Udayagiri Fort
There are two forts named Udayagiri Fort in South India.
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[edit] Fort in Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari District)
[edit] Location
The fort in Tamil Nadu is located at a distance of 14 km from Nagercoil town in Kanyakumari District. The fort is situated on the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil National highway at Puliyoorkurichi. This was the most important military barracks of the Travancore rulers, when Padmanabhapuram was their capital. 8°14′38.4″N 77°19′55.2″E / 8.244°N 77.332°E
[edit] History
It had been originally built in the 17th century, and then rebuilt later by Maharaja Marthanda Varma of Travancore in the 18th century.
Enclosing an area of about 90 acres (36 ha), with an isolated hill 260 feet (79 m) high, the fort contains an old foundry which was used for casting guns.
The fort was rebuilt during the reign of Marthanda Varma, Venad King, during 1741-44 under the supervision of Eustachius De Lannoy, a Flemish naval commander of the Dutch East India Company, who later served as the Chief of the Travancore Army.[1]
In the early days, the fort was of strategic importance. Prisoners captured in the campaign against Tippu Sultan were confined in the fort for some time. In 1810, the East India Company's Army under Colonel Leger marched into the Travancore State through the Aramboly Pass to quell a rebellion under the leadership of Velu Thambi Dalava.
In the later years, the English East India Company's troops were stationed there till the middle of the 19th century. Foundry for the manufacture of guns, mortars and cannon balls were also established within the fort under the supervision of the General.
[edit] Architecture
The fort is built of massive granite blocks around an isolated hillock.
The tombs of the Dutch Admiral Eustachius De Lannoy, (in whose honour the fort was once called Dillanai Kottai— De Lennoy's Fort), and of his wife and son can still be found inside a partly ruined chapel in the fort.
De Lannoy's body was buried within the fort and a chapel was built at his burial site . De Lannoy's tombstone lies within the walls of the ruined chapel. The inscriptions on his stone are both in Tamil and in Latin. His wife and son were buried by his side.
Recently, officials of the Department of Archaeology found an underground tunnel within the fort.
Presently, the fort has been turned into a bio-diversity park by the Tamilnadu forest department, with sites of historical importance, such as De Lannoy's tomb, remaining as protected archaeological sites under the Archaeological Department of India.
[edit] Fort in Andhra Pradesh (Nellore District)
[edit] Location
The fort in Andhra Pradesh state is located in Udayagiri Village in Nellore district. It is located 96 km from Nellore city. 14°51′55.8″N 79°16′26.33″E / 14.8655°N 79.2739806°E
[edit] History
The fort was built by Gajapatis and Vijayanagara kings in the 14th and 15th centuries. The army of Krishna Deva Raya attacked the fort. The fight lasted for 18 months and resulted in the end of Gajapatis rule from the Telugu region. It was later ruled by chieftains of the Nawabs of Golconda and Arcot. During the rule of the Gajapathis and the Vijayanagara rulers, this town grew to great splendour and the ruins of 365 temples reflect the sculpture and architecture of various periods.[2]
[edit] Architecture
A towering peak reaching a height of 994 m (3,261 ft) can be seen here, which is called Sanjiva Hill because a wide variety of medicinal herbs grow on it. Local stories have mentions of the existence of "Sanjeevani" (a life saving herb) on these hills. The remains of several ancient temples, remarkable for their architecture are also seen. The fort complex consists of thirteen fortresses, eight on the hill and three below covering an area of about seven miles. The structures on the hill such as the Ranganatha Temple (Chola period), the Balakrishna Mandiram (Pallava period) and the Paruveta Mandapam (Vijayanagara period), reflect the respective styles and culture.Other structures include Chinna Masjid and Pedda Masjid. A great Sufi saint belonging to the 18th century, Rahamathulla Nayab Rasool, got absorbed in the higher-self here. Every year the Sandal Festival is celebrated on the 26th of the Rabi-UI-Aval month.
[edit] How to reach
The only mode of reaching the fort at the top of the hill is by walk.
[edit] Reference
[edit] External links
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