Bidar Fort
Encyclopedia
Bidar Fort is situated in North Karnataka
in Bidar district
of the northern plateau of Karanataka, India. Sultan Alla-Ud-Din Bahman of the Bahmanid Dynasty
shifted his capital from Gulbarga
to Bidar
in 1427 and built his fort along with a number of Islamic monuments.
Bidriware
is a very popular handicraft, an art form with 800 years history with linkage to the Persian
art, from which it evolved during the rule of the Bahamani Sultan
s. During 2008, Bidriware, as one of the important exported handicrafts from India, was awarded the Geographical Indication (G.I) authorized user status which is exclusive to the artisans resident in the Karnataka region only.
means: "bamboo") because in the past the place was forested with bamboos and hence was called by the name "Bidaroor". Over the years it got corrupted to 'Bidare' and finally to 'Bidar'.
of the second Kalyani dynasty is situated about 40 miles (64.4 km) to the west of Bidar.
River system
The Bidar town and the surrounding terrain in the district are drained by the Karanja river, a tributary of Manjra River, which in turn is a major tributary of the Godavari River
.
Climate
Climate is salubrious throughout the year, even during the months of April and May in summer, sharp and sudden thunder showers cools the place. By early June the south-west monsoon dominates adding to the pleasant weather of the place. Winter is also a pleasant season. The city and the villages in its vicinity have a rich heritage of historical monuments and legends.
invasion of the region is traced to Prince Ulugh Khan in 1322, whereafter it came under the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty
.
With the establishment of the Bahmani dyanasty (1347), Bidar was occupied by Sultan Alla-Ud-Din Bahman Shah Bahmani. During the rule of Ahmad Shah I (1422–1486), Bidar was made the capital city of Bahmani Kingdom. The old Hindu Fort was rebuilt and beautiful madrasas, mosques, palaces and gardens were raised. Mahmmad Gawan who became the Prime Minister
in 1466 was a notable figure in the history of Bidar. Bidar remained under the Barid Shahi dynasty until it was captured by the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb in 1656 A.D. In 1724, Bidar became a part of the Asaf Jahi Kingdom of the Nizams. It was annexed by the Bijapur Sultanate in 1619–20 but the Mughal
viceroy
of Aurangzeb
took it in 1657 and thus became a part the Mughal Empire in 1686.
Thus, Bahmanis ruled over Gulbaraga from 1347 to 1424 and from Bidar from 1424 till the extinction of the kingdom and its disintegration into five independent and warring kingdoms of Bijapur, Golconda
, Ahmadnagar
, Bidar
and Berar
. After the empire was split, Bidar came under the rule of the British in 1724. After India's independence, in 1956 when Bidar became part of Mysore (now Karnataka) state.
The influence of Persian culture was distinct in Bidar in the Deccan, during fifteeenth and sixteenth centuries.
The fort
The Bidar fort, constructed on the edge of the plateau, has a hapazhard quadrangular layout plan of 0.75 miles (1.2 km) in length and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) breadth. The peripheral length of the fort walls measure 4500 yard. The walls, bastions, gates and barbicans of Bidar, though in ruins, are well preserved and considered as some of the most stylish in India. It is surrounded by a triple moat.
There are seven gates in the fort. The dominant main gate exhibits Persian style architecture. The ‘Gumbad Darwaza’ depicts arches with stilted size, also in Persian style. The ‘Sherza Darwaza’ of Bidar Fort, the second gate of entry, depicts two images of tigers carved on its fascia; according to Shia belief, the tiger decorations are indicative of Ali who was also known as Asadullah-Al Ghalib
that assured protection to the building from enemy attack. The other gates are the Fateh Gate on the south (has octagonal towers and drawbridge); the Talghat Gate in the east; the Delhi Gate and the Mandu Gate. The prominent bastion at the entry is known as the ’Munda Burj’ with guns positioned on it.
It is said that the Bahmani Sultanate claimed lineage of the Sasanians
and the motifs on their buildings, particularly the crowns of the arches that they built depicted a crescent and occasionally a disk that was closely reminiscent of the crowns of the Sassanian emperors.
