27th July 2017.
After our darshan of Sri Narasimha Swamy, Mrs. Sakthi Prakash and
Srinivasan started climbing up to the fort. The hill is of a single rock without
any trees. There are many stories connected to this hill with Sri Anjaneyar.
The Kamalalayam tank with mandapam is at the foothills. It was a little
difficult to climb up under the scorching sun. Handrails are provided by ASI
for easy climbing of 300 and odd steps. The hill is about 75 meters (246 feet) high.
The fort is built on the top
of the hill with a single entrance facing east on the south side. The fort
was built by Senthamangalam Palayakarar Ramachandra Nayakar, a Vijayanagara
chieftain who ruled Namakkal during the 17th century. It is
believed that the Tippu sultan held the fort for some period and hid in this
fort, to escape from the British. Later the Fort came under the control of the British.
The entrance was
constructed in such a way that the enemy could not have direct access from the
south. A continuous wall is constructed around the top of the hill with
granite stones and the top arches are built with brick and mortar. Holes are
provided on the arches to shoot the enemies from the top. There are provisions made
to keep the cannons at the entrance. Artificial ponds were created to store
water. In the fort, the structures remaining are an east facing 13th century
Sundarapandian Period Narasimha temple (inscriptions speak about the land
donation) with a Deepasthambham, ammunition go-down guarded by the
boulders kept on the east side, a mosque, and two nos of dilapidated brick masonry
buildings (grain storage go-downs). The Narasimha temple without Vimana is
still in worship with oru kala pooja. The donation of land inscription is found
on the Narasimhar temple base.
LOCATION OF THE FORT: CLICK HERE
The Perumal Temple History and Inscription
These inscriptions
are records in Salem – Namakkal Mavatta Kalvettukkal.
இரண்டாம் சடையவர்மன் சுந்தர பாண்டியனின் கி.பி.
1279 கல்வெட்டு திருவாரைக்கல் மலைமேல் உள்ள அருளாள விண்ணகரான ஏதிரிலிப்பெருமாளுக்குப் பதினோரு காணி நிலம்
இறையிலியாக ஏழூர் நாட்டு சபையோரும் நாட்டோரும் முதலீடாக / உடலாக, திருவமுதுக்கும் திருவிளக்குக்கும் விடப்பெற்றமையைப்
பதிவு செய்கின்றது. .
Sadayavarman Sundara
Pandian-II’s 1279 inscription records the gift of 11 Kani land as a cpital for
Naivedyam and burning a lamp to Arulala Vinnakarar alias Ethirili Perumal by
the ezhur Nattu sabha and Nattar.
கோயிலின் வாயிற்
சுவற்றில் உள்ள 17 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு
தமிழ் மற்றும் கன்னட மொழிகல்வெட்டு, ஒரே செய்தியை இருமொழிகளிலும் எழுதப்பட்டு உள்ளது.
கசபதி திப்ரச உடையார் குமாரன் லக்ஷ்மிகாந்த அரசர் என்று பதிவு செய்கின்றது.
The 17th Century
Tamil and Kannada Inscription records the same message. The Inscription records
as Kasapathi Thiprasa Udaiyar’s son
Lakshmikantha Arasar.
Ref:
Salem – Namakkal Mavatta Kalvettukkal.
The inscription on
the Narasimha Swamy’s Temple base speaks about the land donation
ammunition go-down
ammunition go-down guarded by the boulders kept on the east side
dilapidated brick masonry buildings
Holes are provided on the arches to shoot the enemies from the top.
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
No comments:
Post a Comment