The 17th century fort that once served as an arms depot and watchtower for both Tipu Sultan and East India Company is now on the verge of destruction due to vandalism and poor maintenance.
Located in the heart of Namakkal town and standing on a single rock of 246-feet, the monument has been declared as one of national importance and is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.
The fort, located atop a 1.5-acre hillock, is said to be built in the 17{+t}{+h} century. There is a 13{+t}{+h} century Perumal temple and a mosque on it. But mystery remains over who built the fort that was later occupied by Mysore rulers in 1768 along with other forts in Attur, Omalur, Salem and Sankari.
After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792, as per the Treaty of Srirangapatinam, all the five forts were handed over to the British, who used to store food grains and arms in the hillock.
The fort, with a defensive wall, served as a watchtower for the British to monitor the movement of troops. In 1820, Lieutenant Colonel Fehrszen, who took part in the Peninsular War, served in the garrison to protect the fort. In the 1905 book ‘List of Inscription on Tomb and Monuments in Madras’, J.J Cotton says that officers were buried in Namakkal, but no graves could be found.
But the fort that is accessible by foot is in a deplorable condition and needs immediate attention. What remains today is a damaged building, stock room, plastic floating on the two small water pools, bushes and the extensive damage caused to defensive walls by miscreants. With no protection and security in place, dogs roam freely and it turns out to be a place for anti-social elements.
General secretary of the Salem Historical Society J. Barnabas told The Hindu that the historically important monument with religious significance is on the brink of destruction. The fort needs to be preserved for the younger generation to know of its greatness.
“It has to be maintained properly and developed as a tourist spot,” he added.