Madrasa or Islamic school
The Madrasa or the Islamic school was built by Khwaza Mahmud Gawan, the Persian scholar, the General and the Prime Minister in the court of Mohamad Shah III. Mahmud Gawan was a native of Gillan
in Iran. It has been built in distinct Persian architectural style. Gawan had invited architects and engineers from Persia and other middle east
countries to build the edifices in the fort (this is inferred from a collection of letters under the title "Riyad al-Insha" written by Gawan to build his madrasa). The madrasa has its parallel in the Madrasa of Kharghid near Meshhed. The madrasa is a three storied building with a quadrangular plan with towering minarets; it is unlike the Indian minarets in that the first and second floors have balconies that project from the main structure and have curvilinear forms without any bracket support. The fascia
has a strip of coloured chevron tile work on the parapet in a cusped pattern, in typical Persian style. The bulbous domes are, however, in the Timurind style
. In 1696, the madrasa was damaged by lightning. When it was housed the cavary barracks and powder magazine, it was subject to more damage. Even in the present ruined state, the madaras looks an impressive edicifce.
Mosques
Bidar has two prominent mosques – the spacious 'Jami Masjid' (the "Great Mosque") and the 'Solah Khamba Masjid' (16 pillared mosque) with a notable dome built on a 16-sided drum.
Jami Masjid, a large mosque, is without minarets or prominent domes. The mosque though simple in design but has a symmetrical plan with well organized constituent parts.
Solah Khamba Mosque in the fort was built in 1327. Its long prayer hall has nineteen passageways; each passage is five compartments deep. In plan, the mosque measures 295 feet (89.9 m) x 77 feet (23.5 m). The main prayer hall is supported by 18 piers; the other areas of the mosque are supported by 60 round piers. All the piers support a roof which has 84 domes. The domes are flat with features of pendentives. Massive circular columns supporting the structure are fashioned with leafy motifs at the top. The Mihrab
(prayer niche) located on the rear wall is enclosed by a cusped arch. The bays form a large chamber in the entrance. Squinches support the dome with braces designed as elephant trunks. The outer arcade lacks any original features, the parapet of pierced interlocking battlements were a later addition. The main dome has flattish shape and is supported on a circular drum, which is embellished with relief of trefoil
crenellations.
Palaces
The Gagan Mahal (Public Audience Hall)or palace in Persian architectural style has glazed mosaics and has an approach with arresting black granite steps interlaid with red sandstone
. It has stilted arches. There are two outlines on each of the eastern and northern facades. Persian emblems of the Lion
along with the raising Sun
in the background flank the arches on both sides. They are all in mosaic of beautiful coloured tiles. The Rangin Mahal (Painted Palace) built by Ali Barid Shah has impressive arabesque
designs with display of the art of Quranic calligraphy
. The zenana
palace depicts bright painted murals. Other impressive structures seen, also built in exquisite Persian style, are the Lal Bagh, the Takhat Mahal (the throne room), the 70 feet (21.3 m) Chaubara and the Watch Tower.
Beyond the fort's limits, on the east, domed tombs of eight Bahmanī kings are located, while to the west lies the royal necropolis
of the Barīd sultans.
Bidriware
, popularly known as "A Magic in Black and Silver" is a delicate metal ware containing silver and gold inlaid on iron. It is a very popular art form of over 800 year vintage art form of Persia
promoted in Bidar with specific link to the foundation soils contained in the forts precincts. This art is exported to other countries. Zinc
and copper
are the basic metals used to make this handicraft. The design patterns are inlaid on pure silver wire or thin sheets. They are normally "damascened (ornamented with wavy lines) in floral and geometric designs".
Another important ingredient in making this handicraft
, made by highly skilled labour, is the soil from the basement of ancient buildings inside the Bidar Fort. It is claimed that this soil gives a lustrous black colour to the Bidriware because such soil has not been exposed to rain or sunlight for centuries. In view of high skill and special materials used in its manufacture it is possible to make it only as a handicraft.
