Obavva's Kindi (Hyder Ali's Secret Entry).
Tour groups walk the main fort gate, climb to the Hidimbeshwara temple, and exit — they often skip the narrow secret entry on the western flank because the path is steep and ASI signage doesn't emphasise the 1779 historical episode that happened there. The "kindi" (Kannada for narrow gap) sits between two boulders and easily missed without a guide.WHY NOBODY KNOWS
A narrow gap in the seventh fort wall where in 1779 a Madakari Nayaka soldier's wife named Obavva single-handedly killed Hyder Ali's scouts as they squeezed through the kindi one at a time. Her weapon was an "onake" (pestle used for de-husking grain). She killed dozens before being discovered; Madakari Nayaka rallied his troops based on the alarm. Hyder Ali's first siege failed because of her — though he returned in 1799 and captured Chitradurga. Obavva became a regional Veera Nari icon; the kindi is a Karnataka State Department of History recognised heritage point. ASI-protected; entry under main fort ticket. Light is best 8-10am angling into the narrow gap.
