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seepage of rainwater. The fort has 48 rooms that were once used as cells to lodge war prisoners and slaves, a spacious kitchen, a horse stable and a meeting hall for the army commanders. The fort also has its own rainwater reservoirs constructed by taking advantage of the steep gradient. The construction highlights the ingenuity of Indian kings in their military architecture.
534:) and damaged halls decorated with carved stone columns. Visitors are allowed to go up to the cannon point and look through the spy holes. The top of the fort also offers a scenic view of Dindigul on the eastern side and villages and farmland on the other sides. Lack of funds and facilities has kept the fort misused by nearby dwellers. But in 2005, Keeranur-based ASI in
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71:
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army strengthened the hill fort with cannons and built sentinel rooms in every corner. The
British army, under statten stayed at Dindigul fort from 1798 to 1859. After that Madurai was made headquarters of the British army and Dindigul was attached to it as a taluk. Dindigul was under the rule of the British Until India got our Independence on 15 August 1947.
48:
420:
to
Dindigul to handle the situation. Later Haider Ali became the de facto ruler of Mysore and in 1777, he appointed Purshana Mirsaheb as governor of Dindigul. He strengthened the fort. His wife Ameer-um-Nisha-Begam died during her delivery and her tomb is now called Begambur. In 1783 British army,
526:
300 for foreigners. The fort receives few visitors in college and school students and the occasional foreign tourists. Visitors are allowed to walk around the tunnels and trenches that reveals the safety features of the structure. The temple has some sculptures and carvings, with untarnished rock
433:
In 1790, James
Stewart of the British army gained control over Dindigul by invading it in the second war of Mysore. In a pact made in 1792, Tipu ceded Dindigul along with the fort to the English. Dindigul is the first region to come under English rule in the Madurai District. In 1798, the British
415:
In 1742, the Mysore army under the leadership of
Venkata Raya conquered Dindigul. He governed Dindigul as a representative of Maharaja of Mysore. There were Eighteen Palayams (a small region consists of few villages) during his reign and all these palayams were under Dindigul Semai with Dindiguls
505:
built with safety measures. The double-walled rooms were fully protected against external threat and were well ventilated by round ventilation holes in the roof. A thin brick wall in one corner of the godown helped soldiers escape in case of emergency. The sloping ceiling of the godown prevented
406:
became powerful and with
Dindigul became a strategic gateway to their kingdom from North . After the death of King Viswanatha Nayak in 1563, Muthukrisna Nayakka became the king of kingdom in 1602 A.D who built the strong hill fort in 1605 A.D. He also built a fort at the bottom of the hill.
407:
Muthuveerappa Nayak and
Thirumalai Nayak followed Muthukrishna Nayak. Dindigul came to prominence once again during Nayaks rule of Madurai under Thirumalai Nayak. After his immediate unsuccessful successors, Rani Mangammal became the ruler of the region who ruled efficiently.
416:
capital. These palayams wanted to be independent and refused to pay taxes to venkatarayer. In 1748, Venkatappa was made governor of the region in place of
Venkatarayer, who also failed. In 1755, Mysore Maharaja sent
500:
were included in the fort during the 17th century. The fort was cemented with double walls to withstand heavy artillery. Cannons were installed at vantage points around the fort with an arms and ammunition
647:
A comprehensive history of India, civil, military and social, from the first landing of the
English, to the suppression of the Sepoy revolt:including an outline of the early history of Hindoostan, Volume
449:
against the
British, during the last decades of the 18th century. The polygar of Virupachi, Gopal Nayak commanded the Dindugal division of Polygars, and during the wars aided the Sivaganga queen Queen
363:
took over most provinces of
Southern India and Dindigul was under the rule of Pallavas until Cholas regained the state in the 9th century and the Pandyas regained control by the 13th century.
