Chikkajala Fort near Bengaluru to be restored using CSR funds
A private organisation will fund the restoration of the 19th-century monument located 25 km from Bengaluru city.
The Chikkajala Fort, located 25 km from Bengaluru on the way to Kempegowda International Airport, will be restored using CSR funds from a private organisation, according to The Hindu. A ceremony was recently held at the site to mark the start of the project.
Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda attended the event alongside members of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Kashi Ra, the organisation funding the project. The fort includes a small Anjaneya Swamy Temple, a kalyani, and stone mantapas built in the 19th century in the Vijayanagara style.
In 2016, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) demolished the northern entrance of the fort during road widening works on NH 44. The fort was originally circular but is now semi-circular and opens to the road.
Meera Iyer, convener of the Bengaluru Chapter of INTACH, said the organisation is yet to start documentation and a study on how to retain trees and restore the stones of the mantapa. She noted that villagers informed them the bottom of the kalyani was cemented during a film shoot.
After documentation, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared along with the total cost. Iyer said that once restored, the fort will be a tourist place where cultural activities may be organised. She added that plans include involving architecture students to provide them with experience on live restoration projects.