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Bidar is a historic place and city located in the north-eastern part of the South Indian state ofKarnataka. Bidar is situated and built on the brink of aplateau, and thus stands above the lowlands (talghat) towards the north and the east.[1]: 1
Traditional tales describe Bidar as the place whereVidura (one of the central character in thehindu epicMahabharata) lived and the place was thus known as Viduranagara.[2]Legend has associated Bidar with the ancientkingdom of Vidarbha, to which references are found in earlyHindu literature.[3] But the situation of the latter kingdom has been determined by modern research, and it is now considered that Vidarbha occupied the country which was calledBerar. The rulers of the kingdom are supposed to have been vassals of the Andhrarajas, whose dominions covered the plateau of theDeccan and at times extended over a much wider area. Bidar, which is some 200 miles (320 km) south-east ofPaithan, the ancient capital of the Andhra kings, must have been included in the territory of the latter, and it has been associated with Vidarbha apparently on account of the similarity in names Bidar and Vidarbha. The identity of Bidar with Vidarbha was, however, a common belief inFirishta's time, for he, when referring to the romances of the early rulers ofBidar, describes the love-story ofNala andDamayanti (daughter ofRaja Bhima of Vidarbha).[1]: 3
The ancientmegalithic culture began from about 1200 B.C.-1100 B.C., flourished up to about 3rd and 2nd century B.C. and survived up to c. 100 B.C. The megalithic culture of the region perhaps had intrusions of two Megalithic strains of different sort from theVidharba region and eastern India, indicating respectively by certainpottery types particularly lids and also by horse-bits & copper objects on the one hand and the stone alignments on the other in north-eastern part of Karnataka.[2]: 214
This region formed the southern part ofMauryan Empire as attested by the edicts ofAshoka. It came to be a part of Mauryan empire by the fact that Mauryas defeated theNandas and became the heirs to the Nanda Empire in which Karnataka was also included.Bindusara ruled over theDeccan including the parts of Karnataka.[2]: 215
Satavahanas dominated the post-Mauryan period for about four centuries.Gautamiputra Satakarni established his reign which was succeeded by his sonVashishtiputra Pulumāyi. Coins of this period are found in plenty in the deccan region which can be dated to a period from the 1st century to 3rd century.[2]: 217
During theKadamba's reign, the rule ofMayurasharma (325–345) and that ofKakusthavarma (405–430) were prominent.[2]: 220 Their rule was confined up to the southern part ofBidar district. Kadambas extended their patronage toShaiva,Vaishnava andJainadharmas.[2]: 221 Their rule lasted for over 200 years.
The history of the (Deccan) region in general and Karnataka in particular assumes special significance with the commencement of the rule of theChalukyas of Badami (c. 500–757) also called as theEarly Western Chalukyas to distinguish them from the Later Chalukyas who ruled from their Capital atKalyana.[2]: 231 The Chinese travellerHieun-Tsang visited the Chalukyan kingdom during 634–635 under the reign ofPulakeshi II and has paid a handsome tribute to the king and the prosperity of the kingdom.[2]: 234 Kirtivarma II (c.745–757) was the last ruler of the dynasty which was established byJayasimha who ruled between 500 and 520.
Rashtrakutas established their rule from early 750s which lasted till early 970s. They were highly distinguished dynasties of the Deccan & Karnataka. Some accounts relate them toLatur as the place of their origins.[2]: 238 Krishna I andGovinda III were the great kings of the period.Amoghavarsha I moved the capital toManyakheta (present day Malkhed) and beautified it. He patronised many religions includingBuddhism.[2]: 242 After a long reign of 64 years, he died in 878 and was succeeded by his son,Krishna II, who later developed friendly relations with theArabs.
