UKKIRANKOTTAI - In search of the roots of the roots:

For a long time I am enchanted with the pieces of historic information about King Ukkira Pandya who built the Sankaranainar Temple at Sankarankoil of Tirunelveli District.

It was a ‘karna paramparai’ information [word of mouth passed over to generations – may I call it the ‘folk history’ of the locality?] that the devoted king, who still stands as a life size statute in the inner precincts of Sankarankoil temple in a worshipping form, before our lord Sankara Nainaar, that he arranged the bricks required for the temple construction brought from his township Ukkirankottai, by passing through a human chain of his men covering a distance of about 33 kms.

King Ukkira pandya who probably ruled the North Western part of Nellai Cheemai, in the 11^th Century from Ukkirankottai used to visit Madurai frequently through the present Sankarankoil tract which was once a forest of auspicious ‘punnai’ trees as per the ‘sthala puranam’ i.e. the temple township history. During one such journey, through the above forest, the royal elephant suddenly became unruly and eventually tumbled into a pit.  At that time the king was informed by a forest watch man, that he had just found an unusually strong and radiant cobra in an anthill that he removed inside the forest. Perturbed by the combination of the above events, the King visited the spot accompanied by the watch man and saw a shiva lingam in the anthill. On the oracle that he received at that moment, the king embarked on the mission of constructing a grand temple for lord Shiva there.

SANKARA NAINAAR TEMPLE

The temple history says that King Ukkirapandiya completed the core of the temple and one of his late successors, King Veeraseevala mara Pandya further developed the temple precincts and accomplished the construction of outer walls and the magnificent Raja Gopuram which is one of the few majestic Raja Gopurams towering into the skies of Nellai cheemai. Other magnificent Rajagopurams studding our land are at Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Tiruchendur, Tirupudaimarudhur, Brahmmadesam and Papanasam. King Veeraseevala mara pandya was said to be guided by the then pontiff of Thiruvavaduthurai Mutt. 

Sankarankoil temple is a ‘Prithvi sthalam’ i.e. representing the Earth among the ‘pancha bootha shetrams’ – five shetrams representing the elements – the remaining temples are at Dhaarugapuram, Dhevathaanam, Thenmalai and Karivalamvanthanallur in the nearby localities.

Punnai, a Southern peninsular tree is the ‘sthala vrisham’ i.e. the revered and auspicious tree of the temple and the locality. The earth ceremoniously brought to the temple from the ancient Punnai forestry which was in the South Western part of the present town is considered as an auspicious ‘prasaad’ having curative properties by the devotees. Punnai tree has surprisingly similar rhyming names in other languages also – ‘punnang’ in Bengali   and ‘bunga’ in Malay. In Sanskrit it is ‘punnaga’ or ‘nagachampa’.

11^th Century - the time of Ukkirapandya - is the period when the Pandya Army was completely subjugated by the emerging Chola military might, heralding the meteoric rise of the Later Chola Dynasty with the spade work laid by Emperor Paraanthaga Chola. From the position of King Ukkirapandya it can be surmised that even at the time of fallen glory, the Pandya hinterlands were never conquered by the Cholas. Hence the Cholas could not cast their sway beyond Madurai at that time. It can be assumed that the King Ukkirapandya should be a vassal of the Pandya ruling dynasty of Madurai.

Website of ASI-Archeological survey of India informs that they conducted excavations in Ukkirankottai, way back in 1970-71. But I don’t know how to access the documentation of the resultant findings arrived. I had a long time curiosity to visit Ukkirannkottai, named after this competent King Ukkira Pandya.

Ukkirankottai by its very name suggests a walled area in the name of the King Ukkira Pandya. The Sanskrit meaning of the term ‘ugra’ is ‘fierce’. Ukkirankottai is now just a small township, 36 kms away from Tirunelveli, on the Northern banks of ‘Chitraru’, one of the two major tributaries of river Tamiraparani. I noticed a clearly discernible circular feature in the wikimapia satellite image of Ukkirankottai which kindled my interest further. One of my friends, Kannan, a welder and steel furniture maker by profession enthusiastically volunteered to accompany me.

