The fortified town was once the capital of the Bahamani’s and the Barid Shahi’s. The Bahamani empire broke into four kingdoms and Ahmad Shah I, the 9th Bahamani ruler shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar in 1424. He rebuilt the old Hindu fort and also made beautiful palaces and gardens. The Bahamani was succeeded by the Barid Shahi dynasty, which ruled here from 1487 to 1619 when it was annexed by Bijapur. Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor captured Bidar in 1656. There are fine palaces and tombs, some of them are great examples of Muslim architecture in the Deccan. It is also an important Sikh and Hindu pilgrim center.
Bidar Fort: This stronghold of the Bahamani Kings in the 14th and 15th centuries was built by Ahmad Shah Bahmani between 1426 and 1432. There are five Darwazas (gateways) of the fort and within its precincts are fine palaces and tombs.
Chaubara: The 71 ft. the high watchtower is set in the heart of Bidar town.
Madrasa of Mahamud Gawan: It was built in 1472, by Muhammad Ill and was a renowned center of learning, attracting scholars from all over the Muslim world.
Nanak Jhira: This Sikh pilgrim site is associated with a miracle of Guru Nanak. the first guru of the Sikhs. He is said to have visited here during a severe famine and created a jeera (spring) of crystal clear water. The sacred site is marked by a huge gurudwara.
Narasimha Jheera: It is the only subterranean stream of Karnataka. The cave with waist-deep water has an image of Lord Narasimha. Papanaash, the sacred shrine of Lord Shiva is visited by a large number of devotees.