260:. There is an abandoned temple on its peak apart from few cannons sealed with balls inside.These canons are very heavy. In modern times, the fort is maintained by the
347:
The history of Dindigul is centered on the fort over the small rock hill and fort. Dindigul region was the border of the three prominent kingdoms of South India, the
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led by captain long invaded Dindigul. In 1784, after an agreement between the Mysore Kingdom and British army, Dindigul was restored by Mysore Kingdom. In 1788,
359:. During the first century A.D., the Chola king Karikal Cholan captured the Pandya kingdom and Dindigul came under the Chola rule. During the sixth century, the
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252:(Mysore Wodeyars). Later it was occupied by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan the fort was of strategic importance. In 1799 it went to the control of the
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855:
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248:. The fort was built by the Madurai Nayakar king Muthu Krishnappa Nayakar in 1605. In the 18th century the fort passed on to
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and Abirami amman Kalaheswarar Temple was built in 16th-century by Madurai Nayakar Dynasty situated in the town of
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326:(1855–1942) in his foreword to the above book. He also mentions that Dindigul was originally called Dindeecharam.
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1005:
960:
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The rock fort is 900 ft (270 m) tall and has a circumference of 2.75 km (1.71 mi).
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ruling this region between 1335–1378. By end of 1378, the Muslim rulers were defeated by the
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fenced the entire surroundings and refurbished some of the dilapidated structures.
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written by the poet Palupatai sokkanathar as Padmagiri. This was later stated by
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Visitors can view the ruins within the fort walls, arsenal depots, or animal
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a Tamil word which means a ledge or a headrest attached to ground and
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245:
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and maintains it as a protected monument. An entry fee of
425:, the Son of Haider Ali, was crowned as King of Dindigul.
781:. Archaeological Survey of India. 2011. Archived from
296:
Dindigul city derives its name from a portmanteau of
312:poet visited the city and noted it in his works in
218:
207:
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189:
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176:
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146:
141:
133:
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23:
457:to stay the fort after permission from Hyder Ali.
600:
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663:"Gopal Naicker Memorial ready for inauguration"
856:
757:"Alphabetical List of Monuments - Tamil Nadu"
567:. Dindigul municipality. 2011. Archived from
8:
863:
849:
841:
725:"Cannonballs unearthed from Dindigul fort"
70:
20:
779:"List of ticketed monuments - Tamil Nadu"
559:
557:
555:
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437:The fort played a major role during the
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1092:Archaeological monuments in Tamil Nadu
759:. Archaeological Survey of India. 2011
686:
684:
522:25 is charged for Indian citizens and
370:kingdoms were under the short-reigned
318:. Dindigul finds mention in the book
304:another Tamil word which means Rock.
7:
320:Padmagiri Nadhar Thenral Vidu thudhu
651:. Blackie and son. pp. 222–24.
382:who later established their rule.
14:
478:
469:
411:Under Mysore Rayas and Hyder Ali
285:
276:
69:
62:
46:
623:. Aakar Books. pp. 68–69.
445:, Tipu Sultan duo aided by the
814:. Asian Educational Services.
733:. 2 March 2004. Archived from
516:Archaeological Survey of India
514:The fort is maintained by the
262:Archaeological Survey of India
161:Archaeological Survey of India
151:Archaeological Survey of India
1:
366:In the 14th century, half of
811:The Madura Country: A Manual
808:Nelson, James Henry (1989).
129:Rock fort and temple complex
691:Basu, Soma (2 April 2005).
604:
589:
1113:
254:British East India Company
881:
644:Beveridge, Henry (1867).
455:Maruthu Pandiyar Brothers
264:and is open to tourists.
202:Muthu Krishnappa Nayakkar
57:
45:
36:
28:
1041:Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort
617:Hasan, Mohibbul (2005).