We first visited the Shiva temple at Ukkirankottai. Curiously this temple priest is a vaishnavite. The resourceful priest confirmed the karna-parampara information about the bricks passed by way of a human chain upto Sankarankoil by king Ukkirapandya.

Other related information that are still in the realm of folk lore memory, we came to know are that Kalakkudi, a fertile village on the southern banks of Chitraru just opposite to Ukkirankottai was only the ‘naadu’ or regional centre, though the political seat of power was at Ukkirankottai; that Ukkirankottai was originally known as ‘Karavantha puram’ before it was named after the King Ukkira Pandya. The 12^th check dam across the Chitraaru River is colloquially referred as ‘kadappurathu anai’. 'Kadappuram' is a broken word from 'Karavanthapuram'. The king had two wise councilors, Saathan Ganapathy and Maran Ganapathy hailing from Kalakkudi; that they were brothers and from ‘maruthuvar’ community.  They were said to be closely associated with Anaimalai locality in Madurai. It is evident that in the ancient Tamil country merit was considered over the background of a person. 

In the outskirts of the town, to our surprise and chill we found a circularly formed ancient ‘agali’ structure ['moats' i.e. defensive  channel running around a fortification] still noticeably intact. We were actually thrilled to see the enormous breadth and depth of this nearly 900 years old ‘agali’! However there was no trace of the ancient walls for locating which elaborate excavations may be required. Though the ‘agali’ structure is still discernible it is almost in the course of its fast disappearance.

The agali is somewhat perfectly circular in shape running around Ukkirankottai Township. However to my disappointment, diameter of the circular area formed by the agali spans approximately to one km only, suggesting only a smaller fortification than what I expected. About two thirds of the Eastern parts of the encircled area is now of paddy fields. The residential quarters are at the southern most corner portion of this encircled area of the present township. Considering the topography of the Western parts of the encircled area with mounds and the two thirds part of the encircled area in the East under agro cultivation, there is a fair possibility of finding ancient structures if selective excavations are carried out in these locations. The bulk of the present township being outside this agali structure also strengthens this observation.

Almost at the centre of this circular formation there exists a mound with scattered ruins of an ancient temple. Amidst the ruins, few shattered brick work structures alone are found. There are no stone structures left out. Local people told us that was the place where the Shiva temple originally existed. During the British period the British rulers said to have taken away the stone structures of the temple and used them to strengthen the two ancient diversion barrages existed across the River Chitraaru.

One such barrage structure is across Ukkirankottai - Kalakkudi which is the 13^th barrage across river Chitraru under the maintenance of the State PWD and the other one is at Western ‘Vaal Veechu Rastha’ [ this is 12^th barrage across the river from its origin point]. These barrages are part of the ancient irrigation systems helping to divert the seasonal flood waters from the river to irrigation tanks of the region. However the agali is said to be watered in olden days by two other nearby tanks in the West which we have not visited.

The present shiva temple located at the Southern part of the circular agali feature was said to be a vaishnavite shrine later changed into a saivite temple after the dilapidation of the original temple. The Vaisnavite shrine ‘vigrahas’ [idols] were said to be trans-located to another vaishnavite shrine at nearby Rediyarpatti village. One could see numerous ruined temple idols in this temple. We were able to spot several damaged idols / sculptures scattered in the surrounding paddy fields also.

The ‘vadakku vassal’ [literally meaning Northern gate] selvi amman temple has a beautifully carved out old Nandhi statue [Shiva’s bull]. Nandhi vigraha is found only in a Shivite temple. It is very clear that this nandhi statue has been relocated from the dilapidated shrine of Shiva. Vadakku vassal selvi amman temple as the very name suggests which marks the northern boundary of the fortification is located at the Northern bank of the present agali – which should have been near the Northern pass to the earlier fortification. Local people informed us about the excavations carried out by Archeologists in this place some decades back [probably by the ASI].