India on NH 7), 116 kilometres (72.1 mi) northeast of Gulbarga and 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) (NH 9 from Bangalore Via Gulbarga and Bellary
Nearest airport is the BIDAR Airport and
also BIAL, BANGALORE
North Karnataka
North Karnataka is an arid plateau from elevation in the Karnataka state of southwest India. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra...
in Bidar district
Bidar District
Bidar is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. The historic city of Bidar is the administrative centre of the district. The district is located in the northeastern corner of the state, near the borders with Andhra Pradesh to the east and Maharashtra to the north and west...
of the northern plateau of Karanataka, India. Sultan Alla-Ud-Din Bahman of the Bahmanid Dynasty
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
shifted his capital from Gulbarga
Gulbarga
Gulbarga is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of Gulbarga District. It was formerly part of Nizam's Hyderabad state...
to Bidar
Bidar
Bidar is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the north-eastern part of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Bidar District....
in 1427 and built his fort along with a number of Islamic monuments.
Bidriware
Bidriware
Bidriware is a metal handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka, in the 14th century C.E., during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware...
is a very popular handicraft, an art form with 800 years history with linkage to the Persian
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
art, from which it evolved during the rule of the Bahamani Sultan
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
s. During 2008, Bidriware, as one of the important exported handicrafts from India, was awarded the Geographical Indication (G.I) authorized user status which is exclusive to the artisans resident in the Karnataka region only.
Etymology
Etymology of the name Bidar affixed to the fort is stated to be derived from the word 'bidiru’ (KannadaKannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
means: "bamboo") because in the past the place was forested with bamboos and hence was called by the name "Bidaroor". Over the years it got corrupted to 'Bidare' and finally to 'Bidar'.
Geography
The fort, the town and the district are all affixed with the name Bidar. The town and the fort are located on the edge of an oblong shaped plateau, which measures 22 miles (35.4 km) in length and 12 miles (19.3 km) in width at its broadest, encompassing a total area of 12 mi2. The ancient capital KalyaniBasavakalyan
Basavakalyan is a town in Bidar District of the state of Karnataka, India, and was historically known as Kalyan.-History:Basavakalyan's history dates back to 3000 years with its name being mentioned in Guru Charitra....
of the second Kalyani dynasty is situated about 40 miles (64.4 km) to the west of Bidar.
River system
The Bidar town and the surrounding terrain in the district are drained by the Karanja river, a tributary of Manjra River, which in turn is a major tributary of the Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
.
Climate
Climate is salubrious throughout the year, even during the months of April and May in summer, sharp and sudden thunder showers cools the place. By early June the south-west monsoon dominates adding to the pleasant weather of the place. Winter is also a pleasant season. The city and the villages in its vicinity have a rich heritage of historical monuments and legends.
History
The history of the present fort at Bidar is attributed to the Sultan Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah the first sultan of the Bahmani dynasty to 1427 when he shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar since it had better climatic conditions and was also a fertile and fruit bearing land. Earliest recorded history of its existence as a small and strong fort is also traced to the first MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
invasion of the region is traced to Prince Ulugh Khan in 1322, whereafter it came under the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty
Tughlaq dynasty
The Tughlaq dynasty of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the throne under the title of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. The Tughluqs were a Muslim family of Turkic origin...
.
With the establishment of the Bahmani dyanasty (1347), Bidar was occupied by Sultan Alla-Ud-Din Bahman Shah Bahmani. During the rule of Ahmad Shah I (1422–1486), Bidar was made the capital city of Bahmani Kingdom. The old Hindu Fort was rebuilt and beautiful madrasas, mosques, palaces and gardens were raised. Mahmmad Gawan who became the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in 1466 was a notable figure in the history of Bidar. Bidar remained under the Barid Shahi dynasty until it was captured by the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb in 1656 A.D. In 1724, Bidar became a part of the Asaf Jahi Kingdom of the Nizams. It was annexed by the Bijapur Sultanate in 1619–20 but the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
took it in 1657 and thus became a part the Mughal Empire in 1686.
