Being a frequenter on NH-45, the signboard on the road “ Mangalamedu” keeps always tempting to explore this place. Unfortunately, all my onward journey will be time bound and return journey’s will be in dark. This time luck enough to get a chance. As expected there was a 17th century fort in a quite dilatated condition inside this village which is an ASI monument.
Ranjankudi Fort is a 17th century fortress constructed by feudatory Nawab of the Carnatic and is is believed to have been housing Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and Hanuman
The architecture of the Ranjankudi fort looks like a puzzle. The Fort walls are built with neatly cut stone blocks. There are three fortification walls at different heights and the bottom most is the main rampart. It is oblong on plan with semicircular bastions and encircled by a moat fed by a tank on the southern side.
The fort is oblong in shape with semicircular bastions and a moat encircling it. There are three fortifications at different levels. It was built with cut stone blocks.
The lower bastion is the main rampart surrounded by mud wall.
The open ground known as petal is approached through a flight of steps, which was once a battlefield.
The top-tier is called Kottai Madu, used as guarding towers by soldiers and housing cannons.
The small water body in the fort is believed to have been used by the Nawab as swimming pool.
The fort has a palace, residence building, underground chamber and an underground passage that links pettai with KottaiMedu.
The fort contains a palace, residential buildings, underground chambers, and mosque and flag mast. The fort was the scene of the battle of Valikondah between the English and Mohammad Ali on one side and Chanda Sahib and the French on the other side in 1751 AD.
Though the battle is called as Valiondah by the nearby village and it was fought in the fort. When the French won the initial battle, the British ended up winning the final battle with the help of local Muslims.
The fort at present is in a very poor condition, with thick vegetation enveloping it and the pathway leading to it covered by thorny bushes and a prominent location for all illegal activities.
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