Northern and Southern portions of the agali are clearly discernible. Whereas the Eastern and the Western parts of the agali is gradually in the withering course as they are slowly converted in to agricultural fields.

A vast irrigation tank called, ‘padalayar kulam’ is situated along the southern side of Ukkirankottai.  Famed magnificent irrigation sources of the region, ‘Veeranam tank’, ‘Ettaankulam’ and the ‘Manur tank’ are other irrigation systems of this region. The entire territory along the course of the river from Courtaalam to Seevalaperi where the Chitraaru River merges with Tamiraparani is studded with ancient localities with fertile and scenic paddy fields. Veeranam and Veerakeralampudur are the nearby places on the banks of the river in the western side of Ukkirankottai. Veeralakeralam pudur was the Hqrs of adjoining Uthumalai Zamin region bordering Ukkirankottai. Ukkirankottai was an ‘ayan village’ i.e. area under the British rule while the nearby Uthumalai Zamin was ruled by an independent ruler like the independent principalities of Ettayapuram, Tanjore and Pudukkottai during the British Raj.

Dr. U.Ve.Sa., in his auto biography says that he stayed at Veerakeralampudur as a guest of the Zamindaar during his famed journeys in search of original palm leaf records of ancient Tamil literature during the early part of the previous century. He mentions that during his stay at Veerakeralampudur he enjoyed refreshing baths at the Chitraaru River - something which is unthinkable now as the river has pathetically reduced to mere scattered and stagnated puddles. How could we trace the reasons for such a declining flow? Perhaps the reason is the rains! I remember to have heard my maternal grandma – my grandpa being a migrant from ‘Ayirapperi village’ close to the Courtalam hills – the catchment area of Chitraru River - telling me that there would be copious rains extending even beyond the rainy season almost to the extent of nine months of the year. The enormous irrigation systems and sufficient rain falls in the past era might have supported the ancient settlements such as paavoor, Manur and Ukkirankottai in this river region – which has been now reduced to somewhat dry and barren within two generations.   

Ukkirankottai is located on the ancient route towards Tenkasi. This route possibly might have touched Seevalaperi the ancient junction point, [probably Sree vallapa Peri – probably named after a Pandya King, as ‘Sree vallaba’ is one of the popular names in the Pandya lineage]. Even the later Rani Mangamma trunk road from Madurai might have passed through this junction point to reach Kanyakumari. There were similar trunk roads from Madurai to Tiruchi, and Rameshwaram with chatrams [choultries] for the travelers at least at every walking distance of a day.

VM Chatram [ Veera Raghava Mudaliar Chatram ] is one such chatram situated on the Rani Mangammal Salai. The main road of KTC Nagar in Tirunelveli is still called Rani Mangammal Saalai which ends at VM Chatram.

Pavoor chatram and panavadali chatram are two examples of ancient choultry points meant for travelers - later developed into townships in Tirunelveli district. One of my colleagues from ‘Moovirunthaali’ – an ancient village near Ukkirankottai informed me of the presence of a stretch still referred as Rani Mangammal saalai in his locality by the elders of his village. Sketching of the ancient trunk roads itself would be a great deal of research calling for efforts and tenacity.

Thus Ukkirankottai appears to be on a strategic location for a stationed Pandya reserve army which could be swiftly moved to the ‘Aryan-kaavu’ pass in the Western borders or to the South Eastern Korkai port or even to the capital, Madurai in times of need to assist the main body of the Pandya Army. Manarpadaiveedu near Seevalapperi is another ancient 'padaiveedu' or army barracks of this region. There might be a network of stationed army barracks converted into settled reserve pools of soldiery in the Pandya country. Mobilization of the entire state army at the time of call might be organised from such strategic locations. 

‘Vaal veechu Rastha’ is the adjoining village to Ukkirankottai mainly inhabited by ‘Maravar’ community - one of the ancient warrior communities of the region - the name indicates an area for sword practice. Another nearby village is called Rasthaa which simply means a trunk road.