Thus, Bahmanis ruled over Gulbaraga from 1347 to 1424 and from Bidar from 1424 till the extinction of the kingdom and its disintegration into five independent and warring kingdoms of Bijapur, Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
, Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar is located in Gujranwala DistricTt, Punjab, Pakistan.-References:...
, Bidar
Bidar
Bidar is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the north-eastern part of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Bidar District....
and Berar
Berar Sultanate
-Berar in Ancient History:Subah Berar and Gondwana the Vidarbha region known as Gulshan-e-Berar in medieval period since Khilji dynasty to mughal period according Aine-Akbari and Alimgeer Namah report the berar is hole Fourteen sarkar...
. After the empire was split, Bidar came under the rule of the British in 1724. After India's independence, in 1956 when Bidar became part of Mysore (now Karnataka) state.
Structure
With the establishment of the Bahmani Kingdom in the Deccan from 1347, the architectural styles of the Persian architecture of Iran made impressive and lasting impacts, which are seen in the Bidar Fort. The mosques, arches, gardens and the palaces were built within and also outside the fort in the Bidar town. Some of the important structures built are elaborated.The influence of Persian culture was distinct in Bidar in the Deccan, during fifteeenth and sixteenth centuries.
The fort
The Bidar fort, constructed on the edge of the plateau, has a hapazhard quadrangular layout plan of 0.75 miles (1.2 km) in length and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) breadth. The peripheral length of the fort walls measure 4500 yard. The walls, bastions, gates and barbicans of Bidar, though in ruins, are well preserved and considered as some of the most stylish in India. It is surrounded by a triple moat.
There are seven gates in the fort. The dominant main gate exhibits Persian style architecture. The ‘Gumbad Darwaza’ depicts arches with stilted size, also in Persian style. The ‘Sherza Darwaza’ of Bidar Fort, the second gate of entry, depicts two images of tigers carved on its fascia; according to Shia belief, the tiger decorations are indicative of Ali who was also known as Asadullah-Al Ghalib
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
that assured protection to the building from enemy attack. The other gates are the Fateh Gate on the south (has octagonal towers and drawbridge); the Talghat Gate in the east; the Delhi Gate and the Mandu Gate. The prominent bastion at the entry is known as the ’Munda Burj’ with guns positioned on it.
It is said that the Bahmani Sultanate claimed lineage of the Sasanians
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
and the motifs on their buildings, particularly the crowns of the arches that they built depicted a crescent and occasionally a disk that was closely reminiscent of the crowns of the Sassanian emperors.
Madrasa or Islamic school
 |
|
| View of Islamic college campus | Closer view of Bidar Bidar Bidar is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the north-eastern part of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Bidar District.... madrasa |
The Madrasa or the Islamic school was built by Khwaza Mahmud Gawan, the Persian scholar, the General and the Prime Minister in the court of Mohamad Shah III. Mahmud Gawan was a native of Gillan
Gillan
Gillan was a rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.-History:In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusion style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns, and formed a new band entitled Gillan...
in Iran. It has been built in distinct Persian architectural style. Gawan had invited architects and engineers from Persia and other middle east
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
countries to build the edifices in the fort (this is inferred from a collection of letters under the title "Riyad al-Insha" written by Gawan to build his madrasa). The madrasa has its parallel in the Madrasa of Kharghid near Meshhed. The madrasa is a three storied building with a quadrangular plan with towering minarets; it is unlike the Indian minarets in that the first and second floors have balconies that project from the main structure and have curvilinear forms without any bracket support. The fascia
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
has a strip of coloured chevron tile work on the parapet in a cusped pattern, in typical Persian style. The bulbous domes are, however, in the Timurind style
Timurid Dynasty
The Timurids , self-designated Gurkānī , were a Persianate, Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turko-Mongol descent whose empire included the whole of Iran, modern Afghanistan, and modern Uzbekistan, as well as large parts of contemporary Pakistan, North India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the...
. In 1696, the madrasa was damaged by lightning. When it was housed the cavary barracks and powder magazine, it was subject to more damage. Even in the present ruined state, the madaras looks an impressive edicifce.
