Malenadu Forts

What are the main Malenadu forts?

The main Malenadu forts are Kavaledurga, Nagara (old Bidanur), Chandragutti, Manjarabad, Ballalarayana Durga, Jamalabad and Madikeri. Some are easy town visits. Others are proper forest treks that need a Forest Department permit.

Most Malenadu forts were built to guard two things: a ruler’s capital and the passes down the ghats to the ports of the coast. Pepper, areca and rice went down those passes while salt and goods came up. Whoever held the hilltops held the trade.

These are the seven Malenadu forts in this guide:

1. Kavaledurga, Thirthahalli taluk, Shivamogga
2. Nagara (Bidanur), Hosanagara taluk, Shivamogga
3. Chandragutti, Soraba taluk, Shivamogga
4. Manjarabad, near Sakleshpur, Hassan
5. Ballalarayana Durga, Chikkamagaluru
6. Jamalabad (Gadaikallu), Belthangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada
7. Madikeri fort, Kodagu

If you are new to the region, our pages on Malenadu in Karnataka and the Malenadu districts and taluks show where each fort sits. For the kings behind them, read our Malenadu history timeline.

Malenadu forts at a glance

This table lists the Malenadu forts in this guide with district, era and how you get in.

Fort	District	Era	Access
Kavaledurga	Shivamogga	Old hill fort, Keladi stronghold in the 16th century	Short climb from the base village, fixed hours
Nagara (Bidanur)	Shivamogga	Keladi capital from about 1640	Roadside, easy walk, free entry
Chandragutti	Shivamogga	Old hill fort above a temple	Steep climb on steps and rock
Manjarabad	Hassan	Tipu Sultan, 1792	About 250 steps from the highway
Ballalarayana Durga	Chikkamagaluru	Linked to the Hoysalas	Forest trek, online permit
Jamalabad	Dakshina Kannada	Tipu Sultan, 1794	Steep rock steps, Forest Department control
Madikeri	Kodagu	Haleri rajas, 17th century, rebuilt by Tipu	In town, walk in

Forts in Shivamogga: Kavaledurga, Nagara and Chandragutti

The best forts in Shivamogga sit in the old Keladi country between Thirthahalli, Hosanagara and Sagara. This district has more Malenadu forts than any other, because the Keladi Nayakas ruled from here for over 250 years.

Kavaledurga fort

Kavaledurga fort is a hilltop fort about 18 km from Thirthahalli, also known as Bhuvanagiri. Karnataka Tourism describes it as a fort of the 9th century that became a stronghold of the Keladi Nayakas in the 16th century.

What remains is impressive for a forest fort:

• Three rings of stone walls climbing the hill
• Ruins of a palace, a bath, guard rooms and store houses
• A freshwater pond near the top that still holds water
• The Srikanteshwara temple with a Nandi mantapa on the summit
• Smaller shrines and a mosque credited to Venkatappa Nayaka

The climb starts from Kavaledurga village and follows stone steps and rock through the gateways. Fit walkers need about 2 to 3 hours to climb and explore. The difficulty is easy to moderate, but the rock gets slippery when wet.

Entry closes at 5 pm. There is only a tea shop near the parking, so carry water. Of all the Malenadu forts, this is the one to give a full morning. Our Thirthahalli guide covers stays nearby.

Nagara (Bidanur) fort

Nagara fort is the ruin of Bidanur, the last capital of the Keladi Nayakas, in Hosanagara taluk. The court moved here from Ikkeri around 1640. Shivappa Nayaka fortified the city in the middle of the 17th century. Haidar Ali captured it in 1763.

Nagara is the easiest of the Malenadu forts to visit. It sits about 17 km from Hosanagara and about 36 km from Thirthahalli, on the road towards Kollur. The laterite walls are largely intact. Inside you can see:

• The main gateway and the platform of the old durbar hall
• Akka Thangi Honda, twin rainwater tanks inside the walls
• A round watchtower on the top with an old iron cannon
• Guard rooms, steps and storage cells

About 4 km away are the Devagange ponds, a set of seven linked stepped pools fed by springs. Entry is free. The site is looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. Plan 3 to 4 hours for the fort and the ponds.

The Keladi kings grew rich on pepper sent down the ghats from these forests. Vines still climb the areca palms around Nagara. Our black pepper comes from the same hills.

Chandragutti

Chandragutti is a tall rocky hill in Soraba taluk with the Renukamba temple on its slope and the remains of an old hill fort above. It is a popular short trek. The way up is steep, on steps and bare rock, so go in dry weather and wear shoes with grip.

Manjarabad fort: Tipu’s star on the Hassan ghats

Manjarabad fort is an eight pointed star fort built by Tipu Sultan in 1792 on a hill about 5 to 6 km from Sakleshpur, close to the Bengaluru to Mangaluru highway. Karnataka Tourism puts the hill at about 988 m. The name comes from manju, the Kannada word for mist, which still rolls over the walls most mornings.

Tipu built Manjarabad to guard the road from Mysore down the ghats to the coast. Before him the area belonged to local chiefs and was taken by Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi in 1659. The outer walls are granite set in lime mortar, with brick inside.

What you can see today:

• The star shaped walls with a lookout at each point
• A moat around the walls, now overgrown
• A well in the middle and two cool cellars once used to store gunpowder
• Wide views over coffee and cardamom estates

It is one of the most visited Malenadu forts because it is so easy to reach. You climb about 250 steps from the road.

The fort is open from 8 am to 6 pm and there is no entry fee. The difficulty is easy, though the steps are slippery in rain. Our Sakleshpur guide has a full day plan around it.

