Forts in South India
Pallakkad Fort
Palakkad Fort (Tipu's Fort) is an old granite fort situated in the heart of
Palakkad town of Kerala state, southern India. It was built by Haider Ali in
1766 ACE and remains one of the best preserved forts in Kerala.
History
The Palakkad Fort is said to have existed from very ancient times it was made in
1766 A.D, but little is known of its early history. The local ruler, Palakkad
Achchan, was originally a tributary of the Zamorin, but had become independent
before the beginning of the eighteenth century. [1] In 1757 he sent a deputation
to Haider Ali seeking help against an invasion threatened by the Zamorin. Haider
Ali seized upon the opportunity to gain possession of a strategically important
location such as Palghat, and from that time until 1790 the fort was continually
in the hands of the Mysore Sultans or the British. It was first taken by the
latter in 1768 when Colonel Wood captured it during his raid on Haider Alis's
fortresses, but it was retaken by Haider a few months later. It was recaptured
by Colonel Fullarton in 1783, after a siege that lasted eleven days but was
abandoned the following year. It later fell into the hands of the Zamorin’s
troops. In 1790 it was finally captured by the British under Colonel Stuart. It
was renovated and was used as a base for operations that ended with the storming
of Srirangapatnam. The fort continued to be garrisoned until the middle of 19th
century. In the early 1900s it was converted into a taluk office.The fort is
also known as Tipu's Fort (after Tipu Sultan, the son of Hyder Ali).
Architecture
There is a large ground between the Fort and the Palakkad Town hall, known as
Kota Maidanam (Fort Grounds). The ground, which had once served as a stable for
the elephants and horses of Tipu's army, is now used to stage cricket matches,
exhibitions and public meetings. An open air auditorium called "Rappadi",
currently under the preservation of the Archaeological Survey of India, is also
located within the spacious grounds of the Fort. Additionally, there is a
children's park on one side of the Fort.There is a small Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman)
temple inside the fort that attracts a number of devotees.
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