Wednesday 3 August 2016

The Ten Entrances of Sankagiri Fort, A Heritage Visit, Sankagiri, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

 03rd July, 2016.

THE TEN ENTRANCES OF THE SANKAGIRI FORT
Sankagiri was earlier known as Kunrathur as per the inscriptions available. Since the hill is in the form of conch, the hill is called as Sankagiri adding the Sanskrit name of ‘giri’ means hill. Sankagiri was once a capital for the Kongu Region comprises of the present  districts of Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Karur and Dindigul.

Sankagiri Fort was built in 14th  century by the  Madurai Nayaks and latter expanded. ( As per the historian Mr Karunaharan the fort was constructed from Chozhas and expanded by Hoysalas,  Pandyas, Vijayanagara kings, Madurai Nayaks, Mysore Udayars, Mysore Thalavais and Britishers.)  Even though the 6,7 & 8th walls are constructed by Mysore Kings, it was believed that the hill top temples, mandapas and ponds existed more than 800 to 900 years before. It has 11 fort walls built  around a hill and the last phase these walls were built by the British. The fort served as a British tax storage facility for  Kongu Nadu.
   
It was an important military base for  Tippu Sultan and later for the British army. This is because only one side of the hill is climbable, as all the others are too steep to climb. This has a death well, granary, two oil godowns, one explosives godown, two Mosques,  2 Perumal ( Varadharaja Perumal and Top Hill Chenna Kesava Perumal ) temples, former British Army administrative buildings, and cemeteries formerly used by armies that were stationed at the fort. The Varadaraja Temple is alone  renovated  and used for worshiping. The rest of the buildings are in dilapidated condition.

As per historians, punishments and death sentence are carried out in a cruel manner which are beyond imagination. Dheeran Chinnamalai, who was against the tax collection and looted the tax carrying vehicles and distributed to the poor. He was hanged on the top of the hill on 31st July 1805. In some cases the prisoners were rolled from top of the hill with hands and legs tied.  For some the prisoners skin was removed and thrown to vulture and eagles. 

LOCATION OF THE FORT :CLICK HERE  
Now let us peep in to the fort through various gates. The gates are located almost on the passage of rain water from the top and the steps leading to each gates.

1. FIRST FORT ENTRANCE  - PULIMUKHA VASAL or ULIMUKHA VASAL
This is also called as ulimuka vassal. Entrance will not be visible when you see from straight and shaped as inverted ‘’ and the entrance on the right side corner. This is for avoiding the direct hitting of the doors by enemies. A demon’s relief is above the entrance. 





2. SECOND FORT ENTRANCE – KALKOTTAI VASAL or KALLA VASAL
There is a small entrance by the left side of main entrance like a wicket gate. A mandapam is after the entrance. The mandapam pillars with reliefs of Hanuman, Rama and Seetha sitting on the laps of Rama, Arjunan’s thabas to get pasupatha asthiram, Bairavar, Shiva in the form of hunter, war between Shiva & Arjuna and a Prince who constructed the mandapam. 





 3. THIRD FORT ENTRANCE – KADIKARA VASAL
There is also mandapam immediately after the entrance. The mandapam has the relief of Suryan, Chandran,, Raghu, khethu, fish etc., Ganga and Yamuna with flower  rings on the entrance pillars. From this point sun will not be visible during evening hours, and shows the time. This gives warning to the soldiers.



4. FOURTH FORT ENTRANCE – RANA MANDAPA VASAL
The passage is little narrow and at the entrance Sangu chakkaram ( Conch and Chakra ) with Gods patham reliefs are there.( Both positions are reversed ). The devotees who cannot climb to worship Sri Chennakesava Perumal, they will worship here and return back. There are 21 + 12 ( Right side and left side)  view point built with brick, through which shooting will be done on the enemies through pistols. Before 5th entrance a platform was constructed to place guns.



5. FIFTH FORT ENTRANCE – PUDUKOTTAI VASAL
A demon’s relief with horn & mustache  and a tortoise  on the right side of the entrance. In the mandapam pillars reliefs of Lion, Kamadhenu, Hanuman, Narasimhar.



6. SIXTH FORT ENTRANCE – ROKKA THITTIVASAL
This entrance has a mandapam. There is a Vinayagar relief on the mandapam. There is vertical rock with a pond. The water was used for drinking purposes. This pond is called as Surya pali.





7. SEVENTH FORT ENTRANCE – PAVAL THITTIVASAL.
This has a small mandapam to take rest.




8. EIGHTH FORT ENTRANCE – IDIVIZUNTHAN KUNDRU VASAL.
The original entrance mandapam was destroyed during 1880, and the Britishers constructed a explosive storage godown  with brick and lime mortar.




9. NINTH FORT ENTRANCE – COMPANY GATE
This was built by the east India English people during 1799.  This was constructed to  celebrate the victory against Tippu sultan. The doors were removed now but the fixed portion of the keel exists. The once constructed hoses for Kaja ravuthar was destroyed.





10. TENTH FORT ENTRANCE – MYSORE or UDAYAR VASAL.
The  steps leading to this gate was chiseled on the rock. Only 37 steps out of 60 remains now, the rest were hidden by the boulders. The mandapam has the relief of Bootha ganas, Suryan, Chandran and the story of Gajendra moksham.  This gate might have been constructed by the Mysore kings.  




