Chapter: 5th Social Science : Term 3 Unit 1 : Forts and Palaces
Forts and Palaces
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
Introduction
Tamil Nadu has been ruled by several empires especially by the Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallava rulers.
Cholas, Pandyas and Nayakkars constructed magnificent forts and palaces in Tamil Nadu. The Dutch, the British and the French entered our country and they built forts to protect their territorries.
Fort
The architectural monuments are now preserved in the form of palaces, forts and other historical sites in Tamil Nadu. Today, only a few palaces and forts are in good condition. They are the prime attractions for tourists in Tamil Nadu.
Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort is a 16th-century fort situated in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It was built by the Kings of Vijayanagara.
Among the forts in Tamil Nadu, Vellore fort is considered to be one of the most invincible fort. It is surrounded by a deep and wide moat. The water of this moat was home to thousands of crocodile. It was feared by many raiders of the fort.
This fort is a good example of military architecture. It is studded with double fortifications. In 1799, Tipu Sultan’s family was detained here by the British. The first rebellion against the British broke out at Vellore Fort in 1806.
Inside the Vellore fort, there is a well-known temple called Jalakanteswarar temple, a church, a mosque, a museum and several government offices.
LET US KNOW
Vellore Fort has five important Mahals.
They are:
Dindigul Fort
Dindigul Fort is a 17th-century hill fort situated in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. It is also called Dindigul Malai Kottai. In the 18th century, the fort was passed on to the Kingdom of Mysore.
Dindigul Fort was built by the Nayakkars of Madurai, in order to defend their region from the invading Mysore army. Presently, the fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The fort was cemented with double walls to withstand heavy artillery.
ACTIVITY: Let us do
Name the following pictures.
(King, Queen, Prince, Princess)
Fort St. George is the first fort built by the British in India. Fort St. George is located in Chennai. State Secretariat is functioning inside the fort.
LET US KNOW
The magnificent Sadras Fort was built for commercial purposes by the Dutch. It is located in Kanchipuram.
Gingee Fort
Gingee Fort is another beautiful fort in Tamil Nadu. It is located at Villupuram district. Gingee fort is built across three hills. The fort walls are 13 km long and the three hills are connected by walls. It is built at a height of 800 feet and protected by a 80 feet wide moat. It is a huge fort with many attractions like Kalyan Mahal, temples, Aanaikulam pond, granaries and a watch tower.
Tharangambadi Fort
Tharangambadi fort is locally called Danish fort. It is located on the shores of Bay of Bengal in Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), Tamil Nadu.
The fort is trapezoidal in shape with three rooms in the left wing. The central part of the fort has four domes. The central pillar of the hall holds the entire weight of the domes.
Tamil Nadu has great palaces in many places. Some are described here.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
The majestic Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is a 17th century architecture of Nayakkar dynasty. It is one of the most popular palaces in South India. Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is located in the city of Madurai. This is one of the tourist spots of Tamil Nadu.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace is widely known for its giant pillars. It has an archaeological museum. The major attraction of this palace is the courtyard and the dancing hall.
LET US KNOW
Tamukkam Palace was the summer residence of the Queen Rani Mangammal of Nayak dynasty. It is located in Madurai.
ACTIVITY: Let us do
Connect the following objects with their names.
Fernhills Palace in Ooty served as the summer palace for the Kings of Mysore.
Thanjavur Maratha Palace
Thanjavur Maratha Palace is popularly called Thanjavur Aranmanai.
Thanjavur Maratha palace was originally constructed by the rulers of Thanjavur Nayakkar kingdom. After the fall of the Thanjavur Nayakkar kingdom, it served as the official residence for Thanjavur Maratha.
Thanjavur Palace Complex is a tourist attraction which houses three separate venues: the palace, the art gallery and a manuscript library (Saraswathi Mahal).
LET US KNOW
Saraswathi Mahal is considered as one of the oldest historical libraries in India. Saraswathi Mahal also has a museum. The library has more than a million manuscripts in languages like Tamil, Sanskrit, Marathi, Telugu and Manipravalam.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a beautiful historical monument that is situated at Padmanabhapuram, Kanyakumari District. It is also known as Kalkulam Palace.
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a wooden palace which is built in Kerala style of architecture. It is a fine example of art and craftsmanship.
The Padmanabhapuram Palace was built by the ruler of Travancore. The palace has various sections like Queen Mother Palace, Council Chamber, Southern Palace and so on.
