The Hosgurg Fort: A fort lost in time

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The fort also known as Kanhangad fort is flanked on three sides by the Kanhangad town, Talapady River & Arabian Sea. The word Hosdurg also means New Fort in Tulu & is a contemporary to the Bekal fort which is another huge fort in these parts of Northern Kerala. The fort is a colossal structure & stands on a hillock which is also the largest fortification structure of North Kerala built as a garrison. This fort is different from others in the way one can view the round bastions from afar. The fort was built by one of the most celebrated fort builder in history – Somasekhara Nayak.

When the Vijayanagara Empire lost prominence, the Nayaks took over the rule in the Northern Tulu area of Karnataka.  The Kolathiri chieftains were the most prominent people in the Northern Kerala area & when the Ikkeri dynasty came, Somashekhara Nayak took prominence. The fort was built in 1733 & it was done to expand the Malabar rule. The Ikkeri dynasty gave importance to trade & commerce with the Dutch & Arabs. The trade of spices flourished along the Malabar Coast & it was necessary to find a place where the goods could be stored & protected, the fort was the perfect structure for this. The presence of the fort between the river & sea also helped the traders immensely as it was a perfect gateway to move the commodities.

The fort architecture is a well designed Dravidian plan & made with clay bricks which were broken from the Western ghats nearby. The use of clay was to make the structure strong from cannonball attack as the mortared bricks would give way to attack with heavy ammunition. The clay used was also to fortify the fort naturally as the funguses & plants around attach themselves to the fort walls strengthening it further. There are watchtowers at the fort on all sides & the large area inside the fort allows the guards to store ammunition & goods. The fort also has many caves which are now inaccessible along with secret passages & canals.

The fort for long was forgotten as it lost its charm to its neighbour, the Bekal fort which attracted more visitors due to its proximity to the sea. After the fall of the Ikkeri dynasty & the annexation of the forts by the Mysore rulers, the fort was mainly used as a place to rest the army. The fort has now found a new lease of life with the authorities working at renovating the damaged portions of the fort. The proximity to the Nithyananda Ashram also has helped visitors come to the fort lately. The fort is a great place to revisit the brilliance of the builders & know the heritage of the rulers who built them.


Location: Kanhangad, Kerala, India

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