The slopes below the fort are cardamom and coffee country. If you like the smell of the estates, take home some cardamom from these hills.

Forts in Chikkamagaluru: Ballalarayana Durga

The best known of the forts in Chikkamagaluru is Ballalarayana Durga, a ruined hill fort on a grassy ridge on the Kottigehara side, near Sunkasale. Local tradition links it to the Hoysala king Veera Ballala, which gives it the name: the fort of Ballala.

Very little of the fort stands today. You will find low lines of foundation stones, bits of wall and a few carved stones on the summit. People come for the walk and the views over the shola grasslands towards Kudremukh more than for the ruins.

This is the one Malenadu fort in this guide that is a true forest trek:

• Start. The base is near the Kalabhyraveshwara temple at Durgadahalli, a few kilometres from Sunkasale.
• Difficulty. Easy to moderate. The trail is not technical, but the grass slopes are steep in places and very slippery in the rain.
• Permit. You need an online Forest Department permit (see the permit section below).
• Nearby. Bandaje falls lies further along the ridge. It is a separate trek with its own permit. See our Malenadu waterfalls guide.

Kalasa is the nearest town with a hospital and police station. Our guide to Malenadu trekking covers Ballalarayana Durga along with Kudremukh, Kurinjal and other peaks in the same area.

Jamalabad (Gadaikallu) above Belthangady

Jamalabad is a fort built by Tipu Sultan in 1794 on top of a huge granite rock near Belthangady, in Dakshina Kannada. Local people call the rock Gadaikallu or Narasimha Gad. It rises sharply above the plain at the foot of the ghats, not far from Dharmasthala.

The way up is a narrow path and steps cut into the rock face. The trek is rated medium, with steep, exposed stretches near the top. Little is left of the buildings, but the views over the forest and towards the Kudremukh range are wide.

Access is controlled by the Forest Department. In heavy monsoon rain, water runs over the rock and moss grows on the steps, so trekking is often closed for the season. Check before you go.

Madikeri fort in Kodagu

Madikeri fort stands in the middle of Madikeri town and is the easiest of the Malenadu forts to walk into. Mudduraja of the Haleri dynasty built the first fort in the 17th century.

Tipu Sultan later took it and rebuilt it in stone. Dodda Veerarajendra won it back in 1790. The British took Kodagu in 1834.

Inside the walls is the old palace of the Kodagu rajas. For many years government offices used the rooms. The Archaeological Survey of India has since been carrying out repairs on the palace, so some parts may be closed. Near the fort stands St Mark’s church, built by the British in 1859, now used as a museum.

Madikeri fort is in town, so unlike the forest Malenadu forts it needs no trek and no permit. Combine it with Raja’s Seat and the Kodagu temples in our guide to Malenadu temples.

Do you need a permit to visit Malenadu forts?

Some Malenadu forts need a Forest Department permit while others do not. The rule of thumb is simple: if the fort is inside forest land and reached by a trail, expect a permit or a seasonal closure.

Fort	Permit or rule
Ballalarayana Durga	Online Forest Department permit, daily cap
Jamalabad	Forest Department control, closed in heavy rain
Kavaledurga	Fixed hours, entry closes at 5 pm
Manjarabad	Open 8 am to 6 pm, no fee
Nagara	Free entry, daylight hours
Madikeri	Open in town, parts may be under repair

Forest trek permits in Karnataka are booked on the Forest Department’s Aranya Vihaara portal. You pick the trail and date, pay online and carry the permit with the same photo ID to the check post. Many trails also need a local guide and a return before dark.

When is the best time to visit Malenadu forts?

The best time to visit Malenadu forts is October to February, when the rain has stopped, the rock is dry and mornings are cool. December and January bring clear views from the summits.

• June to September: The hills are green and misty, but trek forts like Jamalabad are often closed and rock steps everywhere are slippery. Town forts like Madikeri and Nagara are still fine in light rain. Read our guide to the Malenadu monsoon first.
• October to February: The best months for all seven forts.
• March to May: Hot and hazy at midday. Climb early in the morning.

Safety and manners at Malenadu forts

Most Malenadu forts are ruins in forest, so a little care goes a long way. These simple rules apply to every one of the Malenadu forts in this guide.

• Start early and come down before dark. No night walking in forest areas.
• Stay on the path. Old walls and rock edges can crumble.
• Carry water and a snack. Most forts have no shops on top.
• Watch for snakes and leeches. Wear closed shoes. If anyone is bitten by a snake, keep them still and calm and get them to a hospital with antivenom. No cutting, no sucking and no home remedies.
• Do not climb wet rock in the monsoon. Respect closures.
• Leave no trace. Carry back plastic and do not scratch names on walls.

A sweet with jaggery and coconut is a good trail snack. Our coconut jaggery burfi packs flat in a day bag.

A simple Malenadu forts route

The easiest way to see Malenadu forts is in two short trips, one in the north around Shivamogga and one in the south.

Trip	Forts in order	Base	Days
Keladi country	Kavaledurga, Nagara, Chandragutti, with Keladi and Ikkeri temples	Thirthahalli or Sagara	2 to 3
Southern ghats	Manjarabad, Ballalarayana Durga, Jamalabad, Madikeri	Sakleshpur, Kalasa side, Madikeri	3 to 4

Nagara is about 27 km from Kavaledurga, so the two fit in one day. Our Sagara guide covers Keladi, Ikkeri and Chandragutti.

Where to go next

The Malenadu forts make more sense once you know who built them and why. Read the Malenadu history timeline linked above, then plan the rest of your trip with the Malenadu travel guide.

Frequently asked questions about Malenadu forts