The Rashtrakuta Empire was perhaps the most extensive than any of their Hindu successors in the Deccan. In no other period of ancient Indian history did the Deccan enjoy their political prestige which it did during the time of Rashtrakutas. The remarks of Arab travellerSulaiman (851) that this empire was one of the four great empires of the world and they were the most feared rulers of India.[2]: 243 Temple building saw a great boom in this period.Ellora and other rock-cut / cave temples have been built under this dynasty.
TheChalukyas of Kalyana were so called because they ruled from their capital Kalyananagara (modern dayBasavakalyan) and are considered to be the descendants of theChalukyas of Badami. The first king of the dynasty wasTaila II (Tailapa II) who ruled from 973–997 after overthrowingKarka II, the last king of Rashtrakutas. The famouskannada poetRanna also mentions of him belonging to Badami lineage.Taila II fought against theCholas and defeatedRajaraja Chola in 992 and later his son Ahavamalla (Satyashraya) in 995 again defeated Chola's Army.[2]: 245
Satyashraya who had the titles ofAhavamalla,Irivabedanga,Sahasabhima andSattiga ruled from 997 to 1008 The hostility between Chalukyas and Cholas continued during this period also.Rajaraja Chola I and later his sonRajendra Chola marched againstSatyashraya. The Cholas came up toBijapur (present day Vijayapura) and ransacked the whole kingdom causing great violence. ButSatyashraya drove them back. Ranna was patronised bySatyashraya.[2]: 246 Despite his military engagements, he built his capitalKalyana and made it famous.[2]: 247
The fifty-year rule ofVikramaditya VI (1076–1127) was a glorious period in Karnataka's history. Many temples were built in this period which have some of the finest sculpture. In the temple at Jalsangi (Jalasangvi) is a beautiful sculpture which depicts a young woman writing an inscription paying great tribute toVikramaditya VI. Thus Karnataka became a great centre of cultural activities.[2]: 248 He was succeeded bySomeshvara III (father ofTaila III).
During the reign ofTaila III (1149–1162), the KalachuriBijjala II was first to rebel against the Chalukyans and was largely responsible for the downfall of Chalukyas. By 1153, he proclaimed independence and occupied many parts of the Chalukyan kingdom. Thus was thesouthern Kalachuri established.[2]: 249
The Kalachuris belonged to the Kattacchhuri family which ruled inMadhya Pradesh.Bijjala II was son ofPermadi. Kalachuri chiefs were subordinates to the Chalukyans and were also in matrimonial alliances with them.Bijjala II was also a grandson ofVikramaditya VI. In about 1162,Bijjala II defeatedTaila III replacing him as King. But his rule came to an end after 5 years due to opposition by the loyal feaudatories of Chalukyas. In all his political activities, Bijjala II was greatly helped by his able GeneralKasapayyanayaka. Bijjalas treasurer was the celebrated religious leaderBasaveshwara.Bijjala II died in 1167[2]: 250 Singhana was the last king of Kalachuri Dynasty which ended in 1184.[2]: 252
Someshvara IV (successor ofTaila III) who had left the kingdom and ruled in nominal capacity re-captured the kingdom from Kalachuris in 1184 with the help of his able GeneralBrahma and ruled until 1186. He was then challenged by theHoysalas andSeunas. He lived up to 1198 as testified by the inscriptions but he was no longer the Chalukyan monarch. HoysalaBallala II took over theBasavakalyan fort.[2]: 253
During all this period it was political supremacy and cultural development moving hand in hand. In administration it evolved new principles which made the people happy and kingdoms prospered. Some of the luminaries inKannada andSamskrita flourished in this era. The period also marked inauguration of a new social and religious movement under the leadership if Basaveshwara. This helped the growth ofVachana literature in Kannada.[2]: 253
