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.