We decided to visit the two barrages and check for the temple stones said to have been used in strengthening these structures by the British.  

In the northern part of the 13^th barrage across river Chitraaru at Ukkirankottai-Kalakkudi banks a Saastha temple is located. This temple is called ‘anai thalai’ [meaning at the head of the dam] Saastha temple. Subsequently we visited the 4.40 kms long Vaal veechu Rastha barrage in the West [which is the 12^th barrage across Chitraaru which is known as Ukkirankottai dam] through Kalakkudi - a fertile agrarian village and Seethaikurichi – which is one of the Ramayana related localities along the Chitraaru river course –

         other such sites being, the Ramar temple atop a hillock in          the  Western part of Paavoor chatram, Seethakarpanallur,  Maayamaankurichi and Maanur.  Kaattu Ramar koil, Jadaayu theertham, and Ramanaatha swamy temple all at Arugankulam village at the Northern bank of Tamiraparani and the Kurangani amman temple at the Tamiraparani river, leading towards Vaalinokkam and Sethukkarai in the Eastern shore are other Ramayana related locations thus stretching towards Rameshwaram island. 

Both the barrages to our surprise contained many temple artifacts, temple stone structures, carved beams and even one epigraphic panel in Ukkirankottai-kalakkudi barrage wall and we found a panel of Vinayagar idol in Western Vaalveechu rastha barrage. We could’nt go near the epigraphic panel due to its precarious positioning on the steep barrage wall. These 12^th and 13^th barrages are of three tiers - the base being made of ancient brick works and a secondary stone structure – probably the one made by the British on it and with latest cement masonry topping on it. Ancient bricks are identifiable and different from the present chamber bricks as they are patterned in lean and broader size and baked of finely ground sand. Hence the diversion barrages across Chitraaru are part of the ancient irrigation systems similar to the ones on River Tamiraparani.

The present Shiva temple at Ukkirankottai township contains many epigraphic panels which we could’nt decipher. We came to know that the former District Archeology Officer, Dr. Senthil Selvakumaran of Tirunelveli surveyed these sites, and documented the epigraphic information. He is retired now. I visited him recently. In spite of his infirmity and poor health enthusiasm sparkled in his eyes when he enquired about the agali structure and the Vadakku vassal Selvi amman temple. He also recollected that the epigraphic letters documented were of ‘vatteluthu’ pattern. He is too weak due to his sickness and couldn’t recall the content information. He said the documents are with the state archeology dept. He also advised me to refer volumes 13 and 23 of South Indian Inscriptions compiled by the ASI which I am unable to source.

The padayarkulam tank in the southern outskirts of Ukkirankottai is watered by Ukkirankottai kaal i.e. Ukkirankottai Channel from the Vaalveechu rastha barrage.

We could spot few households of potter community – who might also be the traditional brick makers of ancient days in Ukkirankottai.  Alagiya pandyapuram is the nearby junction in the Tirunelveli – Sankarankoil state highways.

The nearby Reddiyarpatti village having a recent name of Vijayanagar period is known for its weekly cattle santhai – i.e. traditional periodical cattle market. The soil pattern around Ukkirankottai appears to be with rich lime stone content though the lime stone quarries are located some 20 kms away from this locality.  

Even today during excavations for new constructions, many ancient artifacts are said to be found in this village. State Archeology department has said to be recovered few of them and placed at Palayamkottai museum.

The legendary King Pulithevar of Nerkattumcheval hailing from the Western parts of Tirunelveli Cheemai was the first native king of the Tamil country and perhaps of the Indian subcontinent to give a formidable military resistance to the British colonizers. He may be considered to be from the lineage of King Ukkirapandya. Pulithevar is also an ardent devotee of Lord Sankaranainaar. An ornately carved wooden memorial structure is dedicated to this popular and pious king in the Sankarankoil temple.

May the grass roots history of our Tirunelveli Cheemai showing simple living of our ancestors with pristine and lofty ideals be brought out and preserved for the posterity. I pray unto the devoted and able King Ukkira Pandya to bless this land to bestow heroic sons in the service of mother India and thereby sustain the glory of our Tirunelveli Zilla.

