Bellary Fort
Encyclopedia
The Bellary Fort was built on top of a hill called the "Ballari Gudda" or the Fort Hill. It is situated in the historic city of Bellary
, in the Bellary district, in Karnataka
state, India
. It was built in two parts namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort. The Upper Fort was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijaynagar Empire, but the Lower Fort was built by Haider Ali
in later part of the 18th century.
A French engineer was the architect and builder of the Lower Fort. He refurbished the Upper Fort also. After the forts were completed, Haider Ali found that the forts built were at a lower elevation vis-a-vis an opposite hill called the 'Kumbara Gudda', thus putting the new forts militarily at a strategic disadvantage. As a result, Haider Ali was annoyed with this lapse and it is said that he ordered hanging of the French engineer at the east gate of the fort. The French engineer's grave, dated 1769 (inscribed as unknown French Engineer), is located at the east gate of the fort and has been preserved due to efforts of local Muslims who also claim that it was the tomb that belonged to a Muslim saint.
The forts have fine ramparts with a rich history with several historical and religious monuments. A citadel was in the upper fort with several ancient tanks while the lower fort on the east housed the arsenal
.
A mythological legend states that the city is named after Indra
, the king of gods, who destroyed the Rakshasa
(demon) ‘‘Balla’’ who resided in the area.
Another ancient legend links this place to some events in the epic Ramayana
. It is said that Rama
while searching for Sita
met Sugreeva and Hanuman
at a place near Hampi
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi), from Bellary, the celebrated capital of the Vijayanagara empire
.
The historically linked legend states that Bellary is the name derived from the old Kannada
word “Vallari” and “Vallapuri”. An inscription from the time of the rule of Ganga Dynasty
of Talakad
, testifies to the territory of Sindha Vishaya, which today consists of Bellary and Dharwad district
s. In the Hoysala period, the dynasty of “Bellariya Naredu” had sovereignty over Bellary when it was known as Kuntala
Desha that subsequently came to be known by the name ‘Vallari-Vallapuri’.
range at the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
has abundant granite
outcrops. There is hardly any vegetation on the barren rocky country side. The fort has a commanding view of the plains that form the present day Bellary town. The terrain in and around the Bellary fort consists of granite rocks, which rises suddenly above the plains in the form of a very large mountain. The semi-elliptical shape of the hill has a longer northern side vis-a-vis the southern side. The rock formations consist of a mixture of granite with felspar in large rhomboidal prismatic form. This type of rock creates a strong reflection of the Sun's rays causing very hot climatic conditions in the fort and the town (Bellary is considered one of the hottest places in India). The climatic condition of the place is explained as hot and arid, but is stated to be a healthy weather.
town and the district has a hoary history dating from 300 BC till 1365 AD, the beginning of the Vijayanagar empire. It was ruled by Mauryas, Satavahanas, Kadambas
, Chalukyas of Kalyana
, Kalachuryas, Sevunas and Hoysalas. But the specific history of the fort (Upper Fort) starts with the rule of the chieftain named Hanumappa Nayaka, a fuedatory of the Vijayanagar empire, who built the Upper Fort. With the fall of the Vijayanagar empire in 1565, the area witnessed political upheaval till the British took control of the region, around 1800 AD. The region subsequently came under the control of the Bijapur Sultans. Shivaji, who during one of his campaigns was passing through the fort seized the fort, in 1678, as some of his advance scouting parties were ambushed by the garrison stationed in the fort. He later restored the fort on condition of a tribute payment. Under force, in 1761, the fort came under the control of Basalat Jung of Adoni
. The Nayaka chieftain of the fort quarelled with Basalat Jung and refused to pay the tribute money. The Nayaka sought the help of Haider Ali of Mysooru (Mysore)
to attack the Adoni Sultan. Haider Ali convincingly defeated the Adonis. But subsequently Haider Ali himself usurped the fort and the region. It was during his time that the Upper Fort was restored and the Lower Fort was newly constructed with the help of a French engineer.
