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Devanahalli Fort is located 35 kilometres north of Bangalore and is known for its historical relevance and archaeological splendour.
History of Devanhalli Fort
Devanahalli’s history may be traced back to the 15th century, when a family of fleeing refugees from Conjeevaram (modern-day Kanchipuram) settled along the foot of Ramaswami betta, east of Nandi Hills.
Their leader, Rana Baire Gowda, was supposedly commanded to establish a town in this region in a dream.
He and his Morasu Wokkalu family settled in Ahuti, a little town that ultimately became Avati.
Malla Baire Gowda’s son established Devanahalli, Chikka-ballapura, and Dodda-ballapura. Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore, is also a member of the Morasu Wokkalu dynasty.
Devanahalli was a part of Gangawadi and was afterwards ruled by the Rashatrakutas, Nolambas, Pallavas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara emperors.
Malla Baire built the first mud fort with Devaraya’s permission in 1501 AD at Devanadoddi, the old name of Devanahalli, during Vijayanagra reign.
The fort was captured by the Wodeyars of Mysore under the command of Nanja Raja in 1747 AD.
It was conquered by the Marathas several times before falling under the authority of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan.
Tipu dubbed it Yousafabad (the home of Yousuf, the best man), which was never popular.
During the Mysore War in 1791, the fort was finally captured by the British under Lord Cornwallis.
Tipu Sultan was born in 1750 in Devanahalli.
The birthplace of Tipu Sultan, located quite close to the Devanahalli Fort, is only a modest pillared enclosure with a stone tablet declaring the location to be Tipu Sultan’s birthplace.
Khas Bagh refers to the territory surrounding the enclosure.
Devanhalli Fort Architecture
The fort has twelve semicircular bastions, each with a gun-point view and a large battlement.
The entrances, however small, are ornamented with cut-plasterwork, and the primary attraction is Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan’s main home.
The memorial is a six-foot-tall cage surrounded by pillars.
The fort is now a house for many people, as multiple families live there.
Venugopalswamy Temple is the oldest and most beautiful of the fort’s temples, with exquisite architecture and various lovely idols of local deities.
Other temples include Siddheswar Swamy Temple, Raghabendraswamy Math, Chandramouleswar Temple, and others.
Despite being in a damaged and deteriorating state, with most of the walls covered in graffiti, the fort manages to retain some of its majesty and magnificence from the past.
If you enjoy old structures and archaeological sites, we propose that you visit the fort.
What are the temples at Devanahalli Fort
The Venugopalaswamy Temple is the oldest and most popular temple within the Devanahalli Fort, boasting immaculate architecture.
The temple, which faces the main road on one side, has a beautiful Garuda Stamba in its vast courtyard.
The temple is a fantastic treat for history and archaeology fans, with gorgeously bedecked pillars all around and walls embellished with elaborate murals from Ramayana scenes.
The sculptures that efficiently decorate the interiors are compared to those in Halebid and Belur.
Two horsemen with swords protect the two main pillars at the entrance.
The facade includes a Vijayanagar-style Garbgriha with a standing portrait of Venugopal.
In addition, there is a Dravidian-style Shikara (mountain top pattern) on the temple’s roof.
Other temples within the fort’s grounds include Siddhalingeshwara temple, Chandramouleshwara temple, Raghavendraswamy Matha, and the Sarovaranjaneya temple, all of which are equally beautiful and majestic.
How To Reach Devanahalli Fort
- The fort is located 35 kms north to the city of Bangalore in Devanahalli.Â
- Take Bangalore- Hyderabad National Highway 7
- Dont take exit towards airport
- take exit towards devanhalli/hyderabad
- Go straight until you see a signboard overhead for ‘Devanahalli Township’.
- Take the right turn and drive half a km further to reach your destination.
- You can take your vehicles inside the premises of the fort.