Chitradurga is one of the 30 districts of Karnataka and a place with historical significance which is located to the North West 200 kms away from Bengaluru. It includes taluks like Chitradurga, Molkalmur, Holalkere, Hiriyuru, Challakere and Hosadurga. Chitradurga is very distinctive with its curious myths, human dwellings dating back to Stone age, enriched with the sites of ancient, historical, cultural and religious significance has been a place with a civilization of thousands of years and an amalgamation of antiquity and modernisation.
In 2nd C AD Chitradurga was occupied the the Shathavahanas. Bhuddism was in practice then. Later it came under the rule of Kadambas of Banavasi. Later it was ruled by many dynasties and kings like Chalukyas, the Pallavas, the Rastrakutas, the Cholas, the rulers of Vijayanagara, chieftain(Paleyagaras) of Kamagethi family, Hider Ali, Tippu Sultan and the wodeyars of Mysuru.
The reign of Paleyagaras is very significant in the history of Chitradurga. During this period the forts were strengthened, temples and monasteries were improved. Therefore the political status of Chitradurga also flourished. Chitradurga became the capital of Paleyagaras. Medakerinayaka was the prominent and powerful of them. Onake Obavva, who faught against Hider Ali is considered a brave woman.
Chitradurga also cradles folk literature that includes songs, verses and epics mirroring the tradition, rituals, and faiths of the tribal culture. The narrative of Gadri Palanayaka, epics of Eththappa and Junjappa are a household names. Nadoja Siriyajji, Thopamma, Bhovi Jayyamma, Danamma are treasures of folklore. The district is culturally rich with its performing arts like Kolata, Bhajane, Sobane, Devarapada and Suggipada and other folk types like Urume, Thamate, Kahale, Khasa Bedara Pace, Maragalu Kunitha, Manila thamate, Dollu Kunitha, Mudalapaya, Veeragase etc.
Maggaluru Channabasavanna(18th C), Bheemamachandrakavi who is believed to be from Kodaganuru with his Madam a rural end rad and aka (18th C), Mahadevakavi of Bruhanmath(19th C), R. Narasimhacharya, Mortimer Wheeler, Dr. H. M. Krishna, Hulluru Srinivas Jois, M. S. Puttannayya, Lalasingi Somanna who wrote the historical ballad of Chitradurga, Chitradurga Bakhairu fame Bheemajimpath, B. L. Rice, Pro. Sreeshaila Aradhya, Pro. Lakshmana Telagavi, Dr. B. Rajashekarappa etc. Have worked in the field of research. Chitradurga has also produced writers like Madhava who penned Madhavalankara, Rangakavi of Virupaksha Shathaka, Babburu Ranga. The pioneers of modern Kannada literature like T. S. Venkanaiah, Ta. Su. Shyamaraya, novelist TaRaSu, Sitarama Sastry, Belagere Chandrashekar Shastry, Belagere Krishnashastry, Belagere Janakamma and so on have contributed to the Kannada literature through their poetry, short stories, novels, criticism, research, rational thinking.
Theatre activities by Sanehalli Shivasanchara Kalathanda, a wing of Taralabalu Shakha mouth, Jamura suththata of SJM, Kumareswara Nataka Sangha, Rangasourabha Kalasangha, Natyaranjini nruthya kala kendra with their various performing arts have gained Chitradurga an identification in cultural field too.
A theatre for performing arts is located in the heart of the city of Chitradurga, a city of forts and history, named after the well known novelist Talukina Ramaswamy Subbarao(TaRaSu). It was inaugurated on 11-11-2006 by the then Chief minister of Karnataka Sri. H. D. Kumarswamy. Recently the TaRaSu Rangamandira has been renovated and it has high-tech sound and light systems with a spacious stage, green room and 534 seats.