Senji Fort in Thiruvannamalai

Senji Fort

History

History says that, Fort was fortified around 1200A.D. by Anandakone, chief of local shepherd community. The 800 years old fort have changed to many hands before it was annexed to the Vijayanager Empire. in 1240 AD, Krishnakone successor of Anandakone fortified the Northern hill and later it is called as Krishnagiri.

Senji Fort was in the hands of Kones, Kurumbars, Chola, Nayaks, Maraths, Mughals, Nawabs, French and British chronically. Aurangazeb captured Senji in 1691 AD and appointed Sarup Singh as chief but under the control of Nawab of Arcot. The most famous young and courage king who ruled here was Raja Desingh and he is the son of Sarup Singh. Now the entire fort is maintained by archaeological department.

The fort consists of three hills, connected by walls enclosing an area of 7 km². It was built at a breathtaking height of 800 feet (240 m), and protected by an 80-foot (24 m) wide moat. It had an eight-storeyed Kalyana Mahal (marriage hall), granaries, prison cells, a military gymnasium and a temple dedicated to its presiding female Hindu deity called Chenjiamman.

The fortifications contain a sacred pond known as aanaikulam. The walls of the fort are a mixture of the naturally hilly terrain comprising the Krishnagiri, Chakkilidrug and Rajagiri hills, while the gaps were sealed with the main wall that measures 20 metres in thickness. It was thus an impressive sight where the defender could seal himself indefinitely.

Krishnagiri Fort

It is located to the north of Rajagiri. The audience hall on this hill can be climbed in a flight of steps. With in the audience hall there are two stone-built Granaries, a pillared hall, two temples and an audience chamr. And also Sipoys Mandapa and Bhadrakali temple are on Krishnagiri Fort.

The outer fortification of Gingee runs in a triangular form over the three prominent hillock viz. Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and the Chakklidurg and the intervening spaces. The fortification is about 13 km in length and the fort covers an area of about 11 sq.km. There are two prominent gateways viz. the Arcot and Pondicherry gates.

The ancient city was located in the intervening space. The inner fortification runs around the royal buildings located at the foot and upon the prominent Rajagiri hillock. Important among the royal buildings are the Kalyana Mahal, the rows of enclosure for the royal staff (wrongly named horse stables) the huge granaries (wrongly named Gymnasium) besides the remains of the rulers exclusive quarters, King's audience hall and the private chambers for holding meetings of council of ministers, a palace complex, a massive tank called Elephants' tank, all located at the foot of the hillock. The remains like pleasure pavilions and the Krishna temple atop the Krishnagiri are also equally royal in nature.

Chandragiri

Chandragiri Fort, which lies about 14 km south of the temple town of Tirupati, and you come face-to-face with history. For a paltry fee! Within its cyclopean walls and corbelled structures, you feel history breathe and push its way steadily into the present.

At the outset, I tried to find out what the museum in Raja Mahal, the main structure at the fort, had to offer. As my eyes glided over the exhibits, I found myself racing back in time, through the centuries, to a summer day in 1000 A.D. when Immadi Narasinga Yadava Raya surveyed the land where the fort stands today.

Then I began tracing the rise of the Vijayanagara Empire and, with it, the growing importance of the fort. However, the fort saw its best days only after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire. After the decisive battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi (1565 A.D.) Chandragiri Fort came into its own. For, the victor Venkatapatideva Maharaya of the Aravidu Dynasty chose to rule from Chandragiri and not Hampi. Since then, the fort grew in importance.