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Kittur Fort is one of the major historical monuments in Karnataka and one of its famous tourist attractions. The fort is located in the town of Kittur that is situated at a distance of about 50 KM from Belgaum and around 32 KM from Dharwad. The small town of Kittur gained fame and recognition due to the presence of Kittur Fort and its immense historical significance. Kittur Fort is also known as Kittur Chennamma Fort as it is closely associated with Rani Chennamma, the brave ruler who ruled over her estate from the fort. With its old palaces, monuments and statues Kittur exudes historic attraction for tourists from all over the country and beyond. Kittur Fort also has a palace within it that is popularly known as Rani Chennamma’s palace. The Kittur Fort was built by Allppa Gowda SarDesai, the fifth ruler of the Kittur dynasty during his rule from 1660 to 1691 A.D. He also constructed a grand palace inside the fort that served as his residence. The fort was constructed by using black basalt rock that was found in plenty in the surrounding areas of Kittur.

The Kittur Fort was the place from where Rani Chennamma had carried out an armed rebellion against the British rulers in response to their undesired interference in tax collection in her estate. The remarkable fact is that she fought this war in the year 1824, thirty-three years before the uprising of armed 1857 that is considered in history as the first war of India’s independence. The armed rebellion of Kittur started on 3rd December, 1824. The heroic Rani Chennamma fought bravely against the British rulers but the Kittur Fort fell in the hands of the British forces on 5th December, 1824 after a fierce fighting of three days. Rani Chennamma was captured and sent to a jail in Bailhongal. The then British Commissioner of the Deccan region named Chaplin confiscated 16 lakhs of rupees, precious ornaments and valuables from the Kittur Fort. He destroyed the fort and the palace to avenge the deaths of fellow British Commissioner John Thackeray and other British officers engaged in the armed rebellion. Chaplin gave a free hand to the British soldiers to ransack the fort and the palace and rob anything valuable found there. He also sold the precious wooden doors and windows of the palace. Thus, the British forces robbed off everything in the Kittur Fort and destroyed the rich heritage of the fort. Rani Chennamma, who had cultivated the dream of a free country, breathed her last in the year 1829, while still being a captive under the British rule. All that remains of the great legacy of Kittur Fort today are some ruined walls and a very rich history associated with the ruined structure.

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