Bellary was a stonghold of Haidar Ali after he overthrew the local chieftains. He surprised the forces sent by Nizam under the military command of a Frenchman named M. de Lally and besieged the fort and took total control. But after the defeat of Tippu Sultan, Hyder Ali's son, at the hands of the British during the Third Anglo-Mysore War
, the territory was divided and the Bellary district with the fort was given to the then Nizam
Salabat Jang
. After the defeat and death of Tippu Sultan in 1799 in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
at Srirangapattanam (Seringapatam)
, the Mysore territories were further divided up between the Wodeyar
s, Asaf Jah II and the British. In 1796 AD, Asaf Jah II, harassed by the Marathas and Tipu Sultan, had opted to get British military protection under Lord Wellesley's
doctrine of Subsidiary Alliance
. Now, as part of this agreement, the Asif Jah II ceded a large portion of the acquired territory, including Bellary, to the British, to be added to the Madras Presidency
as 'Bellary District'. This area was also known as the Ceded Districts
(see map at), a term constantly used then for the areas, and was considerably larger than the present district, including the present districts of Kadapa (Cuddapah), Anantapuram
and much of Karnoolu (Kurnool)
. This was also a deal or an agreement that was meant to compensate the Company for the expenses they incurred to maintain the British Subsidiary Force at Hyderabad.
The fort was classified as 1st class by the British Administration. This fort gave Bellary its ancient importance, and led to its selection by the British rulers as the site of a cantonment
.
Muzzaffar Khan, the Nawab of Kurnool, was confined here from 1823 to 1864 for the murder of his wife.
The fort has two parts, one is the ancient Upper Fort built during the Vijaynagar reign and the other is the Lower Fort built during Haider Ali’s rule. The Upper Fort was called the Fort Hill. The Lower Fort was called the Face Hill, since some of the rocks in the fort area resembled the face of a human being.
The Upper fort (15.148°N 76.9108°Ewikimapia) houses the citadel, at the summit of the spur of the Ballar Gudda with a three tier fortification, one below the other. It is at an elevation 1976 feet (602.3 m) m.s.l. It has qudarngular in plan with a circumefrential length of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), raises by about 460 feet (140.2 m) above the plains below and can be accessed only through a winding rocky path amongst scattered boulders, which was considered impregnable. On the top, outside the citadel is a small temple, the remains of some cells and several deep pools of water. Within the citadel there are several strongly constructed buildings, and an ample water supply from reservoirs constructed in the clefts of the rocks. There are no garrisons in this fort. It contains several cisterns, which have been excavated in the rocks to provide for water storage. Outside the turreted ramparts is a ditch and a covered passage. The main turret on the east currently features a huge mural
of the Indian Flag, facing east.
The Lower fort, (15.1453°N 76.9158°E wikimapia), located at the eastern base of the rock, is about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km)in diameter. It probably had an arsenal and barracks in the past. The fort structure is encircled by ramparts with numerous bastions sarrounded by a deep ditch and glacis. The lower fort has two entrance gates; one on the western end and the other on the eastern side. Just outside the eastern gate of the lower fort is a temple dedicated to Hanuman
– the Kote Anjaneya Temple (Kote (ಕೋಟೆ) – fort in Kannada). In the past. the lower fort was inhabited by people who had flocked here seeking protection. During the British period more buildings were added namely the Commissariat stores, the Protestant church, orphanage, Masonic lodge, post-office and numerous private dwellings. At present, it houses a number of public buildings, offices, educational institutions, temples and churches.
The impressive fort is illuminated during Sundays and holidays of state and national importance.
National Highways (NH 13 & NH 63) and State Highway road networks provide an excellent net work of road communications in the district and to the town. It is located at 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state. Distances to other important towns around Bellary are: Chennai – 304 kilometres (188.9 mi), Hadagali – 148 kilometres (92 mi), Hospet
– 63 kilometres (39.1 mi), H.B.Halli – 100 kilometres (62.1 mi), Hampi – 75 kilometres (46.6 mi), Hyderabad – 367 kilometres (228 mi), Kudligi
– 85 kilometres (52.8 mi), Pune – 336 kilometres (208.8 mi), Sandur
– 63 kilometres (39.1 mi) and Siriguppa – 60 kilometres (37.3 mi).
