Bidar, a fort city situated on the Deccan Plateau in the northernmost reaches of Karnataka, has multiple layers of history built into its streets, walls and its very bricks. It's not just the recognized historical monuments in Bidar that speak of its past -the city's vast network of homes, in both its royal and public enclosures, bear testimony to the city's unique, syncretic architecture. A decision by the district administration to identify and restore these homes with the help of the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN) could bring back a measure of the city's lost grandeur, but Bidar has a unique feature -it is a living, breathing city where the homes and streets are lived in, and any attempts at restoration must take into account the impact on residents' everyday lives.

"The remains at Bidar fort stand testimony to its layered history as we can clearly identify some of the layers even today. Historic buildings in Bidar have a combination of Indian and Islamic architecture. It's a melting pot of several styles," says V Govindankutty, assistant professor at the Government College, Chittur (Kerala), and one of the experts at the IHCN, a non-profit organization supported by UNESCO and the Indian Ministry of Urban Development. ... These homes, many of which are 400 years old (the most recent houses are 200 years old), are within the fortified public enclosure, and claim certain common distinguishable aspects. They are cour tyard houses, lack a setback, and are accessed from the street itself. Houses are grouped to form a cluster and open spaces between the cluster are used as community spaces.Almost every building is acc e s s e d by a n arched entranceway -this is the most distinguishing aspect of Bidar's vernacular architecture, and a telling trait of Bahmani building style