View of Kalyana Mahal at Gingee fort in Villupuram district | Photo Credit: SS Kumar
A team from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), including experts from the International Commission on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), is scheduled to visit the Gingee Fort in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, which has been nominated by the Central government, along with 11 forts the other being the Maratha Military Landscape, for the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag for the year 2024-25.
The Maratha Military Landscape in India consists of 12 components distributed in different geographical areas, and among them, 11 sites are in Maharashtra; Gingee Fort in Villupuram is the lone candidate from Tamil Nadu for the World Heritage Site tag.
The visit on September 27 is part of the evaluation process and is a precursor for ICOMOS experts to submit a report to UNESCO, which will decide whether the selected monuments can be tagged a World Heritage Site in 2025.
Elephant tank at Gingee Fort | Photo Credit: SS Kumar
According to an official at the State Archeology Department, “The Development and Research Organization for Nature, Art and Heritage (DRONAH), an interdisciplinary organization, has prepared a Nomination Dossier and a Management Plan for the nomination of the Gingee fortress as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The dossier has been prepared according to the UNESCO Operational Guidelines for World Heritage Convention and includes description of property, justification of inscription, State of conservation, and factors affecting property, protection and management, monitoring and documentation.
The official added, “We hope the team will be impressed by the historical significance of the fort and submit a report that will help it get the tag. Once the structure gets the World Heritage Site tag, Gingee will attract many tourists from around the world.”
History of the fort
Known as the ‘Troy of the East’, the fort perched atop three hills – Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and Chandragiri – is considered invincible and a symbol of the country’s glorious past. It has witnessed the rise and fall of successful empires over the centuries.
Built by Ananta Kon of the Konar Dynasty in 1200 CE, the ownership of the fort changed several times. The city was ruled by several empires, such as Vijayanagar Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, Nawabs, French and British.
View of durbar hall and Kalyana Mahal in Gingee Fort | Photo Credit: SS Kumar
According to D. Ramesh, assistant professor of history, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Villupuram, “The first fort was built by Ananda Kon in the 12th century. His successor fortified the northern hill in 1240 AD and called it Krishnagiri, while other buildings and structures were enlarged by successive rulers.The subsequent complete construction of this fort took place under the auspices of the Vijayanagar Empire.
The fort was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1677. The Nawabs in 1714 and remained under their control until 1749. The fort was with the French from 1750 to 1770 before it came into British hands,” he said.
Covering an area of 11 hectares, the fort has a step well, Kalyana Mahal, durbar hall, cannon, clock tower, armory, elephant tank, stables, granary, gymnasium, Venkataramana temple, and Sadathtulla. mosque.
The fort has two elaborate systems for water supply, corresponding to the Nayaks and Nawabs, which at one time ensured that even the top of the structure had a continuous source.
Villupuram District Administration has launched a series of sustained awareness campaigns, including heritage walks, in the fort maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India to offer an immersive experience of rich history and cultural heritage.
Published – 20 September 2024 14:53 IST
