BENGALURU: The Devannahalli fort, which stands 35 km away from Bengaluru, is older than the city itself by 36 years.
The fort has been occupied by different dynasties over time. It was built in 1501 by Kempegowda’s ancestor, Malla Baire Gowda. But in 1747, in a battle led by Nanjarajaiah, the dalwai of Mysore, the clan lost it to the Wadiyar dynasty. Marathas later claimed it and lost it back to the Mysore state, in a siege led by Hyder Ali in 1746.
Arun Prasad, from Discover Bangalore Project, says that though Hyder captured the fort, it was his son Tipu Sultan who was responsible for re-modelling on the lines of the Palakkad fort in Kerala.
The town surrounding the fort was meant to be a centre of learning and arts. “The Devannahalli town was supposed to be a place for learned artisans and intellectuals to inhabit,” says Prasad.
Devannahalli was a town typical of the time, with protected farmlands and fields. A lake, behind the fort and seen from the bastions, was meant to serve the needs of the inhabitants.
Today, the lake is dried up and is a sad sight. Prasad blames it on poor urban planning. Earlier, a highway used to pass through the western part of town. Now, a road has been built that passes over the lake. A good portion of the lake was used up for it.
“The lake has always been rain-fed. But the new road cut off the lake from the adjoining canals and channels,” says Prasad. “Rain water could not flow in and the lake dried up. The vast area of 400-500 metres has only weeds and little water. You can spot some tattered measurement devices, from the past.”
Bastions
Built on higher ground, the bastions were used to keep a watch for the enemy. The fort is 30-35 feet high and the bastions along the fort are placed at equal distance from each other. “The bastions have well-protected chambers that were used by soldiers. The gun points are holes in the wall which can still be seen today. The holes were used to keep guns during the war,” adds Prasad.
Tipu’s Birthplace
Southwest of the fort, there is a memorial with a board, which proclaims that Tipu was born here. A six-foot-tall enclosure marks the spot.
When Tipu was born in 1750, his father Hyder Ali was engaged in a battle. His mother, Fatima Fakhr-Un-Nisa, was secretly ushered into a carriage to give birth at the fort as it was considered a safe place. However, she ended up giving birth inside the vehicle, right outside the fort. The monument is built over this birth spot.
A pond was built under the administration of Purnaiah, the then Dewan of Mysore. It is a beautiful pond with the stones and excavations intact. “The water is used for rituals and festivals,” says Prasad. “People take baths here as well.”
Temples
Inside the Devannahalli fort, there is the Venugopalswamy temple. Built in the Vijaynagara style, it has several depictions from the Ramayana on the walls. There are sculptures of seamstresses as you enter. The north and south walls have sculptures showing Rishyasringa being brought from a forest to Ayodhya accompanied by dancing girls. There is also a scene of Vishwamitra teaching archery to Rama. The south wall has ten incarnations of Lord Krishna and Rama’s father performing a sacrifice.
The fort gate and the fort walls are crumbling and there are scribblings on the walls. There is no security at the entrance and anyone can walk in. The commercial establishments all around have failed to preserve the authenticity of the past. “An ASI (Archeological Survey of India) office is located at the entrance, which is always closed and does not provide much information,” says Prasad. “The fort area needs to be protected by ASI and does not come under the corporation. The northern gate is crumbling as well.”
Legend says
Refugees on the run from Kancheepuram settled down near the Nandi Hills. Legend has it that Rana Baire Gowda, their leader, was told in a dream that he had to build a settlement in this region. This family goes by the name of Morasu Wokkalu. His son Malla Baire Gowda founded Devanahalli. Kempegowda also belongs to this family.
Kamaraj, Archaeological Engineer, ASI Bengaluru
Due to vandalism, the wall towards the southern side was broken. We are trying to restore it with the material gathered from the vicinity. The process might take more than ten years, as there are lot of complications including access to funds. We are developing the garden and building a fence. By the side of the moat, there is another wall which needs to be restored. To make sure the vandalism doesn't occur again, we want to hire more security guards. The encroachment by vendors is another problem we are tackling.
1501-When fort was built by Kempegowda
1747-The fort was captured by Wadiyar's
1750-Tipu Sultan was born