UNIT 1
Forts and Palaces
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
*
know the forts in Tamil Nadu.
*
describe the palaces in Tamil Nadu.
*
explain the history of forts and palaces in Tamil Nadu.
Introduction
Tamil Nadu has been ruled by several
empires especially by the Chera, Chola, Pandya
and Pallava
rulers.
Cholas,
Pandyas and Nayakkars constructed magnificent forts and palaces in Tamil Nadu.
The Dutch, the British and the French entered our country and they built forts
to protect their territorries.
Fort
The architectural monuments are now preserved in the form of
palaces,
forts and
other historical sites in Tamil Nadu. Today, only a few
palaces and forts are in good condition. They are the prime attractions for
tourists in Tamil Nadu.
Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort is a 16th-century fort
situated in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It was built by the
Kings of Vijayanagara.
Among
the forts in Tamil Nadu, Vellore fort is considered to be one of the most
invincible fort.It is surrounded by a deep and wide moat. The water of this
moat was home to thousands of crocodile. It was feared by many raiders of the
fort.
This fort is a good example of military architecture. It is studded with double fortifications. In 1799, Tipu Sultan’s family was detained here by the British. The first rebellion against the British broke out at Vellore Fort in 1806.
Inside
the Vellore fort, there is a well-known temple called
Jalakanteswarar temple, a church, a
mosque, a museum and several
government offices.
LET US KNOW
Vellore Fort has five important Mahals.
They are:
* Hyder Mahal
* Tippu Mahal
* Begam Mahal
* Candy Mahal
* Badhusha Mahal
Dindigul Fort
Dindigul Fort is a 17th-century hill
fort situated in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. It is also
called Dindigul Malai Kottai. In the 18th century, the fort was passed on to
the Kingdom of Mysore.
Dindigul
Fort was built by the Nayakkars of Madurai, in order to defend their region
from the invading Mysore army. Presently, the fort is maintained by the
Archaeological Survey of India.
The fort was cemented with double
walls to withstand heavy artillery.
ACTIVITY
Let us do
Name the following pictures.
(King, Queen, Prince,
Princess)
Fort St. George is the first fort built by the British in India. Fort St. George is located in Chennai. State Secretariat is functioning inside the fort.
LET US KNOW
* Thirumayam Fort is famous for its artistic work and architectural
brilliance. It is located in Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu.
* Thirumayam Fort is popular for its
large rock inscriptions.
* It is also known as Oomayan Kottai.
The magnificent Sadras Fort was built for commercial purposes by the Dutch. It is located in Kanchipuram.
Gingee Fort
Gingee Fort is another beautiful fort in Tamil Nadu. It is located at Villupuram district.Gingee fort is built across three hills. The fort walls are 13 km long and the three hills are connected by walls. It is built at a height of 800 feet and protected by a 80 feet wide moat. It is a huge fortwith many attractions like Kalyan Mahal, temples, Aanaikulam pond, granaries and a watch tower.
Tharangambadi Fort
Tharangambadi fort is locally called
Danish fort. It is located on the shores of Bay of Bengal in Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), Tamil Nadu.
The fort is
trapezoidal in shape with
three rooms in the left wing. The central part of the fort has four domes. The
central pillar of the hall holds the entire weight of the domes.
Tamil Nadu has great palaces in many
places. Some are described here.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
The
majestic Thirumalai
Nayakkar Palace is a 17th century architecture of Nayakkar dynasty.
It is one of the most popular palaces in South India. Thirumalai Nayakkar
Palace is located in the city of Madurai. This is one of the
tourist spots of Tamil Nadu.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is widely known for its giant
pillars. It has an archaeological museum. The major attraction of this palace
is the courtyard
and the
dancing hall.
LET US KNOW
Tamukkam Palace was the summer residence
of the Queen Rani Mangammal of Nayak
dynasty. It is located in Madurai.
ACTIVITY
Let us do
Connect the following
objects with their names.
Fernhills Palace in Ooty served as the summer palace for
the Kings of Mysore.
Thanjavur Maratha
Palace
Thanjavur Maratha Palace is popularly called Thanjavur Aranmanai.
Thanjavur
Maratha palace was originally constructed by the rulers of Thanjavur
Nayakkar kingdom. After the fall of the Thanjavur Nayakkar kingdom,
it served as the official residence for Thanjavur Maratha.
Thanjavur Palace Complex is a
tourist attraction which houses three separate venues: the palace,
the art
gallery and a manuscript library (Saraswathi Mahal).
LET US KNOW
Saraswathi Mahal is considered as one of the oldest historical
libraries in India. Saraswathi Mahal also has a museum.The library has more
than a million manuscripts in languages like Tamil, Sanskrit, Marathi, Telugu and Manipravalam.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a beautiful historical monument that is
situated at
Padmanabhapuram, Kanyakumari District. It is also known as
Kalkulam Palace.
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a wooden
palace which is built in Kerala style of architecture. It is a fine example of
art and craftsmanship.
The Padmanabhapuram Palace was built
by the ruler of Travancore. The palace has various sections like Queen Mother
Palace, Council Chamber, Southern Palace
and so on.
Recap
* Palaces and forts are the prime attractions of Tamil Nadu
tourism.
* Vellore fort is a fine example of military architecture.
* The major attraction of Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is the
courtyard and the dancing hall.
Glossary
Manuscript : a document written by hand
Moat : A deep,
wide ditch surrounding a fort
Raiders : Invaders
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