Dindigul Fort

Dindigul region was the border of the three prominent kingdoms of South India, the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas.

In 1559 Madurai Nayaks, till then part of Vijayanagara empire became powerful and with Dindigul became a strategic gateway to their kingdom from North .

Later Haider Ali became the de facto ruler of Mysore and in 1777, he appointed Purshana Mirsaheb as governor of Dindigul.

[1][3][4][5] In 1790, James Stewart of the British army gained control over Dindigul by invading it in the second war of Mysore.

In 1798, the British army strengthened the hill fort with cannons and built sentinel rooms in every corner.

[1][3] The fort played a major role during the Polygar wars, between the Palayakarars, Tipu Sultan duo aided by the French 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 Velu Nachiyar and her commanders Maruthu Pandiyar Brothers to stay the fort after permission from Hyder Ali.

Cannons were installed at vantage points around the fort with an arms and ammunition godown built with safety measures.

A thin brick wall in one corner of the godown helped soldiers escape in case of emergency.

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.

Visitors are allowed to walk around the tunnels and trenches that reveals the safety features of the structure.

Visitors can view the ruins within the fort walls, arsenal depots, or animal stables) and damaged halls decorated with carved stone columns.

But in 2005, Keeranur-based ASI in Pudukkottai district fenced the entire surroundings and refurbished some of the dilapidated structures.

Dindigul fort
Temple atop the fort