Fort on a monolith

The best of plans are the ones not made and the best places seen are the ones you arrive at unplanned. And so it was on a hot morning that on a whim we wanted to see blackbucks in Karnataka's famed Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve, in Tumakuru district. But driving on the way, Google Maps tempted us by showing Madhugiri Fort nearby.  

We blindly followed the map to this fort located close to Tumakuru  and landed at a huge metal gate, drove in, and found a shaded yard where a few cars were parked. A policeman sitting there asked us to enter our details - all people climbing up must, he insisted! "It's a rather steep climb. I suggest you don't go too far. You have a child with you, and it's hot already. Why didn't you land here early in the morning like most trekkers do?" he asked, rather patronisingly.

Inviting and intimidating

Under the hot morning sun, the fort looked both inviting and intimidating. The stony walls zigzagged across the breadth of the imposing Madhugiri hill and the fort's ramparts stood tall against the blue sky. Madhugiri, historically referred to as Maddagiri also, is one imposing monolithic hill; it is said to be Asia's second-largest monolith. The steep slopes and the vantage views that the height of over 3,900 feet gave must have been prime considerations for a fort to be built here.  

Madhugiri Fort in its initial mud avatar is said to have been built by a local chieftain and feudal lord named Raja Hire Gowda under the rule of the Vijayanagara dynasty in the 15th century.

Like with all historical places, the reason ascribed to the building of Madhugiri Fort too comes with its own little legend. In the dry and arid grasslands that Madhugiri hill is set in, a sheep went missing but returned dripping wet, indicating a spring or source of water. And water was the centre around which the stronghold of the area was built. Even today various springs and water storage tanks dot the hillside. The Tumkuru Gazetteer of 1969 records many dones or springs along these hill slopes, reservoirs lined with brick steps, and secret pathways to supply water to the fort!

In 1678 AD, the fort was captured by Devaraja, the Dalavayi of Mysore. Madhugiri Fort was later reinforced and expanded by Hyder Ali, who is said to have added granaries, arches, and watchtowers. History records that after the conquest of Bidanur or Bednur, Hyder Ali had imprisoned the queen of Bidanur in this fort until its capture by the Marathas in 1767 AD. The Maratha chief Madhava Rao held possession of  Madhugiri  for seven years and was forced out by Tipu Sultan in 1774.

Madhugiri Fort was considered one of the most impregnable forts not only in the Mysore region, but the whole of South India. There are many gates that lead to the top of Madhugiri Fort - Antaralada Bagilu, Diddibagilu, and the Mysore Gate. A Jain basadi abuts the fort wall, two other temples dedicated to Malleshwara and Venkataramana are within its walls, and ruins of a Gopalakrishna Temple are also found on top of the hill.  

It was rather sad, as we slowly began our ascent, to see like most historical Indian sites that this fort too was maimed by scratched engravings of random love. The masonry and granite stone walls, as well as the boulders have not been spared.

Architecture

The newly laid stone steps gave way in between to little step-like grips cut into the rock. The view, even from halfway up, is breathtaking. But it's all overgrown with neglect, and dried grass grows wild along the periphery of the fort wall, peppered with musket holes. One beautiful view can be seen through a latticed arch, probably Hyder Ali's contribution, looking at the style. This delicate portion of the fort stands in stark contrast to the otherwise very masculine and unadorned portions of the rest of the fort. In some parts of the fort, rocky natural outcrops form a part of the fort wall. Very few people were climbing up, as afternoon approached, and with it, the hot sun.

Madhugiri in recent years has become a trekker's challenge for most weekend fun- seeking Bengalureans. There have been some trekking accidents too, leading to steel and rope railings being set up along some of the steeper stretches in the upper reaches of Madhugiri. We never made it till there, spending time lazily, and mostly tiredly, plodding up the steps and through the arches of the fort.  

This fort is just one of a series of the hill forts built in Tumakuru district, including neighbouring ones in Midigeshi, Pavagada, Koratagere, Devarayanadurga, Channarayanadurga etc.

Madhugiri may be a trekker's paradise, but it's also a great destination for someone interested in exploring history, forts, or just catching some great views. We also realised why the policeman was right in warning us!