Mosques
| Main courtyard of the fort | The Great Mosque or Sola Khamb Masjid |
Bidar has two prominent mosques – the spacious 'Jami Masjid' (the "Great Mosque") and the 'Solah Khamba Masjid' (16 pillared mosque) with a notable dome built on a 16-sided drum.
Jami Masjid, a large mosque, is without minarets or prominent domes. The mosque though simple in design but has a symmetrical plan with well organized constituent parts.
Solah Khamba Mosque in the fort was built in 1327. Its long prayer hall has nineteen passageways; each passage is five compartments deep. In plan, the mosque measures 295 feet (89.9 m) x 77 feet (23.5 m). The main prayer hall is supported by 18 piers; the other areas of the mosque are supported by 60 round piers. All the piers support a roof which has 84 domes. The domes are flat with features of pendentives. Massive circular columns supporting the structure are fashioned with leafy motifs at the top. The Mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
(prayer niche) located on the rear wall is enclosed by a cusped arch. The bays form a large chamber in the entrance. Squinches support the dome with braces designed as elephant trunks. The outer arcade lacks any original features, the parapet of pierced interlocking battlements were a later addition. The main dome has flattish shape and is supported on a circular drum, which is embellished with relief of trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
crenellations.
Palaces
The Gagan Mahal (Public Audience Hall)or palace in Persian architectural style has glazed mosaics and has an approach with arresting black granite steps interlaid with red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It has stilted arches. There are two outlines on each of the eastern and northern facades. Persian emblems of the Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
along with the raising Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
in the background flank the arches on both sides. They are all in mosaic of beautiful coloured tiles. The Rangin Mahal (Painted Palace) built by Ali Barid Shah has impressive arabesque
Arabesque
The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements...
designs with display of the art of Quranic calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
. The zenana
Zenana
Zenana , refers to the part of a house belonging to a Muslim family in the Middle East and South Asia reserved for the women of the household. The Zenana are the inner apartments of a house in which the women of the family live...
palace depicts bright painted murals. Other impressive structures seen, also built in exquisite Persian style, are the Lal Bagh, the Takhat Mahal (the throne room), the 70 feet (21.3 m) Chaubara and the Watch Tower.
Beyond the fort's limits, on the east, domed tombs of eight Bahmanī kings are located, while to the west lies the royal necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
of the Barīd sultans.
Handicraft of Bidar
| Bidriware Bidriware Bidriware is a metal handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka, in the 14th century C.E., during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware... product, based on Zinc, copper sheets and deep soil in the fort |
Another Bidriware - the Hookah Hookah A hookah A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) (Hindustani: हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari, (Nastaleeq) huqqah) also known as a waterpipe or narghile, is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument for smoking in which the smoke is cooled by water. The tobacco smoked is referred to... |
Bidriware
Bidriware
Bidriware is a metal handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka, in the 14th century C.E., during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware...
, popularly known as "A Magic in Black and Silver" is a delicate metal ware containing silver and gold inlaid on iron. It is a very popular art form of over 800 year vintage art form of Persia
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
promoted in Bidar with specific link to the foundation soils contained in the forts precincts. This art is exported to other countries. Zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
are the basic metals used to make this handicraft. The design patterns are inlaid on pure silver wire or thin sheets. They are normally "damascened (ornamented with wavy lines) in floral and geometric designs".
Another important ingredient in making this handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
, made by highly skilled labour, is the soil from the basement of ancient buildings inside the Bidar Fort. It is claimed that this soil gives a lustrous black colour to the Bidriware because such soil has not been exposed to rain or sunlight for centuries. In view of high skill and special materials used in its manufacture it is possible to make it only as a handicraft.
Access
Bidar is well connected by road, rail and air links. Bidar town is situated about 740 kilometres (459.8 mi) north of BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
India on NH 7), 116 kilometres (72.1 mi) northeast of Gulbarga and 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) (NH 9 from Bangalore Via Gulbarga and Bellary
Bellary
Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name....
Nearest airport is the BIDAR Airport and
also BIAL, BANGALORE