 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
To be continued – PART – 3 TEMPLES 

Sankagiri Fort Heritage Visit, Sankagiri, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

2nd, August 2016.
This Sankagiri Fort a Heritage  walk,  rather I would like to call this as Sankagiri Trekking,  since most of the journey  was  by trekking to an altitude of 2000 feet. This walk was organized by the young , energetic and his tory enthusiastic   Mr Aaragalur Venkatesan,  Mr Kalai selan, Mr Srinivasan,  Mr   a.t. Mohan   of Salem district History search Group. The Local enthusiastic  leaders of various organizations also joined with us for this Heritage walk as sponsors. Maram Palinaisamy’s work is beyond words to comment.   Particularly Rotarian Mr Venkateswara Gupta’s  participation is commendable.   Normally thanks  will be mentioned at the end of any article, but I would like to mention at the beginning of this article. Hence  I extend my sincere thanks to  the sponsors of this program through, food & water, Organizers and the  80 and odd co- participants from the age  group of 6 to 80, who made this event a successful one.

When this scheduled event on 31st July 2016, was notified in the face book, immediately  registered myself as a  participant and eagerly waiting for the day to come.   One of the reason is to know more about my Kongu region.  I am proud to say that I belonged to the 24th Nadu, ‘Kuruppa Nadu’  with Vijayamangalam as capital in Kongu Region. The photos taken during the trial walk  and the posters posted by Mr Sevas Pandian kindled my anxiety  further.  Decided to break any obstacles  ( during our trekking also received important phone calls is a different story ).

The  much awaited day dawn with meeting of historians, researchers, friends of facebook and my previous births  brothers and sisters. I was fortunate  to participate with eminent personalities  Mr  Veeraraghavan Mr  Veeraswamy, Mar manonmani Pudhuezuthu mangai Ragavan, Barnaboss, Venkatesan tkp, Sultan bai, etc.…. in this Sankagiri Heritage walk. After a brief meeting  at the boys school at the base of the hill, started our trekking  through the main entrance. The steps are paved  randomly with stones and some places steps were chiseled  on the rock itself.  The trek was steep  on some places and forces to  take rest  after climbing 25 to 30 steps. In some places the steps narrowed  due to bush growth.  The Glucose and orange mittai  gave us energy to climb to the top. The  lunch was excellent  to ate at the top of the hill watching clouds passing above us. 

To reach the top of the hill, passed through Uli muka vassal உளி முக வாசல்), Thitti vassal (திட்டி வாசல்), Kadikara vassal கடிகார வாசல் ), Rana mandala vassal ரண மண்டல வாசல்), Pudukottai Vasal புதுக்கோட்டை வாசல்), Rokkal Thittivasal ரோக்கல் திட்டி வாசல்),  Pooval Thittivasal பூவல் திட்டி வாசல்), Idivizhunthaan kundu vassal இடி விழுந்தான் குண்டு வாசல்), Vellaikaran vassal வெள்ளைக்காரன் வாசல்), Mysore gate மைசூர் கேட்),  More thitti vassal மோர் திட்டி வாசல் ). Ad had seen some the important places like Maan Sunai மான் சுனை,),  Aal irangum kuzhi ஆள் இறங்கும் குழி), Thol uruchan medu ( தோலுரிச்சான் மேடு), Tongavittan kugai தொங்க விட்டான் குகை), Uruttivittan paarai (உருட்டிவிட்டான் பாறை), Dheeran Chinnamalai hanging place, Natural and man made ponds and the rain  water ways chiseled on the rock  to lead in to ponds,  The Thomas Daniel’s drawing place, etc., etc.,    ( sorry the names are in Tamil and difficult to translate and understand.

On the way we came across both Hindu and  muslim temples. They are Kottai Muneeswaran, Veerabhadra, Kottai Mariamman,  Varadharaja Perumal, Anjaneyar in a  mandapam, A mandapam converted to muslim prayer place, Rain water falls on the Surya Chandra Lingams chiseled on the rock, Anjaneyar Temple Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple, Relief of Lord Shiva worshiped by a devotee and a Darka.
     
we had traveled through many difficult and dangerous paths. It is to be appreciated that Mr Srinivasan had taken much care   for the safe passage of our team  to cross dangerous paths on the sloppy rocks.

Around 15 Hrs, exhausted  completely  and taken rest at the top of the hill and slowly trekked down.  About 17.00 Hrs reached the base of the hill. Again with a brief meeting with Mr Gupta and a group photo and shared the experiences we had during this trek.  Had also seen a  three tier memory stone at a local temple.  Disbursed un-willingly promising  to meet in the next Heritage walk … See you bye for now.

LOCATION OF THE FORT :CLICK HERE  

 Arriving to the start Point  
Brief meeting at the Boys school 
 Brief meeting at the Boys school 
Arabic school boys looking with curiosity 
Entrance of the fort with the ASI warning board  
 Entrance to the Sankagiri Fort 
 Man made pond for rain water storage 
  Entrance Back side View with Hill of the Sankagiri Fort 
 Entrance Back side View with Hill of the Sankagiri Fort 
 Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple  
 Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple Mandapam 
 Steps chiseled on the rock to climb
 temple stones are used for steps after demolition during Tippu sultan period 
 Bas-reliefs of Surya and Chandra Lingam 
 View of Varadharaja Perumal temple 
 View of the hill
View of the hill
Panoramic View of the hill
 Rain Water flowing on the steps 
 A small discussion at one entrance of the fort 
 Holes used to hold the guns 
 Death punishment place 
 a natural cave where we took some rest 
Our group
  
 Soldiers used for playing 
 Soldiers used for playing 
selfie at the entrance of the fort 

To be continued – PART – 2 ( History of the Fort walls and entrances  ) & PART – 3, TEMPLES - with more photos and details....