09th
September 2018.
History of the Fort…..This 16th-century fort was built by the Chinna Bommi Nayak, a subordinate Chief of this area under the Sadasiva Raya and Sri Ranga Maharaja of the Vijayanagara Dynasty in the third quarter of the 16th century (1566 CE ). In the 17th Century, the Aravidu, a small dynasty with the
title Rayas under Vijayanagara ruled this Vellore area keeping Vellore as the Capital. Residing in this fort, they took part in the Toppur War in the 1620s. The
Rayas had frequent battles with Bijapur Sultan Adil Shahi and for the non-remittance of
annual tributes by the Nayaks of Madurai and Gingee. In the 1640s, during Sriranga
Raya-III’s rule, the fort was captured by the Bijapur Sultan Adil Shahi but recaptured
with the help of Thanjavur Nayaks.
In
1639, Francis Day of the East India Company obtained a small strip of land on
the Coromandel Coast (in Madras) from the Chieftains of the
Vellore_Chandragiri regions to do trading. In the 1650’s The last king of
Vijayanagara, Sri Ranga Maharaja, with Mysore and Thanjavur Nayaks attacked Gingee. But
Bijapur Sultan allied with Madurai Thirumalai Nayak attacked Vellore &
Gingee and captured both.
In
1676 CE, the Thanjavur was under the control of Chokkanatha Nayak of Madurai.
The same year Ekoji, brother of Chatrapati Shivaji took control of Thanjavur but was under constant threat from Madurai Nayaks and Bijapur Sultans, who
stationed at Gingee & Vellore. In 1677 CE, Chatrapati Shivaji Captured
Gingee and proceeded to Deccan to face Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. In 1678,
continuous 14-month battle with Bijapur Sultan, the Vellore fort came under the
control of Marathas after 20 years.
In
1707 CE, after the death of Aurangzeb, the Delhi Muslim army under the
leadership of Daud Khan captured the Vellore fort, after defeating Marathas. In
1710 CE, the newly formed Nawab of Arcot under Sadat Ullah Khan along with
Deccan Muslim Governors, declare independence. It was later the seat of Murtaza Ali, the brother-in-law of Chanda Sahib, who climbed the Arcot throne.
Following
the decline of Madurai Nayaks and the rise of British & French on the
Coromandel, Madras Coast, frequent
conflicts developed between Nawabs and his brother-in-laws, in which Nawabs
supported the British, but his brother-in-laws supported the French. These conflicts and
supports led to the Carnatic War in the 1760s, in which the British proved their
dominance in the Southern part of India,
conquering France. From the victory of the Carnatic War, the Vellore Fort came
under the control of the British and was used as a garrison. In the 1780’s after the Anglo-Mysore war, Haider Ali took control of the fort for two years, and again the
fort went into the hands of the British.
British
used the Vellore fort to station its 2 infantry regiments of Madras Army and the English regiment. In 1806 CE, the Madras army’s Commander-in-Chief imposed new
rules of wearing a hat instead of a turban, removal of beards, and applying vibhuti,
Namam, and jewelry on native soldiers. This led to sepoy mutiny or the
Vellore Mutiny, in which 100 British soldiers were killed, which included 15
higher level officers, on 10th July 1806 CE. The mutiny was put down on the
same day, under the Command of Sir John Cradock, who came from
Arcot, which cost 800 mutineers' lives. The fort was under the control of the Madras Army till independence.
Architecture of the fort…
The fort was constructed completely with granite stones quarried from nearby
mountains and Chandragiri. The fort is in irregular shape with double rampart/walls and bastions. The fort spreads over 133 acres on plains at an altitude of 220 meters.
The initial ramparts were strengthened by the Shivaji's representative, during Maratha rule. Two carts can pass
through the ramparts. Approximately 100 feet wide, a deep moat runs
along the outer fort walls with water. The water was originally fed by subterranean drains from the "Surya Gunta" tank. Crocodiles are nurtured in the moat to
bite and tear the intruders. The bastions are protruding irregularly from the
ramparts to station the guards. Cannon position points are provided to cover the maximum area of the target from the ramparts. The viewing points are also
chiseled on the granite stones. This fort is considered one of the best
military architecture forts of Southern India.
During the British period, after the fall of Srirangapatnam in 1799 and the death of Tippu
Sultan, his complete family which included his sons, Daughters, wife, and mother
(wife of Haider Ali) held as prisoners. Both sons and daughters were shifted
to Calcutta, the present, Kolkata during sepoy mutiny, in 1806. Bakshi Begam, the mother of Tippu, who died in 1806, and his wife Padshah Begum and his sons (died in
1834). The last ruler of Sri Lanka, Sri Vikrama
Rajasinga’s tomb is also located inside the fort.
The
Fort at present houses, Sri Jalakandeswarar Temple, St John’s Church, ASI
Museum ( functions in Badusha Mahal and Begum Mahal ), Govt. Offices, Public Works Department, Police Training School ( functions in Tippu Mahal, Hyder Mahal & Kandy Mahal ), playgrounds. The old Mosque is being used by the Tamil Nadu Police Department.
LOCATION OF THE FORT: CLICK HERE
Peephole on the parapet wall stone
Govt. Offices
Govt. Offices
Sri Jalakandeswarar Temple
St John’s Church
old Mosque
---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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