs below may tell the story.
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| Astana Chishtiya Hazrat Multani Baba, Gangwar Shareef, Taluk: Zaheerabad, Dist.: Medak, Telengana State. |
Expansion work is in progress on NH9 between Zaheerabad and Patancheru. This may take another couple of years. It is advisable to avoid a drive on this 76 kms stretch after sundown. The traffic gets worse as the evening progresses.
Great idea to put it down, Papuda. Helpful indeed. Please keep these entries coming. But couldn't see some of the pics.
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