Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka Fort or Sira Fort is located in Sira Taluk of Tumkur District of Karnataka State. Shira city and fort are said to have been started by Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka, a Ratnagiri Palegara, in the 17th century. The fort was developed by the Nawabs of Shira after the administrator Mallik Hussain completed it.
Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka Fort or Sira Fort is 122 km from Bangalore and 54 km from Tumkur and 02 km from Sira.
This fort wall is 7 meters high and 2.13 meters thick. There is an entrance gate on the north side of the fort. There are three entrances to reach the inner enclosure, namely the Diddi door, Dravidian pillared door and the door in the south fort wall. Inside this fort there are buildings like a well, lodges, a maddu house (ಮದ್ದಿನ ಮನೆ), barn (granaries) and a temple.
The fort is a stone and brick fort spread over an area of 197.5 acres (79.9 ha) and the fort is surrounded by a moat (ditch).
The foundation of Sira is also based on a legend. Before the fort was completed, Sira and its kingdoms were captured by an army sent by the Bijapuri general Anilla Khan. An army led by his subordinate Afzal Khan defeated and killed Sira chief Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka. Malik Hussain, who was then governor, completed the construction of the fort and built an earthen wall (Mud Wall) surrounding the town. The date of death is recorded as 14-03-1800 on the graves of the officers who were commissioned when the fort was captured by the British.
