Chitradurga Tour and Holiday Guide 

Chitradurga fortChitradurga is a town in Chitradurga district in the state of Karnataka, India. It gets its name from Chitra-Kal-durga, an umbrella-shaped lofty hill found there.

Chitradurga is a pre-historic town dating back to the period of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Chitradurga lies in the valley of the Vedavati River, with the Tungabhadra River flowing in the northwest. During the British times it was named Chitaldrug.

Chitradurga features bold rock hills and picturesque valleys, huge towering boulders in unimaginable shapes. It is known as the "stone fortress" (Kallina Kote). The district adjoins the Bellary district where similar rock forms are found. The landscape looks strewn with boulders, forming silhouettes against the sky.

Reaching Chitradurga

Nearest airport is Bangalore.

By road, you can reach Chitradurga from Bangalore by National Highway No.4 (Bangalore-Pune Highway) or from Mangalore/Sholapur by National Highways No.13 (Solapur-Mangalore National Highway).  The town is located at the junction of these two Highways. 

Chitradurga is also accessible by train. There is a daily service connecting Bangalore (Bengaluru) and a weekly connection to Mumbai.

History of ChitraDurga and the legend of Onake Obavva

According to a story in the Epic Mahabharata, a man-eating giant named Hidimbasura lived on the Chitradurga hill and was a source of terror to everyone around. During the reign of Madakari Nayaka, the city of Chitradurga was besieged by the troops of Hyder Ali.

A chance sighting of a woman entering the Chitradurga fort through an opening in the rocks led to a clever plan by Hyder Ali to send his soldiers through the hole. Read more about the history of Chitradurga

Highlight of Chitradurga - The Chitradurga Fort

Chitradurga Fort is renowned for its Kallina Kote / Ukinna Kote / Elu Suttina Kote which was built in stages by the Palegar Nayakas, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. It comprises a series of seven enclosure walls in Kannada.

Eighteen ancient temples can be found inside the fort. This seemingly impregnable fort has 19 gateways, 38 posterior entrances, a palace, a mosque, granaries, oil pits, four secret entrances and water tanks.

Other places to see in and around Chitradurga

Though Chitradurga fort is the main attraction, there are many other sightseeing spots that can you can see in and around Chitradurga. Read more about Places to see in and around Chitradurga.

Go back to Karnataka Destinations