Palakkad Fort: Place to remember the Mysore Rule in Malabar

 


There are many forts in South India, some large, some simple, some unique & some quite new but in the town of Palakkad stands a majestic fort which unlike others is quite different in terms of its usage, origin & architecture. The Palakkad fort or Tipu’s fort as it is commonly known stands majestically still at its place for over 3 centuries. The fort though is named after Tipu Sultan, its existence is to be credited to his father; the celebrated ruler of the Mysore Kingdom Hyder Ali. The fort also became the most strategically important center of the Mysore Rule in Kerala. The fort also was the only property held by the Mysore kings for the longest time in Kerala. Apart from the structural strength of the fort one cannot miss the presence of a moat which surrounds the fort on all sides & is said to be the largest for any fort in India. 1


The original structure was built somewhere in the early 17th century with red stones and was just a structure with a grand wall. This wall was commissioned by the Zamorin raja to create a station for his troops. The achan of Palakkad or the feudal ruler under the vassal of Zamorin was responsible to collect taxes & look after daily functions of the Pallakka region as it was called earlier. The Pallakka achan by the mid 18th century felt the need to move away from the Zamorin & rule at his own end which was not accepted by the Raja. The Zamorin decided to take back control & attacked the Palakkad achan who was left with no other option other than asking for help. The help of Cochin Raja & Travancore rulers could not be accepted as their assistance would be counter productive for the achan. This was the time when the courtiers suggested the name of Hyder Ali who was considered to be a shrewd statesman & General of the Mysore Kingdom. The Palakkad achan sent his emissary to the General requesting for military assistance, Hyder Ali who was looking for an opportunity to enter Kerala & take control of Malabar considered this a golden chance & accepted the offer. The Achan, unaware about the general's mission, committed to the battle with Zamorin and succeeded in keeping his troops off Palakkad. Hyder Ali overthrew the Mysore king & took the throne in 1761 & he went ahead with his mission to widen his kingdom by proceeding to conquer Malabar. The entry to Malabar was eased by the presence of his troops stationed in Palakkad who took over the region from the Achan. It was necessary to build a big fort to primarily contain his large military personnel and so the need for a fort came up. Hyder Ali wanted to build a large fort at the existing site in a way that it would be indestructible for enemies while his army attacked the enemies from inside. The fort construction was commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1766 and French engineers were given responsibility to build the fort. The fort was built using large granite stones with a wide cross section placed in a slanting design with seven bastions in a rhombus design.


One of the most striking features of the fort is the moat which holds a lot of water at all times & it is said to have not dried up even in the harshest of summers. The entrance of the fort today is a paved road but the old design of the entrance had a movable bridge which was operated from within. The moat being so wide made it difficult for foot soldiers to cover the distance or place a bridge over the water. It is also said that if any person was successful to reach the walls, the soldiers from the bastion would pour hot oil from top burning & drowning the trespasser. The story behind the name given to the fort also is connected to Hyder Ali. It is said that after taking control of the fort, Hyder Ali named it after his son Tipu sultan who was the heir to his throne. Tipu was also eager to see this fort with his name & after the death of Hyder Ali is said to have stayed inside the fort for some time. One of the most distinct features of the fort is its capacity to be self-sufficient for a long period. The fort was built in such a way that it could hold over 10000 soldiers & they were well rested in the quarters. Also the fort had a garrison which held both ammunition & food grains for such a large group. This distinctive feature along with the presence of the Anjaneya Swami temple inside the fort is considered to be why the fort was difficult to win over. The story of the Hanuman temple is also quite unique as Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan were staunch believers in Islam who destroyed many places of worship in their process of expansion. Tipu Sultan is regarded to be a big fanatic who believed Islam to be a higher religion & burnt down or destroyed many temples. But, it is quite surprising that the Anjaneya temple inside the Palakkad fort was never destroyed, on the contrary priests were brought in to conduct daily rituals. This reverence also comes from the old belief, it is a legend that the old fort had the image of Hanuman carved into the walls & it helped the inhabitants win any battle if prayed well. So, the temple is still present and locals along with all visitors do pray to lord Hanuman as they enter the fort.


The architecture of the fort is influenced by temple designs as the presence of tall stone pillars at different entry points suggests its influence. The architects did use this design to allow elephants and other battle animals to easily enter & exit the fort at times of attack. The fort was completely refurbished & commissioned to use by Hyder Ali in 1766 and he had control over the fort for many years which he called his most strategic fortress. Though the British took control of the fort for a brief period, Hyder Ali was able to capture it again.  The British tried it’s best to take control even after the death of Hyder Ali but Tipu Sultan’s resistance made it difficult. The British finally could end the resistance of the Mysore army in 1783 after eleven day siege. The fortress finally fell to the British but it was soon abandoned and Zamorin took control of the fort till 1790. Post the end of the Anglo Mysore war and death of Tipu, the British took full control of the fort making it the garrison for the East India Company in Malabar. It remained so till the 19th century and post independence it functioned as the Taluk office. The special sub Jail was also functional here for some time. Today the Taluk Supply office functions in the quarters built to accommodate the soldiers. 


The Palakkad fort is the place which makes one remember Hyder Ali and his conquests as the Mysore Raja and how his advancement into Malabar resulted in the early resistance to British East India Company in South India. Hyder Ali was a distinguished soldier & general in the Mysore army but his ambition to rule made him overthrow the king & annexed the throne from Khande Rao. The story of him being the king is a long one which had many ups & downs but what was important in all the battles was the witty management of his troops. His diplomacy with different rulers also was in many ways the reason for him being King. His closeness with the Nizam of Hyderabad, friendship with French, battles with Marathas & the final battles with the British all have many stories to tell. His love for his soldiers was the most important facet of his character and the well being of his army was of utmost importance to Hyder Ali. It is also recorded that being a general, his whole reign was mostly filled with military actions against his neighbours. It was also the reason why he named his son Tipu his successor as he found himself in his son who was as fierce on his enemies as Hyder Ali himself.


The fort in many ways reflects the life of Hyder Ali as it stood like a large barrier for enemies. The fort also has been a venue for many important events and mostly after the death of Hyder Ali. The Mysore army is said to have used the fort as a mint & it is here that Tipu Sultan minted the coins Hydari & Sultan Panam which was used widely during his reign. The fort also is the place from where Tipu initiated the attack on the British in Malabar & the Zamorin. The fort also is a place which became the official residence of Tipu when he was in Malabar. It is said that Tipu sultan wanted to take over the Travancore Kingdom with the assistance of Kochi Raja & the fort became the venue to discuss the plan which was later dismissed by Shakthan Thampuran who considered it unfruitful. The stay of Tipu sultan in the fort ended based on a story which finds its place in legends. It is said that one astrologer warned Tipu from staying in the fort & though Tipu laughed it off, fearing the details of his death in the horoscope prepared by the astrologer he left the fort to never return. This is also the reason why it is till today called Tipu’s fort as a way to remember the person who called it his home. 


The Palakkad fort is in many ways a signature structure of the town & one should not forget that this large imposing fort was once the stronghold of the Mysore rule in Malabar. The fort apart from its importance as a military enclosure was also later the place which was used for slave trade where prisoners of war were auctioned off. The British after 1790 used it as an administrative center & constructed the prison to house these so called slaves. Today a visit to this fort may not give one the aura of its past glory but it is certainly a must visit for all who come to Palakkad. 


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