Tourist places › Fort & Temple
Nagara Fort
The ruined 17th-century Bidanur fort, final capital of the Keladi Nayakas
Nagara — known historically as Bidanur, or Bidnur — was the last capital of the Keladi Nayakas after the dynasty moved its seat here under Veerabhadra Nayaka, with Shivappa Nayaka going on to build much of what survives today. Hyder Ali captured the fort in 1763 and renamed it Hydernagar; General Matthews' British garrison later surrendered it to Tipu Sultan in 1783, with the garrison's fate a grim footnote in local history.
What's left is mostly foundation and wall today — a dry well, watch posts, and the base identified as Shivappa Nayaka's Durbar Hall, with fort walls being rebuilt in places using red brick. Visitors in the monsoon describe the ruins covered in moss, giving the whole site a green, overgrown look rather than a restored monument's polish.
Highlights
- Built under Shivappa Nayaka around 1645–1665, when the Keladi capital moved here from Keladi town
- Historically known as Bidanur — renamed Hydernagar after Hyder Ali captured it in 1763
- Free entry, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India
Getting there
No direct Malnad Yatra bus route covers Thirthahalli–Hosanagara yet; the fort is best reached by private vehicle via Hosanagara or Sagara.