Bidar Fort : The Bidar Fort, built in
1428 by Ahmed Shah Bahmani, stands proudly epitomizing
the grandeur of the Bahmani dynasty. Five darwazas
(gates) with imposing bastions lead into a little
town nestling within the ramparts. The Rangin
Mahal, the royal residence, was built by Ali Barid
(1542-1580) and features exquisite wood carvings
and fascinating glazed tile mosaics.
Tombs of Bahmani Rulers :
The tombs of Bahmani rulers in Ashtur, Bidar were
erected from 1436 to 1535. The two most impressive
are those of the ninth and tenth Bahmani rulers,
Ahmad Shah I and Allauddin Shah II. The tomb of
Ahmad Shah I has a dome rising over 30m high.
The interior of these square tombs have beautifully
colored and gilded paintings on the ceilings.
Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan : Madrassa
of Mahmud Gawan is an Islamic seminary built in
1472 by Khwaja Mohammad Gawan, the Prime Minister
during the reign of Bahamani ruler Muhammad-III.
This university was once a renowned centre of
learning in the Muslim world for the scholars
of Persian, Arabic, philosophy, theology and mathematics.
The massive three-storey building housed a mosque,
a laboratory, lecture halls, quarters for the
teaching faculty and a students' hostel.
Tombs of the Barid Shahis :
The Mausolea of the Barid Shahi rulers lack the
grandeur of the Bahmani tombs. Ali Barid's tomb
has a 25m high dome. The Tomb of Ali Shah Barid,
the largest of the lot, with a domed chamber,
stands in the middle of a symmetrical four square
garden. Blank panels above the arches once contained
tile mosaic, examples of which are preserved inside.
