A Bangalore Fort shrouded in Mystery: Chikkajala Fort. #BengaluruDiaries #lastminute

To the south and east of the pond are two large pillared halls, connected by a passage. Both the halls and the passage are built of stone. Pillars stand after centuries of decline.

Archaeologists are of the opinion that this was never a fort, but simply a walled temple complex. The lack of bastions and the fact that the walls are simply not thick enough to withstand cannon-fire, make it unviable for defensive purposes. There are also many intriguing inconsistencies in the complex.

The pillars in both the halls are in a pre-Islamic style, but the temple is considerably more modern. Compared to the rest of the compound the temple is also much smaller, which indicates that there was once a larger temple, which may have collapsed and was replaced by this smaller one. The two halls may have been intended to accommodate pilgrims. However, to the south of the compound, there is a small door in the wall and adjacent to the wall there appear to be two Muslim tombs.

The decorations on the gate are similar to what is seen in the Bangalore fort, and inscriptions in the temple are indicative of the post-Vijaynagar period and the early colonial period.

The fort has the tradition of the Marathas, and though these forts are also found elsewhere in southern Karnataka, they were rare in and around Bangalore city.

The structure was probably a “wada” — a private fort built by a rich man in the village to enclose his palatial house, a temple and his private gardens. Forts such as this are similar to those built by the Guttedars or contractors in the Nizam's region, who made their fortune working for the British.The owner of the fort probably built it after the British occupied forts around the region around 1791.

According to old news, Kota Thimakka who was living with her caretaker, a fifteen years old girl was murdered in 1994 in the fort by miscreants.

On paper, the Chikkajala fort is described as a pre-historic site by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It’s a different story that there are no ASI signages to be seen around.

Burial grounds in the area had prompted historians and archaeologists to date the fort to 1000 BC. Even the remains of the pre-historic era are now gone.

While some claim that the site is over 3,000 years old, the odd mixture of styles in the architecture make it difficult to pin down an accurate timeline.

The architecture has elements of both pre-Islamic and Mysore style art, thus indicating that some portions might have been constructed when the previous structures fell through. The thin walls of the compound, as well as the lack of fortifications, seem to indicate that the structure was never meant to be a fort, but rather a walled temple compound.

The walls bear some resemblance to the style of Tipu Sultan’s Devanahalli fort. The overgrown forest and looming peepal tree make the stone pillars appear as a natural outgrowth. Almost a decade ago, certain parts were demolished to enlarge the Bangalore Highway. But the remaining parts contain enough of the intricate carvings and designs to make a trip worth the effort.

A resident of Chikkajala, said the fort had been there since his great grandfather’s days, and elders said it was built by a Palegar (local king). The fort complex provided shelter for people who arrived from far-off places. For the same reason, it is even now called Dharmachatra (free shelter), he added.

If one takes a closer look at the inscriptions in the temple, they clearly indicate its historicity which is post-Vijaynagar period.

The pond (pushkharini) housed in the fort is now extinct as waste materials have replaced the water in it. It would be not wrong to say that the monument is in a shambles and there are no personnel deputed for its cleaning and maintenance, hence, weeds and garbage surround the fort from all its four sides.

This historical monument Chikkajala Fort is the most mysterious fort , no one knows its origin or who built it and for what purpose.

Since it's been dated to be around 1000 BC ,it puts it right about the time of Indus valley civilization. The detailing on the fort temple look intricate,or does this mean an older civilization down south was much mature than Indus Valley Civilization. Burial Grounds around 3000 years have been found here.

Hoysalas built the fort around 1000 AD . The architecture details match that of Hoysalas and Gangas/Rashtrakootas.

Tipu sultan later used this fort or might have rebuilt it around 200 years ago.

Wish this dilapidated fort will be maintained by the government. We were able to see it and bask it the erstwhile glory of our past, but the coming generations with be denied of it. We left the Fort with 2 questions in mind:

1. What is the mystery behind this structure? Who made it and why?
2. Aren't we suppose to protect our past. After all it makes us who we are today.