NAGARA (BIDANURU)
Nagara,(ನಗರ) now a small town at a distance of about twenty
kilometers from Shivamogga was known earlier as Bidanur, Bidarur and also as
Venupura in a sanskrtised version. This was the capital city of the Keladi
dynasty after 1640. The capital was shifted hrom Keladi to Nagara was made
during the regime of Veerabhadra Nayaka. However the person who was responsible
for the growth and wealth of Bidanur was Raja Shivappa Nayaka whose
administration was so disciplined as to be described as “Shivappanayakana
Shistu’ even to this day. (prahara paTTi or aDike
hAlattu) The word ‘shistu’ also means ‘tax’. Land revenues were assessed and
collected in a very scientic manner. This town was in a trade route that
facilitated the movement of merchandise from the hilly regions (malenaaDu) to
the costal regions. This fact contributed hugely to its development. Forts and
palaces were built in a phased manner and Bidanur boasted of a fort which had a
circumference of twelve kilometers. It had ten entrances which were given
different names. The fort is entered by a gateway supported by two round
bastions. The courtyard inside shows signs of a former guard room. Inside the
third wall is a large open court facing which is a terrace overlooking the fort. There was a palace on a small hillock and which was
surrounded by another small fort.
However this glory did not last long. Hyder Ali
invaded Bidanur in 1763 during the regime of Rani Veerammaji and assumed the
throne. He established a military centre in the town and named it as Hyder
nagara. The town housed a small mint which created coins called Hyderi Pagodas.
They were also manufacuring ammunition for fire arms in a small factory.
Bidanur was taken over by the British government after the defeat of Tipu
Sultan and gradually it was marginalised. An act of rebellion against Mummadi
Krishnaraja Odeyar the king of
Devagange, built by the kings of Bidanur is an
engineering marvel. Water flowing from the hills above was collected in seven
ponds which different shapes. Two lakes shaped like a lotus and a star are
particularly beautiful.
Nagara has many temples among which Neelakatheshvara
takes the pride of place. It’s built in the architectural style peculiar to
malenaaDu. But it has a dome built in the Islamic style. Gudde Venkataramana
temple and the Srirama temple have door frame made in the Hoysala style and
bells manufactured in
It is interesting to note quite few literary works
are produced with Bidanur as the locale. “Chennabasavanyaka' a novel by Masti
Venkatesha Iyyengar who has won Jnanapeetha award for Kannada, depicts the last
days of the Keladi dynasty and the confrontation between Veerammaji and Hyder
Ali. ‘Nagarada RaNi’ by Veerakesari Seetharama Shastry’ is another novel with
the same theme.
1.
References: Samak S.G.: Art and architecture of the nayakas
pf keladi with special reference to kaavaledurga and nagara (bidanur) (a micro
study) 1996, Dept of History,