An eerie silence greets the chance visitor to Chikkajala Fort. The
overgrown weeds and dilapidated structures will probably remind you of a
set put up by an art director for a horror flick. But then, even
Kannada filmmakers would possibly not have heard of these ruins on the
outskirts of Bangalore.
The current two-acre fort, believed to have been built more than 200
years ago, needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned. The
fort consists of a dilapidated dwelling and a huge hall supported by
number of stone pillars. One has to muster enough courage to enter the
hall because it may come crashing any moment.
It would also,
therefore, be no surprise that there is no one to look after the fort
except a priest who performs pooja at the Hanuman temple situated in the
middle of the fort. There is not much to write home about the temple
either. Though its gopuram is intricately sculptured, the day is not far
off when it too may become dust.
“There are many people, including
the revenue department, who claim ownership of this fort. There was one
woman who had locked the doors of the fort claiming that it was her
ancestors’ property. The gates remained under lock and key for quite
some time. Those were thrown open finally when the police and revenue
authorities intervened,’’ narrates A Ramasanjeevaiah, the priest.
On
paper, the Chikkajala fort is described as a pre-historic site by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It’s a different story that there
are no ASI signages to be seen around. Burial grounds in the area had
prompted historians and archaeologists to date the fort to 1000 BC. Even
the remains of the pre-historic era are now gone.
The tourism
department had promised to take over the Chikkajala fort a few years
ago, but there hasn’t been any headway. Except for a token whitewashing
of the Hanuman temple, there are no official efforts to be seen. There
is no one around even to clear the weeds, forget about renovating or
repairing the dilapidated hall and dwellings within the fort premises.
The pushkharini (pond) looks like a garbage dump.
“We have
requested the state government on many occasions to take measures for
the development of the fort, but in vain. Recently, the villagers joined
hands to renovate the Chennakeshava temple, situated a few hundred
metres away from the fortwithout government support. I think it is
better for the villagers to join hands for the development of the fort
instead of running from pillar to post for government aid,’’ says a
resident of Chikkajala. Even this temple, built by Hoysala king
Vishnuvardhana, is believed to be 950 years old.
If this is not
bad news enough, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has
acquired a portion of the fort land to facilitate widening of the
National Highway 7. It is believed that NHAI authorities have deposited
Rs 84 lakh with the taluk office as compensation for the land acquired.
With the drain work and widening of the road still incomplete, the fort
looks like an open ground. Yes, even the ruins are disappearing.
Though
no one has the guts to enter the fort for carrying out any activity,
nefarious or otherwise, residents want the revenue department to hasten
the construction of the fort wall and put up a gate as early as
possible. “As of now the fort has electricity, but water supply is yet
to be provided. I have requested the gram panchayat officials to supply
borewell water,’’ says
Ramasanjeevaiah.
There is no published
literature on the fort, he says, adding that he knew that his
grand-father and father too had worked as priests at the temple.
There are no records, no ruins. And in the end, not even history might remain.
Published: Saturday, Apr 14, 2012, 10:45 IST
By Y Maheswara Reddy | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA
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