Thursday, October 22, 2015

Ranjankudi Fort, Perambalur

Ranjankudi Fort, Perambalur
Ranjankudi Fort is a 17th century fortress located to the north of Perambalur Town in Perambalur District of Tamilnadu. The fort was constructed by a feudatory of the Nawab of the Carnatic. Ranjankudi fort was the focus point during the Battle of Valikondah during 1751, when the British troops supported by Mohammed Ali won over the French supported by Chanda Sahib. The fort, in modern times, is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort is one of the prominent tourist destinations in Perambalur.









History
The fort is called Ranjankudi Kottai and also referred as Nanjankudikottai. The old premises are believed to have been housing Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and Hanuman. The fort is believed to have been constructed by Jagridar of the Nawab of Carnatic during the 17th century. The fort was the scene of the Battle of Valikondah during 1751. The British troops were supported by Mohammed Ali while the French were supported by Chanda Sahib. Though the battle is called by the nearby village Valikondah, it was fought in the fort. While the French won the initial battle, the British ended up winning the final battle with the help of local Muslims.









In May of 1752, the fort was also the scene of surrender of French troops under D'Auteuil, which was sent to relieve the garrison at Srirangam. D'Auteuil was posted in Uttatur and was fended off by the British troops led by Dalton on May 9th. He retreated to Ranjankudi, where the Jagirthar took the side of the British and denied entry to the French troops to the upper level of the fort. D'Auteuil surrendered in the fort. The fort was located in a strategic position during the colonial times, away from the Trichy Rockfort.









Architecture
The Fort is said to have been built by a Jagirdar under the Nawab of Carnatic in the 17th Century, the fort at present is in a very poor condition, with thick vegetation enveloping it and the pathway leading to it covered by thorny bushes. The architecture of the Ranjankudi fort is quite a puzzle. The walls are built with neatly cut stone blocks. There are three fortification walls at different heights and the bottom most is the main rampart. The fort looks oblong with semi-circular bastions and is encircled by a moat fed by a tank.









A flight of steps leads to an open ground known as ‘Pettai,' once used as a battlefield. The top-most tier is known as ‘Kottai Medu' and has peeping squares for soldiers to keep vigil and openings for placing giant cannons. There is a small water body which might have served as a swimming pool for the Nawabs. Besides the palace and residential buildings, the fort has several underground chambers and a secret tunnel linking the ‘Kottai Medu' with the ‘Pettai.'









A massive pit in the centre is said to have been used as a cell for male prisoners, while female prisoners were kept in small blocks and were starved to death. Historians confirm this theory. The fort's strategic location for deployment of forces near the then Trichinopoly, uncovers a wealth of information about battles of the past. The fort was the origin for some examples of Mughal architecture in this part of the country.









It was designed and built by the general-cum-administrator Sher Khan Lodi. Along with the architecture, he also introduced cotton cultivation in this part of the region. The cultivation resulted in socio-economic development of the people of the region. Even now, cotton cultivation is a brisk activity in the area. The fort is one of the prominent tourist destinations in Perambalur. 









Connectivity
Ranjankudi Fort is located at about 17 Kms from Perambalur, 45 Kms from Ariyalur and 73 Kms from Trichy. Nearest Railway Station is located at Ariyalur and Trichy. Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.