Forlorn, forsaken, this is Budikote

The birthplace of Hyder Ali, this village has been forgotten in the annals of history

The fort, a bastion which challenged the might of the British empire is now buried amid thorny bushes; and of course, a sheer lack of historic sense. Said to be birthplace of Hyder Ali, it has turned into a littering place. You can find liquor bottles, offal and not to speak of sullage. A stone inscription proclaiming the fort to be the Hyder’s birth place stands alone, as if waging a lone battle.

An inscription of Bana rule dating back to eighth century speaks of the importance of Budikote. According to another inscription found near Ukkunda village, Budikote was a prominent town of Tekal province. Over the course of time, the town came under the rule of several chieftains.

Dilapidated temples of Sugreeva, Anjaneya and Venugopalaswamy greet the visitor to this ancient fort. The temples have now become shelter for animals. The semblance of water in the pond is nothing but sewerage. The watch towers on the periphery have caved in. The fort, though resembles the one at Chitradurga, is too small in extent.

It is said that an iron chain was anchored by drilling hole to a boulder to hang the cradle for baby Hyder. However, the chain has been missing for some years. There are several inscriptions referring to Hyder Ali, but without any security. Some are on the road near the fort and some have even broken.

Markandeya reservoir, hailed as KRS of Kolar district is located on the outskirts of Budikote. The reservoir was constructed at a mere cost of Rs four lakh during the period 1936-40.

Budikote has its share of representation in English literature as well. E M Jones, who came from England for a few days to Budikote in 1927, has portrayed the village in his “Poems of South India,” “Old Fort of Budikote,” and “Indian Landscape.”

The pathetic state of this historic place stands testimony to our lack of vision to preserve the past for posterity. The only sign of “belonging” is a board put by Archaeological Department proudly declaring the fort as “Our property.”