The present Shiva temple of Ukkirankottai housing Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara swamy:

The fish insignia – i.e. the Pandya State emblem found on the roof of the shiva temple:

This beautiful nandi statue should have been brought from the ruined ancient shiva temple to his present location at Selvi Amman Temple:

Northern course of the 900 years old agali:

Western parts of the Agali – with some 15 feet depth:

The broad structure of the agali with its banks here in the West is clearly visible:

The agali becoming part of the populated township in the South where it is shrunk with new banks:

Encroached by bush thickets in the South East:

The mound and scattered ruins of the ancient Shiva temple:

The view of the sprawling Padalayar tank at the southern outskirts of Ukkirankottai which is watered by the 12^th barrage channel:

13^th barrage across river Chitraaru linking Ukkirankottai and kalakkudi with temple stone structures:

         

The epigraphic panel of the ruined temple found at the 13^th barrage:

The old brick work structure is beneath the stone structure:

The stagnated pool of water at the 13th barrage:

Ukkirankottai temple parts found in the 12^th river barrage-

at Western Vaalveechu rastha :

                 

The scenic surroundings of the 12^th barrage:

                        

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TRACING THE REMAINS OF PALAYAMKOTTAI FORT

Palayam or Palayappattu refers to an administrative segment during the Vijayanagar Rule and in the subsequent Nayakkar Dynasty. Palayakkarar or the British colonial reference of ‘polygar’ indicates the ruler or chieftain of this segment who were subordinates to the Emperor of Vijayanagar or Madurai. Thus we got a number of references in the name of Palayam such as Rajapalayam and Palayamkottai.

There were several fortified localities / townships in Tirunelveli Cheemai indicated by their very names such as Palayamkottai, Ukkirankottai, vallvankottai, Parivallikkottai, Thalaivankottai, Pazhamkottai etc. British references indicate existence of forts in Vasudevanallur and Nerkattumcheval which were the main bastions of Raja Puli Thevar who effectively challenged the military might of the British–Arcot Nawab Alliance. Among the above forts, Palayamkottai is a recent one.

There is hearsay that one Basavappa probably a high ranking official of Vijayanagar Empire is said to have built this fort. There is one village near Palayamkottai, in the Tirnelveli–Tuticorin Highways, ‘Vasavappapuram’ said to be named after him.

However Tinnelvelli Gazetteer compiled by H.R.Pate, a British ICS officer in 1916, ascribes the construction of Palayamkottai fort and many other irrigation systems in Tirunelveli Zilla to Aryanatha Mudaliar, a famous General and the Southern Viceroy of the legendary Madurai King Viswanatha Nayakka, the first Ruler of the Nayakka Dynasty. It also mentions that the district was studded with numerous forts of chieftains.

Colonel James Welsh’s description of Palayamkottai fort:

Col James Welsh of the East India Company’s army who was posted as Quarter master of a brigade encamped near Palayamkottai in the year 1799, describes Palayamkottai fortification in his book, Military Reminiscence – Volume I [ ‘Military Reminiscence; An Extract from the journal of nearly forty years’ active service in the East Indies’]. Palayamkottai was the Tirunelveli district Headquarters at that time. 

Following is the sketch of Palayamkottai fort presented by the Colonel;

 From the hillock in the backdrop, the temple towers seen along the face of the fort walls, and from the vast agricultural fields, the sketch appears to be drawn from the North Western side of the fort.

Col. James Welsh describes,

“the fort is situated upon a fertile plain, about two miles from the river, with a clear nullah running a short distance from the walls. It is about two miles in circumference, nearly square, with two rows of works all round it, but no ditch; the inner rampart much higher than the outer one, and the whole having small round bastions, and short curtains, with four gate ways in the middle of the faces, covered by square redoubts; the two to the West and South being closed up. A capital road led from the northern gate to   the towns Tinnevelly and Tatchenoor, across the river by a ford, always passable, excepting during a few days in the North - East monsoon. Some pleasantly situated garden – houses were close to the road leading to the river, and the whole of the surrounding country being well watered and wooded, are highly picturesque and beautiful.”

