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Vellore Fort
 The
fort is one of the finest examples of military architecture in South
India. It is a perfect Water fort or Jala Durg. Jalakantesvara Temple,
dedicated to Shiva, is the most impressive building within the fort.
Vellore was built towards the end of the 14th century by the Hindu Vijayanagar kings.
In 1676 Marathas also captured it. In 1760 Dayud Khan coming from Delhi
won the fort. The British occupied the fort in 1760,following the fall
of Srirangapatnam and the death of Tipu Sultan. The sons and daughters
of Tipu were put in this fort in confinement. This fort is surrounded by
a deep ditch and secured by a double wall.
The Fort
The fort is situated on the Palor riverbank. The outer length of the fort is
about 2,500 feet and 1,500 feet in breadth. The height of the outer wall
is about 30 feet and the breadth is about 25 feet. The approximate
circumstance of the fort is 2,600 meters.
It was constructed with the granite blocks and is surrounded by a moat,
which is supplied by a subterranean drain fed from a tank. The walls are
constructed with hewn Kangaroo stones of rectangular shape.
Constructions Of The Fort
 The
fortification of the fort consists of a main rampart broken at irregular
intervals by round towers and rectangular projections. The walls of the
fortress are connected so that the outer wall that is lower than the
other, which is extended to the inner wall, from a curtain of enormous
thickness, which cannot be affected by gun, spears and arrows.
The narrow wall running round the fort can be reached by a flight of steps
at the entrance of the fort. On the southern side there is a raised
bastion on which the flagstaff stands and there are two small round
towers raised on the main works at the southeast and northeast angles.
The Vellore fort is perhaps the most beautiful specimen of military
architecture in South India and it is still in a good state of
preservation.
Other Buildings In The Fort
Jalakanteshwara temple is situated inside the fort, which has some
beautiful sculptures on the ceiling and some richly, carved pillars and
monoliths. The carving of roofs and pillars are wonderful examples of
Vijayanagar type of sculptural architecture. The Gopuram of the temple,
which is 30 m, high and seven storied is superb.
To the right of the fort, there are 3 churches, cemetery of dead British
Soldiers in Sepoy Mutiny and a museum containing sculptures and hero
stones dating back to the Pallava and Chola times.
HOW TO GET THERE
Air : The nearest airport is at Chennai.
Rail : Katpadi, 10-km from Vellore is the
nearest broad gauge railway station. Katpadi is on the Chennai Bangalore
line. There are daily services between Katpudi- Chennai and Katpudi-
Bangalore.
Road : Vellore is well connected with
Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Bangalore, Tirupati,
Thanjavur, Ooty, Kanchipuram and other important towns.
WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation is available at the small budgeted hotels and lodges in
Vellore.
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