Hunter's Lodge, Hosakere

Dec 24, 2012
While travelling from Gogi village to Vanadurga fort we had seen this ancient building. That day we had a tight schedule and this was an unexpected discovery. We stopped few second for a quick shot and moved on. I'd guessed it was a palace from Adil Shahi times.

June 23, 2018
I received a set of pictures from Venkatesh Bappargi, my friend from Wagangera. Venkatesg had visited Hosakere and shared his pictures. I'm posting them with permission.

Hosakere village is about 9 kms from Gogi, 20 kms from Shahpur town and 20 kms from Shorapur (Surpur). This area was part of Surpur kingdom.

This building is marked in Wikimapia and its description reads as follows- This is known as a Hunting Palace built by Shorapur Nayakas in 1820s. The square structure has tower in the middle with three storyes. The upper story has windows on cardinal directions for placing guns to hunt the animals who come for water to the lake below. Such hunting palaces are not known in southern Deccan before the Mughals, hence, this is the only one example of hunting palace found in the Deccan and also in Karnataka. For more details please read my Book- Surapura Samsthana- Historical and Archaeological Study of Poligar State in South India published by Bharatiya Prakashan, Delhi in 2004. - Aruni, S.K.

Interesting to know kings had palaces built for the sake of hunting. This reminds me of a building on the banks of Pocharam reservoir close to Pocharam dam. So we have two examples of hunting lodges in South India. The hunting house of Pocharam also has a tower which gives a good view of the lake shore.

The building is square in plan, about 64' x 64'. In elevation it has 11 arches of similar size and all four faces have the same number of arches. Going by the arches, it seems builders had copied the design from Shahpur fort. This is the eastern face.

 The building nust have been well furnished in its heydays. Now just the skeleton stands.

The walls are solid and built of dressed blocks, just like a fort. Probably there were stables too.

The niches in the columns, between the arches, must be for placing oil lamps to light up the interior during night times.

The central tower is approximately 40' tall. While the upper half is made of red soil bricks, its base made of stone and integrated with the main structure. The tower seems to be rectangular in plan. Every face has different number of windows and gun-holes.

 The screen wall is made of bricks and mortar. Three of four faces still have the screen but on one wall its missing completely.

This is the western face, as seen from Hosakere lake bed.

Thanks to my friend Venkatesh for the pleasant surprise. Hoping to meet him again soon.

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