Another description of the fort:

A 1756, account of the fort by one Orme as recorded in the Gazetteer says that the fort was spacious but the ramparts were in ruins, nevertheless capable of resisting an enemy with no battering cannon.

Portrayal of the fort by Tinnevelly Gazetteer (1916) compiled by H.R. Pate :

There are more elaborate details of the fort in this Gazetteer. 

The Gazetteer depicts,

“the fort formed a rectangle 900 yards by 840 yards and possessed neither ditch nor glacis. It consisted of a main inner rampart, 15 feet high and 15 feet thick, and an  outer line, 9 feet high; both walls were surmounted by parapets. The ramparts were of earth, faced with massive cut stones. At irregular intervals there were square bastions, and at the angles of the fort the bastions were round. At the middle point of each rampart was a gate. The great square tower, on which, the modern police-station now reposes surmounted the western or “ Tinnevelly” gate. Just beside the existing racquet court, which was built up against the southern rampart was the south or “Travancore” gate. The other entrances – the “ Tiruchendur” gate on the east  the site of which is now occupied by the sub-magistrate’s court and the northern or “ Madura” gate ( which stood on the site of the present market) – have disappeared.” 

The Gazetteer further elaborates,

“Quarters for the native soldiers were outside the fort near the Eastern face of the fort while the British officers stayed inside the fort in the southern part of the walled township. The artillery barracks was the building, still popularly known as “Tillery,” in which the post office is now located. The northern two-thirds of the fort was the crowded town it now is. In the remaining one-third in the south were the artillery, the mess-house and the bungalows of the military officers. “

In search of the traces of the bygone fortification:

The ‘clear nullah’ mentioned by Col.James Welsh is the present day ‘Palayam Kaal’ or Palayam Canal which fetches water from ‘Pazhavur anaicut’ which is an amazingly  very long stone work-diversion barrage built across the river Tamiraparani near Pazhavur. Palayam canal skirts around the 'fertile and well watered fields' as mentioned by James Welsh. This canal covers the full stretch of Western and Northern periphery of the present day Palayamkottai town sketching a boundary line on these two sides. This canal might have been so coursed, so as to serve as a moat to the fortification; apart from its purpose of irrigation. There are two temple inside the fortified area, Ramar Temple in the Western side and Thiripurantheeswarar Temple in the East with huge tanks. There were narrow canal arrangements to bring water inside the fort to these tanks.

The fertile and well watered and scenic surrounding fields as described by  Col James Welsh in 1799 are still so.

                         

Though the double walled structure of the fort, bastions, redoubts and entrances have almost withered away, there are few remnants of the ruined fortification which still stand testimony to the British descriptions.   

The ruins of the redoubts in the Western and Eastern entrances though concealed by modern developments are still noticeable. The Western entrance of the fort is almost completely intact. This entrance / redoubt is located near the so called ‘Vaikkal Palam’ [Canal Bridge] area. Atop this redoubt the 'Medai Police Station' referred by the British records is still functioning in that very name which now houses the City Crime Branch office. The surrounding massive walls are about 20 feet in height. 'Medai' means upstairs.  This redoubt entrances are completely closed and the inside entrances house two small temples. Among them 'Sri Prasanna Vinayagar Temple' is located exactly covering the inner part of the entrance. ‘Mela vassal Murugan koil’ i.e. Western entrance Murugan temple is the adjoining another temple. 

This entire complex is a massive stone structure and was a part of the old fort system. This complex is connected by the straight South Bazar road with the Eastern entrance of the fort. The Eastern entrance is though magnificent its remains are hidden behind the huge Samathanapuram Water Tank. The South Bazar Road is the arterial pathway of the walled township. A bike ride from the Western entrance to this Eastern structure takes exactly one kilometer. The remaining part of this redoubt now houses a Govt museum.

