NAGAPATTINAM: Renovation and beautification works taken up by the State Archaeological Department at the Fort Dansborg at Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) in the coastal area of Nagapattinam district is nearing completion with a major part of the work having been already completed.
The work includes re-construction of a portion of wall on the western side of the fort, creating pathways, landscaping, and setting up of galleries with lighting.
The fort is spread over a large area not far away from the sea shore. It has a row of rooms both on the ground and the first floor. It includes soldiers’ quarters, warehouse, poultry room, gunpowder room and a kitchen.
The renovation not only aimed at strengthening the landscape but also re-construction of a wall part of which collapsed during the last monsoon. The work was executed at an estimate of Rs.4.83 crore funded by the Asian Development Bank. The project as given a total facelift to the fort, an official source told ‘The Hindu’ on Wednesday.
This fort is considered the second largest Danish Fort in the world and the first one on the Indian soil when the Danes landed here in the 17th century. According to a note displayed at the fort, Sri Ragunatha Nayak, the ruler of Tanjore (1600 – 1634), granted permission to the Danish East India Company to settle in Tranquebar.
The State Archaeological Department, which has been conserving the monument, has been executing the renovation work in eight packages for providing adequate amenities to visitors and tourists at the site. It included landscaping the entire area in the ground, setting up of pathways and beautification by planting saplings of horticultural plants with tender roots. Setting up of galleries is one of the important package for which special arrangements including provision of electrical lights has been taken up. “A part of the wall on the western side of the fort collapsed during the last monsoon to a total length of 55 metres and four metres in height. Immediate arrangements were taken for the re-construction of the wall. The State Archaeology Department had used conventional materials including jaggery, gall nut and lime for restoratioin of the all, maintaining its original grandeur.
The official said that the museum accounted for a large number of articles used by the Danish during their stay here. They included a few idols and other ancient porcelain dolls which were being preserved at the museum. “We have made special galleries so that the articles in the museum could be well preserved,” he said. The list of ancient articles include the Nayak period lock, porcelain dolls, old and new Danish glass cups, Chinese jar and idol of Sun God.
As the fort is very close to the shore, water logging at the base of the fort poses a problem, particularly during high tides.To tide over the problem, the Archaeological Department has built a retaining wall. The wall built to a height of about five metres has prevented water logging, the source said.
