Thirumayyam Fort, Thirumayyam
The Thirumayyam Fort is a 40-acre wide fortress in the town of Thirumayyam in Pudukkottai-Karaikudi Highway in Pudukkottai District, Tamilnadu, India. It was constructed by Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, the Raja
of Ramnad in 1687. Later the
fort was handed over to his brother in law Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman. The fort
has been extensively renovated by Archaeological Survey of India in 2012.
Sethupathi Vijaya Raghunatha Tevan (1673-1708) of
Ramanathapuram, popularly known as Kilavan Sethupathi, built this fortification
on and around the small hillock at Thirumayyam in Pudukkottai district. The
fort later came under the control of Tondaiman rulers of Pudukkottai. It has a
main gateway on the east in the lowermost wall with shrines for guardian
deities like Ganesa, Hanuman and Bhairava.
There is a moat around the lower wall. On the top of the
rock is bastion with cannon of British origin. The construction of the fort is
of inferior quality as small blocks of stones were used along with bricks for
the crenulations of the fortification. However, on the other side of the rock
are located three rock-cut temples, two of them dedicated to Siva and the third
to Vishnu, which are historically and religiously more important.
Locally it is known as Oomayan Kottai,
‘fort-of-the-dumb’). The dump (Oomayan) refers to the younger brother of Kattabomman,
who fought against the British and was executed by the British. Local stories
claim that Oomayan and his brother, Kattabomman, during their escape from the
British, constructed this fort in a night. According to the Statistical Account
(1813), it was built in 1687 by Raghunatha Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram.
Architecture
Thirumayyam Fort, also known as Oomayan Kottai, dates
back at least 300 years. There’s something starkly beautiful about the fort,
which stands high on rugged rocks and boulders, its striking ramparts taking
you on a walk down history lane where you can imagine kings and soldiers of
yore, battling to protect their kingdom. There are three famous monuments here
– the fort itself and two stunning rock-cut temples which have been hewn from
the same rock with shrines are dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The Vishnu Temple
is a popular pilgrim spot and is considered second to the magnificent Srirangam
Temple. Next to the Shiva Temple is one of the largest rock inscriptions in
Tamilnadu, and interestingly the subject of the inscription is music, quite an
unusual topic on an inscription. All three monuments have been declared
National Monuments and are protected by the Archeological Survey of India
(ASI). Thirumayyam Fort originally had seven concentric walls; however
only three remain today.
The fort originally said to have been a 'ring fort' with
seven concentric walls has only four surviving now. The construction of the
fort is of inferior quality as small blocks of stone were used along with
bricks for the building of the fortification. The lines of the old outer
defenses are now marked by occasional remains of the works and ditch.
The walls above the rock, which enclose the main
citadel, are comparatively well preserved. From the remains one may judge that
the walls were surmounted by parapets of strong brickwork, serrated by
machicolations and pierced by musketry vents.
Nearly half way up to the top, to the right, is chamber
that was used as a magazine. Opposite to this, on the western slope of a
boulder, a little below the top of the fort, is a rock-cut cell containing a
lingam placed on a square yoni-pitham, cut out of the living rock. To the left
of this cell, is a Grantha inscription of the 7th century AD reading
‘Parivadinidaa’. It is held by many that the word ‘Parivadini’ refers to a
variety lute. The label ‘Parivadinidaa’ is also inscribed in the Siva cave
temple in this town, and also in Kudumiyamalai temple.
On the top of the citadel is a platform on which a canon
is mounted. To the south of the platform is a tarn.
The citadel and the walls of the fort on the hilltop
provide an excellent perch for a view of the houses in the town with their
tiled roofs, the tank and the surrounding countryside.
Presently there are three entrances, on the north, on
the south and on the south-east. Originally the main entrance to the fort was
from the south side.
Even today there are some beautiful structural remains
of this old fort-entrance, about one kilometer south of the fort. The structure
of this fort-entrance is like a courtyard with pillared corridors on all sides
and majestic entrances. The entire structure is decorated with a number of
beautiful sculptures all along. There are shrines of Hanuman, Sakti-Ganapathi,
and Munisvara, all protecting deities of the fort.
The fort has three entrances; one on the north, another
on the south and third on the east. The shrines dedicated to Hanuman, Sakthi,
Ganapathi, Karuppar (guardian deities of the fort) are noticed on the southern
side and shrine to Bhairava on the northern side. Halfway to the top on the
right side a chamber which was used as magazine was noticed. Opposite to this
chamber on the western slope of a boulder is a rock cut cell containing a linga
on yonipitha, the spout of which is supported by the figure of a dwarf.
On the top of the rock is a bastion with cannon of
British origin. To the south of this Platform is a natural pond. To the
northwest is another pond and to the southeast another tank. There are six more
cannons mounted in the north, south and east gates.
Historical Importance
The fortress is of great historical significance and was
an important stronghold of rebel chieftains in the Polygar
Wars. Oomathurai, the brother of Panchalankuruchi chieftain Kattabomman was captured in this fort. The fort is locally
known as Oomayan Kottai (fort of the dumb). The fort is maintained and administered
by the Archaeological Survey of India as a ticketed monument.
Thirumayyam Fort was constructed in 1687 AD by
Sethupathi Vijaya Raghunatha Thevar, the ruler of Ramanathapuram. Sethupathi
was the ruling dynasty of Ramanathapuram. An interesting nugget of information
– the founder of the princely state of Pudukottai was the Governor of Thirumayyam
Fort before he established a kingdom of his own. Subsequently, Raghunatha
Thevar gifted the fort to the Thondaiman rulers from Pudukottai. Raghunatha
Raya Thondaiman, the first king from the Thondaiman clan was Raghunatha
Thevar’s brother-in-law. Many dramatic events are associated with the fort.
History of the fort
The fort was built in 1687 by Raghunatha Sethupathi of
Ramanathapuram. It was handed over by the Sethupathi to his brother-in-law,
Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (1686-1730), the first Tondaiman raja, along with the
area of Thirumayyam. The cession was confirmed in 1728.
The value of the acquisition of the Palayam and fort
must have been fully realized by the Pudukkottai king, when in 1733 the
Tondaiman was left with this bit of territory alone after Ananda Rao, the
Thanjavur general, had overrun the whole of the Tondaiman country. Here, Vijaya
Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman lay besieged until Ananda Rao had retired.
There is an unconfirmed tradition that Kattabomman and
his brother the Oomayan were for a time detained at the fort before the
Tondaiman handed them over to the British. (Hemingway in the Gazetteer of the
Trichinopoly District mentions only Oomayan as having been lodged at this
fort).
There is a small cave temple of grotto style inside the
fort. The cave is composed of a single cell excavated into a rock and dedicated
to Shiva. A Shiva linga is carved inside out of the parent rock
inside the cell. The base of this linga is square instead of regular
circular base. Entrance of the cell has been carved like door with pilasters
and lintel.
Connectivity
Thirumayyam is about 20 km
from Pudukkottai town lies on Trichy -Rameswaram national
highway no 210. It is well connected to Pudukkottai and Trichy via
rail and road. The nearest airport is at Trichy.