Located in the north-east corner of Karnataka, Bidar was once the capital of he Bahamani dynasty and the Badri Shahi kingdom. Perched on a rocky escarpment, this isolated, yet pleasant town deserves a visit with its crumbling red ramparts harbour and Persian style architecture.

History

In 1424 Ahmed Shah I shifted his court from Gulbarga to a less constricted site at Badri, in grief of his beloved spiritual mentor, Bandah Nawas Gesu Daraz. Later the Bahamani dynasty continued to rule here till 1487 even after they were split into five rival groups. They refurbished the town by building a new fort, splendid palaces, mosques and ornamental gardens. They were then succeeded by the Adil Shahis from Bijapur, followed by the Mughals under Aurangzeb, who annexed the territory in 1656, before the Nizam of Hyderabad acquired the territory in the early 18th century. The town has a gritty charm, with narrow red-mud streets leading to arched gates and open vistas across plains. Bidar is nowadays a provincial backwater, better known for its fighter-pilot-training base.

Bidar fort Built in the 15th century by the Chalukyas and later strengthened by the Bahamanis, this fort is one of the main attractions in Bidar. It is encircled by ramparts and protected by massive gates at its entrances. The views it offers over the steep cliffs are incredible.

The Old Town

The heart of Bidar is its medieval old town, encircled by crenellated ramparts and eight imposing gateways (darwazas). This predominantly Muslim quarter holds many Bahamani-era mosques, bungalows (havelis) and monastries (khanqahs), set up by the local rulers for Muslim cleric-mystics and their disciples.

Mahmud Gawan's Madrasa

This theological college, whose single minaret soars high above the city centre, is the highlight of the old town. Gawan, a scholar and Persian exile, was the Prime Minister of the Bahamani State under Muhamad Bahamani III. Being a talented linguist, mathematician and inspired military strategist, he oversaw the dynasty's expansion into Goa and Karnataka, bequeathing this college as a thank-you gift to his adoptive kingdom in 1472. Originally surmounted by large bulbous domes, this distinctively Persian-style building once housed a world-famous library. However in 1696 the building was burnt down after being struck by lightning, while several of the walls were blown away when gunpowder stored here by Aurangzeb's occupying army, caught fire and exploded. Yet inspite of these incidents, the elegant arched façade of the madrasa has still retained large patches of the vibrant Persian glazed tile work that once covered most of the exterior surfaces. This includes a beautiful band of Koranic calligraphy, and striking multi-coloured zigzags wrapped around the base of the once remaining minaret.

The Badri Shahi Tombs

The tombs of the Badri Shahi rulers, who succeeded the Bahamani dynasty, in the early 16th century, lie on the western side of the town. The mausoleums, mounted on raised plinths occupy an attractive site. The tombs are randomly spaced and are surrounded by lush-green lawns. The most interesting is the tomb of Ali Barid, whose Mecca-facing wall was left open to the elements. A short distance south-west lies a mass grave platform for his 67 concubines, who were sent as a tribute by vassals of the Deccani overlord from all across the kingdom.

Ashtur: The Bahamani Tombs

3km. From Bidar, Ashtur is where the mausoleums of the Bahamani rulers and their families lie. The most impressive tombs are those, which belong to Allaudin Shah I, and his father from Gulbarga. The exterior of the tomb has glazed Persian tiles on its arched facade and the interior surfaces of the dome are writhe with sumptuous Persian paintings.

Chaukhandi (tomb) Of Hazrat Khalil Ullah

On the north side of the road between Ashtur and Bidar lies this beautiful octagonal-shaped tomb, which was built by Allaudin Shah for his chief spiritual advisor. Most of the Persian glazed tiles have dropped off the facade, but the surviving stone work and calligraphy above the arched doorway along with the views from the tomb’s plinth deserve a quick detour form the way.

Interesting Artifacts

Bidar is renowned as the home of a unique damascene metalwork technique known as Bidri, developed by the Persian silversmiths that came to the area with the Bahamani court in the early 15th century. Since then this has become the hallmark of Muslim metalwork in India. These highly skilled artisans engraved and inlaid their traditional Iranian designs onto a metal alloy composed of lead, copper, zinc and tin, which they blackened and polished. This resulted in swirling silver floral motifs, framed by geometric patterns and set against black backgrounds. Some of the objects they engrave are vases, goblets, plates, spice boxes as well as less traditional objects like coasters, ashtrays and ornaments.
Bidri objects of art are displayed in museums and galleries all over the country. One can see the typical Bidri workers engrossed in their work of art at Bidar's Siddiq Talim Road.