Closed southern entrance of the fort referred by James Welsh might be located near the present day Central Library and in the road leading to the ‘Ilanthaikulam reservoir’ nearby. This reservoir spread in parallel to the southern face of the former fort is fed by sub canals from the Palayam canal.

A road from this southern entrance to Northern Gate of the Palayamkottai fort cuts South Bazar road at right angles causing a cross road point which is  actually the centre of the fort and this path way passes through the Eastern side of Gopala Swami Temple towards the Western periphery of the present day vegetable market and merges with the North Bazar or Tuticorin Road. ‘Kaaval’ i.e. protection deities are part of the features of ancient forts. The East facing kaval deity, ‘Kottai Karuppa Swamy temple’ located in the middle of a narrow adjoining lane near the Western entrance locality indicates and corroborates the mainly used Northern entrance of the former fort.    

  

A bike ride measure from this Northern opening to the centre of the fort measures exactly half a kilometer. The fort structure being almost square in shape as depicted by Col James Welsh, it can very well be deduced that the entire perimeter of the fort should have been 4 kilometers. Thus the measurements almost match with the description of Col James Welsh.    

There are no apparent traces of the ‘double ramparts, the inner being higher than the outer one’ as described by the Colonel. The basements of which might have gone into the residential building structures in the narrow lanes and by lanes running along the northern and Eastern periphery of the Palayamkottai.

The stone structure with a statue of King Kattabomman atop near Palayamkottai Bus stand is the other clearly discernible remaining piece of the lost fortification. This might be the South Western corner-bastion of the former fort. A British period stable was said to be in the adjoining building which housed a Govt office latter.

The so called ‘Military lane’ in the North Eastern part of the Palayamkottai is just outside the fort wall where the native army barracks was located. Quarters for the native solders were also at the nearby site of the present day District Superintendent of Police office.  

Oomaithurai’s dramatic escape from the fort prison:

This massive closet in the Eastern redoubt also served as a prison during the early British period wherein Kattbomman’s younger brother, Oomaithurai was imprisoned along with his younger brother Sivathiah @ Duraisingham and 17 other family members and his close lieutenants for about 13 months after the end of Panjalamkurichy War I.

Oomaithurai and his valiant comrades were kept shackled by iron chains in this prison. Panjalamkurichy Kambala Naikka warriors and several palayakkarar chieftains drew plans to rescue Oomaithurai out of the gallows. But the plans were postponed and strategies redrawn for more opportune times. Chinna Marudhu, the Diwan of Sivagangai Cheemai sent a special task force to rescue his friend, Oomaithurai. But this force unfortunately failed in its attempt. They had been spotted by the British and were arrested and later executed in public. Details about the identity of the members of this force and the reasons for their failure are an important piece, lost in the annals of the glorious history of our Tirunelveli Chemmai. Lack of effective coordination with the Panjalamkurichy men and need for local intelligence inputs might be the reasons for their failure.

Later, the Panjalamkurichy men charted out a more meticulous strategy after a month long close surveillance. Hundreds of Panjalam warriors  sneaked into the fort, camouflaging as fire wood sellers, plantain leaf vendors or as pilgrims concealing weapons and necessary equipments to break iron chains. Oomaithurai was already informed of the operation. Few fort residents inside the fort also helped these men. Several hundreds of men spread swiftly across the Eastern face of the fort and all along the escape route to Panjalamkurichy via Seevalapperi junction point and were in waiting for their next move. On the dusk of that chosen day, the British officers in the garrison were away at the palace of Ettayapuram Raja on the other side of the Tamiraparani river bank enjoying a party hosted by the Raja. This palace called 'Castle Wood' and its sprawling surroundings are still intact in Tirunelveli Junction behind the so called vast Raja Building complex. The Panjalamkurichy men made a synchronized and lightning attack on the garrison and disarmed the British sentry and rescued all the inmates of the prison paving the way for Panjalamkurichy War - II and the ensuing famous Polygar Wars or South Indian Rebellion.   