The city has two railway stations, both built during the British rule – the City station (Bellary Junction) and the Cantonment station (Cantonment). Railway links available are the Hubli-Guntakal
line and the extended Bellary-Rayadurgam-Chitradurga
line and falls under the jurisdiction of South Western Railway
. Bellary is also well connected by Rail to Bengaluru
, Raichur
, Anantapuram, Hindupur
am, Tirupati
, Hubballi, Guntakal, Vijayawada
, Howrah etc. Guntakal is an important junction near Bellary from where trains to Delhi
, Chennai
, Mumbai
and to most of the places in India are available. In the past, during British rule, the Southern Mharatta Railway passed through the town connecting to Madras ( now Chennai
) via Hubli on the west and Guntakal on the esat.
The civilian Bellary Airport
is located at the far end of the Cantonment area with regular flights operating from Bangalore and Goa
. An air strip located at the Jindal Vijayanagar Steels
complex, Toranagallu in Sandur
taluk, 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) from Bellary, is used by private airlines to operate sightseeing charter flights to Hampi
and Mysore since October 2002.
Bellary
Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name....
, in the Bellary district, in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was built in two parts namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort. The Upper Fort was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijaynagar Empire, but the Lower Fort was built by Haider Ali
Haider Ali
Haider Ali is considered one the best boxers in the history of Pakistan boxing. His explosive speed and resourcefulness made him a constant threat to opposing boxers....
in later part of the 18th century.
A French engineer was the architect and builder of the Lower Fort. He refurbished the Upper Fort also. After the forts were completed, Haider Ali found that the forts built were at a lower elevation vis-a-vis an opposite hill called the 'Kumbara Gudda', thus putting the new forts militarily at a strategic disadvantage. As a result, Haider Ali was annoyed with this lapse and it is said that he ordered hanging of the French engineer at the east gate of the fort. The French engineer's grave, dated 1769 (inscribed as unknown French Engineer), is located at the east gate of the fort and has been preserved due to efforts of local Muslims who also claim that it was the tomb that belonged to a Muslim saint.
The forts have fine ramparts with a rich history with several historical and religious monuments. A citadel was in the upper fort with several ancient tanks while the lower fort on the east housed the arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
.
Legends
There are several legends attributed to Bellary, the city where the fort is located.A mythological legend states that the city is named after Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, the king of gods, who destroyed the Rakshasa
Rakshasa
A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
(demon) ‘‘Balla’’ who resided in the area.
Another ancient legend links this place to some events in the epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. It is said that Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
while searching for Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
met Sugreeva and Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
at a place near Hampi
Hampi
Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other...
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi), from Bellary, the celebrated capital of the Vijayanagara empire
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
.
The historically linked legend states that Bellary is the name derived from the old Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
word “Vallari” and “Vallapuri”. An inscription from the time of the rule of Ganga Dynasty
Ganga Dynasty
Ganga Dynasty is a name used for two unrelated dynasties who ruled parts of India:* The Western Ganga Dynasty, a kingdom in southern India, based in southern Karnataka, from the 3rd to the 10th centuries...
of Talakad
Talakad
Talakad is a desert-like town on the left bank of the Kaveri river at a spot where the river makes a sharp bend. It is 45 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. A historic site, Talakad once had over 30 temples that today are buried in sand. Now it is a scenic...
, testifies to the territory of Sindha Vishaya, which today consists of Bellary and Dharwad district
Dharwad District
Dharwad District is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India. Dharwad is the cultural headquarters of North Karnataka....
s. In the Hoysala period, the dynasty of “Bellariya Naredu” had sovereignty over Bellary when it was known as Kuntala
Kuntala
Kuntala is a village and a Mandal in Adilabad district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Kuntala has the highest waterfalls in the Andhra Pradesh state with a height of 45 meters.-The waterfall:Main article: Kuntala Waterfall...
Desha that subsequently came to be known by the name ‘Vallari-Vallapuri’.
