Thursday 3 August 2017

Namakkal Fort / நாமக்கல் கோட்டை, Namakkal, namakkal District, Tamil Nadu.

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 single rock with out any trees. There are many stories connected to this hill with Sri Anjaneyar. The Kamalalayam tank with mandapam is at the foot hills. It was little difficult to climb up under the scorching sun. Hand rails 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 faces east on the south side. The fort was built by Senthamangalam Palayakarar Ramachandra Nayakar, a Vijayanagara chieftain who ruled Namakkal during 17th century. It is believed that Tippu sultan was holding the fort for some period and hid in this fort, to escape from British. Latter the Fort came under the control of British.

The entrance was constructed in such a way that the enemy cannot 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 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 speaks about the land donation ) with a Deepasthambham, ammunition go-down guarded by the boulders kept of 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.
   


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 of east side
 dilapidated brick masonry buildings
Holes are provided on the arches to shoot the enemies from top.
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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