Ballari District

Bellary, officially known as Bellary, is a major district in Karnataka. It is located in the north-eastern part of Karnataka. This district belongs to Kalyana-Karnataka. The district was one of the largest districts in Karnataka until it was officially carved out of Bellary district in 2021.

History: Bellary Fort was built by a ruler named Halamappa Nayaka under the Vijayanagara Empire. Hyder Ali conquered the area in the 18th century and expanded the fort area by building another fortification (lower fort). It is believed that French engineers were deployed to renovate / strengthen the original Bellary Fort (known as the Upper Fort).

Upper Fort: The Bellary Hill Fort has a fort, temple, barracks for soldiers, and deep wells for collecting water.

Lower Fort: The lower fort has two entrances, one on the west and one on the east. The lower fort is fortified by numerous bastions, and the deep pits around it (which are full of water and crocodiles) are further impregnated. Fort Anjaneya Temple (Hanuman Temple) can be seen in the lower fort. The lower castle has room for refugees or villagers during the war.