Geography
The fort and the town are located around two prominent and large rocky granite hills: the Ballari Gudda (ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿ ಗುಡ್ಡ) (with the fort built on this hill) and Kumbara Gudda (ಕುಂಬಾರ ಗುಡ್ಡ) (Gudda means "hill" in Kannada). The two hills provide the dominant backdrop to the city, and can be seen from all parts of the city. Apart from these two hills, there are smaller hills such as the Kaate Gudda (ಕಾಟೇ ಗುಡ್ಡ) (near the present Municipal Junior College), the Eeshwara Gudda (ಈಶ್ವರ ಗುಡ್ಡ) (behind the Anaadi Lingeshwara Temple), one hill adjacent to the St. John's High School in the Fort Area and another hill near to the Bellary Central Jail. The fort located on the Ballari Gudda, on a spur of the SandurSandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
range at the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
has abundant granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
outcrops. There is hardly any vegetation on the barren rocky country side. The fort has a commanding view of the plains that form the present day Bellary town. The terrain in and around the Bellary fort consists of granite rocks, which rises suddenly above the plains in the form of a very large mountain. The semi-elliptical shape of the hill has a longer northern side vis-a-vis the southern side. The rock formations consist of a mixture of granite with felspar in large rhomboidal prismatic form. This type of rock creates a strong reflection of the Sun's rays causing very hot climatic conditions in the fort and the town (Bellary is considered one of the hottest places in India). The climatic condition of the place is explained as hot and arid, but is stated to be a healthy weather.
History
BellaryBellary
Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name....
town and the district has a hoary history dating from 300 BC till 1365 AD, the beginning of the Vijayanagar empire. It was ruled by Mauryas, Satavahanas, Kadambas
Kadambas
The Kadamba Dynasty was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district. The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires for over five hundred years during which time they...
, Chalukyas of Kalyana
Kalyana
Kalyana is one of the neighbourhood of New Karachi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Kalyana including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The population of New...
, Kalachuryas, Sevunas and Hoysalas. But the specific history of the fort (Upper Fort) starts with the rule of the chieftain named Hanumappa Nayaka, a fuedatory of the Vijayanagar empire, who built the Upper Fort. With the fall of the Vijayanagar empire in 1565, the area witnessed political upheaval till the British took control of the region, around 1800 AD. The region subsequently came under the control of the Bijapur Sultans. Shivaji, who during one of his campaigns was passing through the fort seized the fort, in 1678, as some of his advance scouting parties were ambushed by the garrison stationed in the fort. He later restored the fort on condition of a tribute payment. Under force, in 1761, the fort came under the control of Basalat Jung of Adoni
Adoni
Adoni , is a municipality, mandal headquarters and commercial town in Kurnool district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is 180 miles from Hyderabad and 307 miles from Chennai by rail. It has a population of about 2,43,247 people . Adoni is 245th biggest city in terms of population in India...
. The Nayaka chieftain of the fort quarelled with Basalat Jung and refused to pay the tribute money. The Nayaka sought the help of Haider Ali of Mysooru (Mysore)
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
to attack the Adoni Sultan. Haider Ali convincingly defeated the Adonis. But subsequently Haider Ali himself usurped the fort and the region. It was during his time that the Upper Fort was restored and the Lower Fort was newly constructed with the help of a French engineer.
Bellary was a stonghold of Haidar Ali after he overthrew the local chieftains. He surprised the forces sent by Nizam under the military command of a Frenchman named M. de Lally and besieged the fort and took total control. But after the defeat of Tippu Sultan, Hyder Ali's son, at the hands of the British during the Third Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company and its allies, including the Mahratta Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad...
, the territory was divided and the Bellary district with the fort was given to the then Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
Salabat Jang
Asaf ad-Dawlah Mir Ali Salabat Jang
Asaf ad-Dawlah Mir Ali Salabat Jang was the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was the third son of H.H. Asaf Jah I Nayab, Subedar of the Deccan. He was appointed as Deputy Viceroy to his elder brother, Ghazi Uddin, in 1751...