      

Surroundings of the fort:

On the side track, Col James Welsh in his book further says, ‘The town of Tinnevelly or Tirnawelly as the natives call it, is very large, and contains very wealthy Hindoo merchants; and Tachenoor, which is much smaller, had a cavalry cantonment formed near it.’ He also mentions about a ‘ford’ which might be the traditional path used by the people to cross the river Tamiraparani before the construction of bridges across the river. This shallow path way might be between the stone paved and stepped banks / 'Padithurai' at Vannarpettai on one side and Sindhupoondurai Padithurai on the other side of the bank. 

          

Destruction of the fort:

How come the Nellai Cheemai’s forts withered away and disappeared from the public memory?

In 1795, the British East India Company regime in Fort St. George of Madras issued a decree directing the Polygars to destroy their forts and surrender their weaponry. This decree was effectively implemented after the so called Polygar Wars in the regions formerly ruled by the native Chieftains and Rulers who opposed the British colonization. 

For example, the H.R.Pate’s ‘Tinnevelly Gazateer’ says, ‘the Panjalankurichi fort was razed to the ground; the site was ploughed over and sown with castor seed, and the name of the place was also expunged from all the registers of the district.’

Another telling example is that the present day Marret Streets around the core of Madurai city are actually the stretches where the moats ran around the Madurai Fortification. These streets were created by filling the moats by pulling down the fort walls. The streets are named after the British officer and the natives who helped him in accomplishing this work! The ‘Veli’ Veedhi meaning outer Streets were the ones running outside the famed fort of Madurai. One massive side bastion of a redoubt located just adjacent to the Bus Terminus near Nethaji Road is the only remaining piece of the Madurai fort at present. This area is still known as 'Western entrance' by the locals. The 'southern entrance' to the Madurai fort is also still called in the same name.

All the ancient Pandya forts were brick or mud works and presumably smaller in size. After the advent of Vijayanagar rule in Madurai region, particularly King Viswanatha Nayak converted the Madurai and Tirunelveli [Palayamkottai?] forts into double walled stone masonry works.  

By razing down the forts and confiscating the weapon stocks in the restive regions, the British colonizers tried to preempt further rebellions. These were the attempts to emasculate us by obliterating the memories of our valorous ancestral history and heritage. 

The southern Tamil Country, Nellai Cheemai has always been a fertile nursery of valorous and patriotic lions who stood against the alien might in the service of this country. This actually explains the disappearance of many forts in Nellai Cheemai.

However in the case of dilapidation of Palayamkottai fort, which only served as a British cantonment and prison for a long time from the initial stages of colonization i.e. from 1765 there were other reasons too. 

The Gazetteer narrates thus,

          “The disappearance of the old fort was a gradual process. As early as 1840 a large quantity of stone had been taken from the outer wall for the purpose of building the foundations of the bridge at Tinnevelly. The eastern gate had been shut up and on its site a civil jail (now the court of the sub magistrate) had been built; the other gates were in existence, but there were innumerable breaches, especially on the west side, and pieces of wall were constantly collapsing. Mr. E.B.Thomas, the Collector, recommended in the interests of the public health that the outer wall at least should be completely removed, and, though the military authorities opposed the suggestion, its destruction was ordered in 1844 by Government. A few years later – in 1851- the demolition of the main wall on the east was put in hand, and permission was obtained to use the stones for public buildings. In 1860 the removal of the western wall followed; the southern wall was destroyed next and last of all, the northern wall. By 1861 the fort had practically disappeared. The stones were sorted, good ones being retained for various public works and the best of all sent off to Srivaikuntam for the new anicut. The rest were sold.”

The few remains of the Palayamkottai fort particularly the Western Gate structure is in need of repairs. It is high time to conserve and popularize these heritage pieces of historic and antique value of this land.

The parapet walls of the Western redoubt structure:

The stone tiled outer walls of the Western redoubt structure: 

The stone steps to the upstairs :

Closed Western Gate:

Temple precincts in the inner side of the Western redoubt: :

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