1006:Ratnagiri (Krishnagiri)
961:Kenilworth Fort (Hosur)
669:. Palani. 22 June 2012
620:History of Tipu Sultan
395:
343:Early Dindigul history
339:
1087:Madurai Nayak dynasty
393:
337:
324:U. V. Swaminatha Iyer
234:Dindigul Malai Kottai
110:10.36109°N 77.96167°E
31:History of Tamil Nadu
565:"Historical moments"
536:Pudukkottai district
402:, till then part of
394:Temple atop the fort
1082:Forts in Tamil Nadu
916:Droog Fort, Coonoor
453:and her commanders
404:Vijayanagara empire
106: /
971:Mallikarjunadurgam
396:
340:
157:Controlled by
115:10.36109; 77.96167
77:Dindigul Rock Fort
24:Dindigul Rock Fort
1069:
1068:
785:on 18 August 2013
380:Vijayanagara army
376:Madurai Sultanate
250:Kingdom of Mysore
226:
225:
1104:
1061:Virabhadradurgam
1051:Vattakottai Fort
966:Krishnagiri Fort
896:Ankusagiridurgam
865:
858:
851:
842:
836:Official website
825:
795:
794:
792:
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768:
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701:. Archived from
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607:1989, pp. 286-93
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372:Delhi Sultanates
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240:in the state of
180:Under renovation
142:Site information
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52:Dindigul in 1913
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1102:
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1072:
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1036:Thirumayam Fort
1031:Tattakkaldurgam
1001:Rayakottai Fort
996:Ranjankudi Fort
941:Fort St. George
901:Aranthangi Fort
877:
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737:on 24 June 2004
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169:the public
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1046:Udayagiri Fort
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1021:Sankagiri Fort
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956:Jagadevidurgam
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936:Fort St. David
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891:Anchettidurgam
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886:Alamparai Fort
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830:External links
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981:Namakkal Fort
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911:Dindigul Fort
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693:"Pillow Rock"
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429:Under British
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230:Dindigul Fort
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198:Built by
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1056:Vellore Fort
1026:Tangrakottai
926:Fort Geldria
910:
810:
787:. Retrieved
783:the original
773:
761:. Retrieved
751:
739:. Retrieved
735:the original
728:
719:
707:. Retrieved
703:the original
696:
671:. Retrieved
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646:
639:
619:
612:
592:1989, p. 258
585:
573:. Retrieved
569:the original
529:
513:
488:
461:Architecture
443:Palayakarars
439:Polygar wars
436:
432:
414:
397:
365:
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319:
313:
301:
297:
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258:Polygar Wars
233:
229:
227:
211:
185:Site history
167:Open to
18:
16:Dindigl fort
976:Manora Fort
946:Gingee Fort
510:Maintenance
423:Tipu Sultan
256:during the
214:early 1800s
208:In use
113: /
89:Coordinates
1076:Categories
951:Hudedurgam
921:Erode Fort
906:Attur Fort
875:Tamil Nadu
802:References
789:7 February
763:7 February
741:7 February
709:7 February
673:7 February
575:7 February
418:Haider Ali
368:Tamil Nadu
242:Tamil Nadu
101:77°57′42″E
98:10°21′40″N
730:The Hindu
698:The Hindu
667:The Hindu
498:artillery
268:Etymology
219:Materials
177:Condition
1097:Dindigul
1011:Rockfort
872:Forts in
398:In 1559
361:Pallavas
238:Dindigul
137:900 feet
39:Dindigul
29:Part of
532:stables
495:gunfire
357:Pandyas
330:History
315:Tevaram
222:Granite
1016:Sadras
818:
627:
605:Nelson
590:Nelson
527:cuts.
503:godown
491:Cannon
447:French
353:Cholas
349:Cheras
308:, the
298:Thindu
134:Height
542:Notes
374:with
310:Saiva
306:Appar
246:India
212:circa
190:Built
147:Owner
816:ISBN
791:2016
765:2016
743:2016
711:2016
675:2016
625:ISBN
577:2016
493:and
355:and
228:The
193:1605
126:Type
302:kal
244:in
232:or
172:Yes
1078::
727:.
695:.
683:^
665:.
597:^
550:^
351:,
864:e
857:t
850:v
824:.
793:.
767:.
745:.
713:.
677:.
648:2
633:.
579:.
524:₹
520:₹
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