In theexcavations carried out by the Archaeological Department,State of Hyderabad, some sculptures and broken tablets bearing inscriptions have been found in theBidar fort; but they do not carry back the history of the place earlier than the 10th century, when it was apparently included in the kingdom of the laterChalukyas (A.D. 974–1190), whose capital, Kalyani (present dayBasavakalyan) is only 36 miles (58 km) west ofBidar. The power of the Chalukyas, however, rapidly declined during the rule of the last three kings of the dynasty, and a large portion of their territory was occupied by theYadavas of Deogiri and theKakatiyas of Warangal, whose kingdoms were at the zenith of their glory in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Bidar was apparently annexed to the Kakatiya kingdom, for in 1322, when PrinceUlugh Khan marched uponWarangal, he besieged and conquered the town ofBidar, which was on the frontiers ofTelangana.[1]: 3
An inscription ofGhiyath-ud-Din Tughluq, dated 1323, recently found at Kalyani, shows that the latter town was also conquered by Ulugh Khan in this expedition, but the absence of Kalyani's name in this connexion in contemporary history shows that Bidar at that time was a more important town than Kalyani, the glory of which seems to have faded with the decline of theChalukyas. In this inscription Kalyani is mentioned as only aqasba, or minor town.[1]: 3
TheDelhi Sultanate invaded the area first byAllauddin Khilji, and later,Muhammed-bin-Tughluq took control of entireDeccan including Bidar. In the middle of the 14th century, the Sultan of Delhi's officers that were stationed in Deccan rebelled and this resulted in the establishment ofBahmanid Dynasty in 1347 at Gulbarga/Hasanabad (presentKalaburagi). There was frequent warfare between the Bahmanids and theVijaynagar Kingdom.[4]
The history of the present fort at Bidar is attributed to the sultanAhmed Shah Wali Bahmani, the sultan of the Bahmani dynasty till 1427, when he shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar since it had better climatic conditions and was also a fertile and fruit-bearing land. The earliest recorded history of its existence as a small and strong fort is also traced to prince Ulugh Khan in 1322, whereafter it came under the reign of theTughlaq dynasty.[5]
With the establishment of the Bahmanid dynasty (1347), Bidar was occupied by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah Bahmani. During the rule of Ahmad Shah I (1422–1486), Bidar was made the capital city ofBahmani Kingdom.[6][7] The old fort was rebuilt andmadrasas,mosques, palaces, and gardens were raised.Mahmud Gawan, who became theprime minister in 1466, was a notable figure in the history of Bidar.
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TheBidar Sultanate (also known as Barid Shahi dynasty) ruled the city formally from 1542 to 1619, although they formally held power since 1492. The dynasty was founded byQasim Barid, who served as Prime Minister of theBahmani Sultanate. His son Amir Barid succeeded him as Prime Minister and later becamede facto ruler when the last Bahmani ruler fled from Bidar.
Ali Barid Shah I, son of Amir Barid was the first to assume the royal title ofShah. He also played a key role in theBattle of Talikota.[citation needed] The Bidar Sultanate ruled Bidar until its conquest by theSultanate of Bijapur in 1619.
Aurangzeb came to Bidar after his father,Padshah (emperor)Shah Jahan, appointed him the Prince of Deccan. He wrested the Bidar Fort from the Adil Shahis after a 21-day war in 1656. With this, Bidar became a part of theMughal dynasty for the second time.[8][9]
Following Bidar's conquest by theMughal Empire in 1656, it was made the capital of the new BidarSubah, (an imperial top-level province) whichTelangana Subah was merged into the next year.[10]
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In 1724, Bidar became a part of the Asaf Jahi Kingdom of theNizams. Third son of Asaf jah l (Nizam l)Mir Sa'id Muhammad Khan, Salabat Jang ruled fromBidar fort from 1751 to 1762, till his brother Mir Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah III imprisoned him in this fort, and was killed in Bidar fort on 16 September 1763.Mohammedabad old name of Bidar is also on his name. It was connected to Hyderabad by rail in the early 20th century.[11]
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After India's independence, in 1956 all Kannada speaking areas were merged to form the Mysore State and Bidar became part of the new Mysore (now Karnataka) state.[9][12][13]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.