Stand on the laterite plateau above Bidar and the plain falls away in every direction, the fort walls running along the cliff edge. Inside those walls are mosques, madrasas and palaces built when this was a Bahmani capital, and outside them the tombs of the sultans and nobles who ruled from here lie scattered across the surrounding land. The city is known for its Bidri handicraft, and it is one of the holiest places for Sikh pilgrimage in the country.
Bidar suits travellers who are willing to move between the fort, the tombs and the temples on the city's edges rather than expecting everything in one quarter. It is the coldest and wettest place in north Karnataka, so the winter season from November to the middle of February is the comfortable window.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, grouped so you can plan a route, plus a single-day plan that strings the strongest of them together.
Top things to do in Bidar
1. Bidar Fort
Built in 1427 when Sultan Alla-Ud Din Bahman of the Bahmanid Dynasty shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar, the fort holds over 30 monuments inside its walls and was one of the largest and strongest forts in India. The citadel has multiple gateways, among them Dulhan Darwaza, Fateh Darwaza, Chanda Shah Kaman and Shah Gunj Darwaza.
Give the fort the better part of a morning, and enter through one of the named gateways so you see the defences before the buildings inside.
2. Mahmud Gawan Madrasa
An ancient madrasa built by the Bahamani empire around 1460 AD, it bears testimony to the scholarly genius of Mahmud Gawan, who first came to Delhi as a Persian trader from Gilan in Iran and moved to Bidar in 1453. It is a prime example of Indo-Islamic architecture and has been declared a monument of national importance.
Combine it with the fort, since both sit within the same day's walking and reading.
3. Gurdwara Nanak Jhira Sahib
This is a Sikh historical shrine and one of the most popular south Indian historical gurudwaras amongst the Sikh community all over India. The source material records that Guru Nanak Dev ji produced the spring of drinking water here by touching a rock with his toe.
Visit in the morning, and dress and behave as you would at any working shrine.
4. Barid Shahi tombs
The tombs of the Barid Shahi rulers form one of the major groups of monuments in Bidar. The set includes the Tomb of Qasim Barid, Tomb of Qasim Barid II, Tomb of Amir Barid (incomplete), Tomb of Chand Sultana, Tomb of Ali Barid and Tomb of Ibrahim Barid.
Walk the group rather than treating any single tomb as the destination, and note that the Tomb of Amir Barid is described as incomplete.
5. Bahmani Tombs
The Bahmani tombs are the other great burial group around the city. They include the Tomb of Ahmad Shah-al-wali, Tomb of Allaudin Shah II, Tomb of Humayun Zalim Shah, Tomb of Nizam Shah, Tomb of Muhammad Shah III, Tomb of Mahmood Shah Bahmani II, Tomb of Waliullah Shah Bahmani, Tomb of Kaleemullah Shah Bahmani, Tomb of Ahmed Shah Bahmani II, Tomb of Malika E Jahan Bida, an Unknown Tomb and the Tomb of a unknown queen.
Set aside a separate half-day from the Barid Shahi tombs so you are not rushing between the two groups.
6. Tomb of Mehmood Gawan
The tomb of Mahmud Gawan, the prime minister who became a notable figure in the history of Bidar after taking office in 1466, is listed among the major places of interest in the city.
Pair it with the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa, the building most closely associated with him.
7. Papnash Temple
It is believed that Lord Sri Rama, on the way to Ayodhya from Lanka after defeating Ravana, visited this place, and that the temple that resulted would wash off his act of killing Ravana, who is a Shiva Bhakt.
It is a Shiva temple, so treat it as a place of worship first and a sight second.
8. Narasimha Zarna
The temple virtually runs into a cave waterbody and is one of the unique in the world. The water in the cave will guide the pilgrims to the idol.
Expect a cave setting rather than a conventional temple hall, and go when you can take your time on the water-worn ground.
9. Choubara
The Choubara is the watch tower at Bidar, listed among the major places of interest in the city.
Use it as a marker while moving through the old city rather than as a stand-alone stop.
10. Choukhandi
Choukhandi is named as a well known place of visit, and the popular Barid Shahi tombs and a Jail made by the British before independence are associated with it.
Combine it with the Barid Shahi tombs, which are the main reason to come to this side of the city.
11. Hazrath Shamsuddin Quadri Shrine
Popularly known as Multani Badshah, this shrine is one of the well known places to visit in Bidar. The city holds several dargahs, or mausoleums, of local Islamic saints, of which Dargah Hazrat Khalil Ullah Kirmani is also named.
Approach both as active religious sites, and keep your visit quiet and brief if a ceremony is under way.
12. Barid Shahi Garden
The Barid Shahi garden is listed among the major places of interest in the city, and the Barid Shahi Park is listed alongside the tombs.
It makes a natural pause between the tomb groups, so keep it for the point in the day when you want to sit down.
13. Basvesvara Temple
The Basvesvara Temple is named among the major places of interest in Bidar.
Fit it into the same outing as the other temples rather than making a separate trip.
14. Kalyani shariff and Kalyan Fort
Kalyani shariff appears as a place of visit, together with Kalyan Fort. The source material lists the name in several spellings, including Kalyani shariff, Kalyan shariff and Kalyan shairff.
Treat the fort and the shariff as one outing, and allow for the fact that this is outside the city itself.
15. Bidri Art Materials at Old City
Bidar city is known for its Bidri handicraft products, and Bidri Art Materials at Old City is where you go to see the craft. The old city is also where the Karez system's Jamna Mori served as a distribution system, with numerous channels intersecting the city streets.
Go in the old city on foot so you can look at the workshops and the street pattern in the same walk.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Bidar Fort, entering through one of the gateways and working through the monuments inside. Move on to the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa while you are still in the fort's quarter, then the Choubara watch tower as you leave.
Afternoon. Take the tombs in two parts. Do the Barid Shahi tombs first, including the Tomb of Qasim Barid, the Tomb of Chand Sultana and the Tomb of Ali Barid, with Choukhandi and the Barid Shahi Garden as a pause between them. Then go to the Bahmani Tombs for the Tomb of Ahmad Shah-al-wali and the surrounding tombs, finishing at the Tomb of Mehmood Gawan.
Evening. End at Gurdwara Nanak Jhira Sahib, then spend whatever light is left in the old city looking at Bidri Art Materials. If you have a second day, give it to Papnash Temple, Narasimha Zarna and Basvesvara Temple, and keep Kalyani shariff and Kalyan Fort for a third.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Bidar?
The winter season runs from November to the middle of February. Bidar is the coldest and wettest place in north Karnataka, so those months are the most comfortable for walking between the fort and the tomb groups.
How do I get around the sights?
The fort, the madrasa, the Choubara and the old city sit together and can be covered on foot. The tomb groups and the temples lie outside that core, so plan them as separate outings rather than trying to walk everything in one stretch.
What is Bidar known for buying?
Bidri handicraft products. The source material points to Bidri Art Materials at Old City as the place to look for them.
Is Bidar of interest to Sikh travellers?
Yes. Bidar is considered one of the holiest places for Sikh pilgrimage, and Gurdwara Nanak Jhira Sahib is one of the most popular south Indian historical gurudwaras amongst the Sikh community all over India.
Decide which tomb group you want to give a full afternoon to, check the winter months against your calendar, and you have enough to start planning a trip to Bidar.