. After the defeat and death of Tippu Sultan in 1799 in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company under the Earl of Mornington....
at Srirangapattanam (Seringapatam)
Battle of Seringapatam
The Siege of Seringapatam was the final confrontation of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore. The British achieved a decisive victory after breaching the walls of the fortress at Seringapatam and storming the citadel. Tippu Sultan, Mysore's...
, the Mysore territories were further divided up between the Wodeyar
Wodeyar
The Wodeyar dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1947, until the independence of India from British rule and the subsequent unification of the Indian dominion and princely states into the Republic of India.The spelling Wodeyar/Wadiyar is found in most...
s, Asaf Jah II and the British. In 1796 AD, Asaf Jah II, harassed by the Marathas and Tipu Sultan, had opted to get British military protection under Lord Wellesley's
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
doctrine of Subsidiary Alliance
Subsidiary alliance
A subsidiary alliance is an alliance between a dominant nation and a nation that it dominates.-British policy in India:The doctrine of subsidiary alliance was introduced by Marquess Wellesley, British Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805...
. Now, as part of this agreement, the Asif Jah II ceded a large portion of the acquired territory, including Bellary, to the British, to be added to the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
as 'Bellary District'. This area was also known as the Ceded Districts
Ceded Districts
Ceded Districts is the name of an area in the Deccan, India that was 'ceded' to the British East India Company by the Nizam in 1800. The name is still in sparse current use....
(see map at), a term constantly used then for the areas, and was considerably larger than the present district, including the present districts of Kadapa (Cuddapah), Anantapuram
Anantapur district
Anantapur District , ) is one of the 23 districts in Andhra Pradesh, India. The district headquarters is Anantapur City. It is currently a part of the Red Corridor.- Geography :...
and much of Karnoolu (Kurnool)
Kurnool district
Kurnool District is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district...
. This was also a deal or an agreement that was meant to compensate the Company for the expenses they incurred to maintain the British Subsidiary Force at Hyderabad.
The fort was classified as 1st class by the British Administration. This fort gave Bellary its ancient importance, and led to its selection by the British rulers as the site of a cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
.
Muzzaffar Khan, the Nawab of Kurnool, was confined here from 1823 to 1864 for the murder of his wife.
Fort structure
| N. and E. faces of the citadel at Bellary Bellary Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name.... ; Hindus worshipping at a shrine in the foreground |
Bellary Bellary Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name.... Rock and Fort |
The fort has two parts, one is the ancient Upper Fort built during the Vijaynagar reign and the other is the Lower Fort built during Haider Ali’s rule. The Upper Fort was called the Fort Hill. The Lower Fort was called the Face Hill, since some of the rocks in the fort area resembled the face of a human being.
The Upper fort (15.148°N 76.9108°Ewikimapia) houses the citadel, at the summit of the spur of the Ballar Gudda with a three tier fortification, one below the other. It is at an elevation 1976 feet (602.3 m) m.s.l. It has qudarngular in plan with a circumefrential length of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), raises by about 460 feet (140.2 m) above the plains below and can be accessed only through a winding rocky path amongst scattered boulders, which was considered impregnable. On the top, outside the citadel is a small temple, the remains of some cells and several deep pools of water. Within the citadel there are several strongly constructed buildings, and an ample water supply from reservoirs constructed in the clefts of the rocks. There are no garrisons in this fort. It contains several cisterns, which have been excavated in the rocks to provide for water storage. Outside the turreted ramparts is a ditch and a covered passage. The main turret on the east currently features a huge mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
of the Indian Flag, facing east.
The Lower fort, (15.1453°N 76.9158°E wikimapia), located at the eastern base of the rock, is about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km)in diameter. It probably had an arsenal and barracks in the past. The fort structure is encircled by ramparts with numerous bastions sarrounded by a deep ditch and glacis. The lower fort has two entrance gates; one on the western end and the other on the eastern side. Just outside the eastern gate of the lower fort is a temple dedicated to Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
– the Kote Anjaneya Temple (Kote (ಕೋಟೆ) – fort in Kannada). In the past. the lower fort was inhabited by people who had flocked here seeking protection. During the British period more buildings were added namely the Commissariat stores, the Protestant church, orphanage, Masonic lodge, post-office and numerous private dwellings. At present, it houses a number of public buildings, offices, educational institutions, temples and churches.
