Bidar sits on the Deccan plateau in the far north-east corner of Karnataka, close to the borders with Telangana and Maharashtra. It is a modest city of around two lakh people, but for several decades in the 15th century it was the capital of the Bahmani Sultanate. That history is still visible in a laterite fort with a triple moat, a ruined madrasa with a tiled minaret and fields of domed tombs on the edge of town.
The pace here is easy. Most sights are a short drive apart and rarely crowded, and the main monuments are low-rise and mostly level. The big day is the fort: allow a morning for its gates, the Solah Khamba Mosque and what is left of the palaces, then walk the old street to the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and the Chaubara tower. Late in the day, drive out to the Bahmani tombs at Ashtur and the Barid Shahi tombs for the light.
Bidar is also a place of living worship and craft. Guru Nanak Jhira Sahib is a major Sikh shrine with a free langar, the Papnash temple is a Shiva shrine of Chalukya origin, and Narasimha Jharni is a cave shrine you reach by wading. The silver-on-black craft called Bidriware has been made here since the Bahmani era and carries a Geographical Indication.
For parents and older travellers it is an easy destination if you plan around the heat. Use a car and driver, start sightseeing early, rest in the afternoon, and be honest about steps at the Chaubara, the Chaukhandi and the cave temple. The post-monsoon and winter months are the comfortable season.
Before you plan
Bidar at a glance
- Best months
- November to February is the most…November to February is the most comfortable. March to May is hot, and June to October brings the monsoon and heavy rain.
- Ideal trip length
- 2 days covers the fort2 days covers the fort, madrasa, tombs and a shrine; 3 days adds the temples and a day trip
- Airport
- Bidar AirportBidar Airport (IXX), shared with an Air Force base, has limited flights, reported as a few a week to Bengaluru; Hyderabad (HYD) is the main alternative, about 140 km away
- Railway station
- BidarBidar (BIDR), with connections reported to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and other cities
- Getting around
- A hired car and driver is the…A hired car and driver is the easiest way to reach the fort, tombs and temples; autos work for short hops in the old city
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹1,500–₹3,500 per person per…Roughly ₹1,500–₹3,500 per person per day excluding hotel, with a car and entry fees; varies by choices
- Senior comfort
- Good with a car: the main sights are…Good with a car: the main sights are mostly level, but the Chaubara, Chaukhandi and cave temple involve steps or wading
- Language
- Kannada and Urdu are widely spokenKannada and Urdu are widely spoken, with Marathi, Hindi and Telugu also heard; English is understood at hotels
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Bidar: January, February, November, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Bidar itinerary
One good day
1 day in Bidar
Start at Bidar Fort at opening time. Walk through the Gumbad Darwaza, check whether Rangin Mahal is open, and spend most of the morning at the Solah Khamba Mosque and the palace ruins. After lunch and a rest, see the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and the Chaubara on the old street. Drive out to Ashtur in late afternoon for the Bahmani tombs, and if there is time, stop at the Barid Shahi tombs on Udgir Road on the way back.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Bidar
Take the fort slowly in the morning, including the interpretation centre and the Solah Khamba Mosque. After lunch, walk to the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and the Chaubara. If you want a souvenir, ask a local guide for a Bidriware workshop in the old town.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Bidar
Spend the morning at Bidar Fort, then rest. In the late afternoon, visit the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and the Chaubara, and take a gentle walk along the old street.
Day-by-day plan →
