Bankapur Fort and Bankapur Peacock Sanctuary are located in the town of Bankapur in Haveri district of Karnataka state. Bankapur Fort is an important historical site and inside the Bankapur Fort is a temple built by the Chalukyas known as Nagareshwara Temple or Sixty Pillar Temple. There is also a beautiful mosque in the fort. This place has historical significance for Jains. The Jain religious text Adipuran was composed here. This peacock sanctuary is spread over an area of 139 acres within the historical Bankapur fort, which has the largest population of peacocks in the region.
Bankapur Fort and Bankapur Peacock Sanctuary is about 361 km from Bangalore and 78 km from Hubli. And it is 24 km away from Haveri city. Haveri Nagar is 25 km from the railway station.
Bankapur Fort
Bankapur fort is said to have been ruled by the Kadambas of Banavasi, the Gangas, the Cholas, the Rashtrakutas, the Hoysalas, the Chalukyas, the kings of Vijayanagara, the Adilshahis of Bijapur, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan and the fort was under their rule. A collection of artefacts from different eras certainly indicates that. The ruined fort can be recognized from the ruins, despite several battles and vandalism.
It was held by a succession of kings conquered by the Bahmanis. Bankapura In the 9th century Bankapura was named after Bankerasa, who was a vassal of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha I. In the 11th century it was occupied by the Kadambas, then by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana.
Head towards Maidan to check Bankapur fort walls. There is a small structure building at the entrance of the tunnel connecting Hangal. A bat nest without old traces.
The fort’s wall is a high mound of earth and the moat is thickly covered with reeds. These stone slabs bear an ancient inscription. The garden has a small collection of ancient stone sculptures. It is a mixture of Hindu and Islamic art forms.
Among the important medieval forts, Bankapur Fort is considered one of the most important forts in the Karnataka region.
Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary
After the central government declared the peacock as the national bird in 1963, this peacock sanctuary came into existence under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Bankapur Peacock Sanctuary was officially declared a Peacock Sanctuary by the Central Government in 2001. It is one of the two peacock sanctuaries in the country. Another peacock sanctuary is in Haryana.
There is no specific time to visit Bankapur Peacock Sanctuary and there is no entry fee.