The impressive fort is illuminated during Sundays and holidays of state and national importance.
Access
The fort is well connected by road, rail and air transport facilities linking all parts of the country; all linked to the Bellary city where the fort is located.National Highways (NH 13 & NH 63) and State Highway road networks provide an excellent net work of road communications in the district and to the town. It is located at 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state. Distances to other important towns around Bellary are: Chennai – 304 kilometres (188.9 mi), Hadagali – 148 kilometres (92 mi), Hospet
Hospet
Hospet , is a city in Bellary District in northern Karnataka, India. It is on the Tungabhadra River, 12 km from the World Heritage site consisting of the ruins of the medieval city of Vijayanagara, former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire....
– 63 kilometres (39.1 mi), H.B.Halli – 100 kilometres (62.1 mi), Hampi – 75 kilometres (46.6 mi), Hyderabad – 367 kilometres (228 mi), Kudligi
Kudligi
Kudligi is a panchayat town in Bellary district in the India state of Karnataka.-Geography:Kudligi is located at . It has an average elevation of 596 metres . The oldest temple, Shri Hulikunteraya Temple, Bommaghatta , is 23 km away.-Demographics: India census, Kudligi had a population of...
– 85 kilometres (52.8 mi), Pune – 336 kilometres (208.8 mi), Sandur
Sandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
– 63 kilometres (39.1 mi) and Siriguppa – 60 kilometres (37.3 mi).
The city has two railway stations, both built during the British rule – the City station (Bellary Junction) and the Cantonment station (Cantonment). Railway links available are the Hubli-Guntakal
Guntakal
Guntakal is a town in Anantapur district in the southwestern part of the state of Andhra Pradesh and 50 km away from Bellary of Karnataka, India. It has a population of 2,26,658...
line and the extended Bellary-Rayadurgam-Chitradurga
Chitradurga
Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...
line and falls under the jurisdiction of South Western Railway
South Western Railway
The South Western Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Hubli and comprises Bangalore, Mysore divisions of the erstwhile Southern Railway and the reorganized Hubli division of the erstwhile South Central Railway which includes Hospet and Bellary. The division...
. Bellary is also well connected by Rail to Bengaluru
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Raichur
Raichur
Raichur , is a city municipal council in Raichur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Raichur, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, is the headquarters of Raichur district. It was in the princely state of Mysore during the rule of Tipu Sultan...
, Anantapuram, Hindupur
Hindupur
Hindupur is the second biggest town and Mandal headquarters located in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, India. Hindupur was given its name by a Maratha Chieftain called Murari Rao, who named this town after his father Hindoji Rao, or after a king named Hindurao. The Hindupur Parliamentary...
am, Tirupati
Tirumala - Tirupati
Tirupati is a major pilgrimage city located in the Chittoor district and seventh biggest city of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats at a distance of south of Hyderabad, the capital of the state, east of Bangalore, and north of Chennai.Tirupati is famous...
, Hubballi, Guntakal, Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Howrah etc. Guntakal is an important junction near Bellary from where trains to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and to most of the places in India are available. In the past, during British rule, the Southern Mharatta Railway passed through the town connecting to Madras ( now Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
) via Hubli on the west and Guntakal on the esat.
The civilian Bellary Airport
Bellary Airport
Bellary Airport is the airport serving Bellary, a city in the Karnataka state of India. The airport served as an air strip during British rule, especially at the time of World War II...
is located at the far end of the Cantonment area with regular flights operating from Bangalore and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. An air strip located at the Jindal Vijayanagar Steels
Jindal Steel
Jindal Steel and Power Limited is the most valuable private steel producer in India, with an annual turnover of over US $2.1 billion , Jindal Steel & Power Limited is a part of about US$ 12 billion diversified O. P. Jindal Group. JSPL is a leading player in Steel, Power, Mining, Oil & Gas and...
complex, Toranagallu in Sandur
Sandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
taluk, 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) from Bellary, is used by private airlines to operate sightseeing charter flights to Hampi
Hampi
Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other...
and Mysore since October 2002.