The Whispering Tales of a Town Within a Fort

There once existed a fort that housed and protected a town within it. But could it fortify itself from the destruction of the clock?

Collage created via Canva: From top clockwise — The inner expanse of Rangappa Nayaka Fort; the moat around the outer wall of the fort, the crumbled palace just beyond the entrance; and a U-shaped path of the two-layered wall. Source: sasikiran.com / Xplorewithus.blogspot

Today, the shreds of evidence of those grand days are a cluster of mosques and the Muslim burial sites of which the locals point one larger structure as the mausoleum of Aurangzeb’s daughter. A decade ago, a stroll through the ramparts of the fort guided by local urchins would show the collapsed stone palace within the fort area of 26 acres on a plain land between the two lakes Chikkakere and Doddakere. There were remains of a secret underground passage that led from the entrance gate to the top of the fort ramparts and a tunnel which the locals claim was originally of the height that allowed a man on a horse to pass through and travel up to Chitradurga. They would point out a cluster of ambiguous stone slabs buried in thorny bushes believed to be the smaraks of Rangappa and his family. There was also a desolate and ruined structure with a Gumabaz hidden behind the wilderness that appeared as an old place of worship that the local kids claim was the Anjaneyya Temple, but the deity was shifted to another temple in the main town owing to a murder committed within its sanctum. They would then lead the visitors to the two deep wells that might have been a source of water for the town’s residents within the fort but were now covered in layers of green moss and algae, the walls laced with hanging weavers’ nests.

The history of every civilisation is full of lost lives, towns, archives, and glories, sacrificed at the altar of human avarice and time itself. Some moments survive within the thin threads of inherited folklore or some written texts, but the actual structures disintegrate into oblivion. Nearly 200 years ago, there existed a fort that housed and protected a town within it. But could it fortify itself from the destruction of the clock?

Oral tales among the surrounding inhabitants and old records in libraries are the only memories of some glorious towns that once existed as part of flourishing dynasties. One such site of utter ruin is the almost forgotten Rangappa Nayak Fort, which seems to have lost its place on the map, except for a board stating it to be a preserved site under the Indian archaeological department. Though quite late, the department is working hard to renovate the Rangappa Nayaka Fort based on the old British records like the unpublished journal Memories of the Northern Paraganas of Mysore written by Mackenzie **around 1800 AD. The fort once protected around 50,000 families of the Sira town, but now, it can hardly protect itself from herds of grazing cattle or reckless children playing cricket. The two lakes flanking the stoned structure are the only sign of continuity of this town called Sira. The name is said to have derived from the ancient name “Siriay.”

Though the fading tales of Sira town are found today in the Tumkur district of Karnataka, its story began way back in the middle ages and is etched in plunder across many powerful kingdoms like the Gangas, Rastrakutas, Nolambas, Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara rulers. It was during the Vijayanagara expansions that one of its governors from Ratnagiri, Kasturi Rangappa Nayak, travelled to this part of his fiefdom to hunt in the Sira forest. One of the plain grounds surrounded and standing over the lakes grabbed his attention as a perfect location for a fort. Owing to his first layout of the fort, his name remained attached to the fort though many dynasties laid claim to it after his downfall. Sira was captured by the Bijapur Sultanate before Rangappa could complete the citadel. The pages of history have lost the exact names of who completed the fort’s construction, yet it was once a strategic and unique three-layered citadel that was fought for by many even after the downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire and the almost half-century-long rule of the Adil Shahis.

The endless tales reverberating within the fort may not match its forgotten written records, yet the historical significance of the obliterated town seems to cling in the breeze passing through its pillaged ramparts. The Mughals could not hold on to their province for long because of the Marathas who captured it from them for just a couple of years when Haider Ali took over. Just like a pass-the-ball game, the Marathas reclaimed the fort only for it to be snatched away by Tipu Sultan who further fortified the Sira town. Finally, with the death of the Tiger of Mysore, the fort began its last journey to doom under the British Empire. The only side gateway that has remained intact is in the form of a mantapa standing on granite and stone pillars and wonderful pieces of carved artwork and sculptures.

The records of Mackenzie mention a wonderful garden created by the Mughal subordinate Dilawar Khan in Sira town that inspired Haider Ali to establish Lal Bagh. But nothing of the garden has survived after the British Raj, though the archaeological department is striving to recreate the old glory again. Nothing is mentioned about the dargah of Faridulla Shah Huseini **built for the revered fakir who travelled to this region during the Mughal rule. The dargah now lies desolate on a rural dusty road, but the locals do not forget to lead the visitors through the narrow lanes bordered with thatched houses.

Whether the archaeological department can revoke the intrinsic glory of a town with palaces, gardens, granaries, and fortifications is yet to be seen. But the stories shared among the shepherds and peasants living around the Rangappa Nayaka Fort have done a commendable job to save the history of Sira from oblivion.

The records of Mackenzie described it as a sturdy three-quartered fortification that was surrounded by lakes and had four gates. Apart from the water bodies, none of the gates have survived the plunders of imperialism. It is said that Malik Rehan, the administrator of Sira under the Bijapur Sultanate, added a mud wall to the existing stone walls of the fort built by Rangappa. Unfortunately, the mud wall of the fort has completely disappeared. The stone-walled, 40-feet-deep moat around the entire fort and the eighteen bastions interspersing the outer walls exhibit strong military acumen of the rulers of the fort. The canons of the bastions have disappeared in loot, leaving behind large and small hollows of pestles. Though the interior of the fort was totally destroyed, first due to British pillage and then due to human vandalism or neglect, the 20-feet-high and seven-feet-wide walls are the only ones that stand tall among all the other totally ruined neighbouring hilltop forts of Tumkur. Hardly had the Deccan Sultanate begun to settle in the Sira Fort when Aurangzeb attacked the region and annexed it into his control. Qasim Khan was appointed the subedar of Sira and is believed to be the one who fortified the citadel to completion.

Collage created via Canva: The entrance to the fort through a mantapa Source: sasikiran.com / xplorewithus.blogspot

Collage created via Canva: Top clockwise - Jamia Masjid in Sira; the close-up of pillars in the mantapa at the gateway of the fort; masjids in Sira; and the mausoleum of Aurangzeb’s daughter. Source: Sira.Karnatakaonline / sasikiran.com / xplorewithus.blogspot.

Collage created via Canva: From top left clockwise - The path leading to one of the bastions; secret passage from entrance to the fort ramparts above; rugged holes where once canons were installed; a ruined place of worship within the fort area; a tower over the open well with the evidence of pipelines to supply water. Source: xplorewithus.blogspot