Vizianagaram Fort
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Vizianagaram fort is an early 18th-century fort in the city of
Vizianagaram Vizianagaram, also known as Vijayanagaram, is a city and the headquarters of the Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the Eastern Ghats, about west of the Bay of Bengal and north-northeast of Visakhapa ...
in northeastern
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
,
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
. It was built by Vijaya Rama Raju, the Maharaja of Vizianagaram in 1713. The formal ceremony, while laying the foundation for the fort, was very auspicious as it represented five signs of victory. The square-shaped fort has two main gates, of which the main entry gate (the "Nagar khana") has elaborate architectural features. There are many temples and palaces within the fort and a victory tower. This alternative name is Pusapati.


Location

The fort is situated in
Vizianagaram Vizianagaram, also known as Vijayanagaram, is a city and the headquarters of the Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the Eastern Ghats, about west of the Bay of Bengal and north-northeast of Visakhapa ...
(
Telugu language Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. Spoken by about 96 million people (2022), Telugu is the most widely spoken member of ...
meaning: "the city of victory") about away from the
Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. Geographically it is positioned between the Indian subcontinent and the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese peninsula, located below the Bengal region. Many South Asian and Southe ...
. It is to the northwest of
Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...
.


History

The Vizianagaram Fort was built in 1713 at a location where five ''vijayas'' (Telugu language meaning: "signs of victory") were supposed to be present. It is named after its founder Maharaja Vijay Ram Raju, also known as Ananda Raju I (1671–1717), the Maharaja of Vizianagaram. The site for the fort was suggested to the Maharajas by a
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
saint, Mahabub Valli, who was doing penance in that forest. The auspicious date chosen for the foundation laying ceremony corresponded, according to the
Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, also called Panchangam, Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes ...
, to the year known as ''Vijaya'' on the tenth day of the
Vijaya Dasami Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navarahtri. It is observed on ...
when the Dassara Festival is generally held in the country. It was also a Tuesday, which means ''Jayavaram'' ("victory day") in
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
.


Features

The fort, built of stone, is in the shape of a square of side , and rises to a height of . The width of the wall at the top varies from . The four corners of the fort have fortifications in the form of
bastions A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
made of stones with a slope on its inner face covered with earth fill and strengthened with stone slabs. There are two gates of entry into the fort. The fort entry from the east is the main gate called the "Nagar khana", which has elegant architectural designs. Prior to the construction of the Nagar khana, a victory arch stood at the entrance. The west-facing gate is smaller but with similar architectural features as the main gate. A moat surrounded the fort. Apart from the two main gates, there are several temples and monuments located within the fort. Two important temples are the
Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...
temple, and the
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
temple known as the "Kota Shakto", which is the guardian deity of the fort. Rajas offered prayers at Lakshmi temple before proceeding on any war campaign. Important monuments are palaces such as the Moti Mahal, Oudh Khana, Alakananda Palace, Korukonda Palace, and, just outside, the victory tower called the "Ghanta Stambham" (Clock Tower). Two other important historical monuments outside the fort, but within the city limits, are the Moddukovillu temple and the Perla Home.


Gates

The two main gates of the fort are architecturally elegant, built in Rajasthani style of architecture. The east main gate is called the "Nagar khana" as it has a drum tower at the top which was used to beat drums to inform the people of royal orders and arrival of royal guests. The west gate is the rear entrance to the Vizianagaram fort. This gateway is also built in Rajasthani style with a pavilion on top. The gate provides access to the royal tombs, and is a traditional gateway to take out dead bodies for cremation. In place of a moat, which existed in the past, there is now a well-turned park extending to the west gate.


Moti Mahal

The Moti Mahal is the royal court or the
Durbar Durbar may refer to: * Conference of Rulers, a council of Malay monarchs * Durbar festival, a yearly festival in several towns of Nigeria * Durbar floor plate, a hot-rolled structural steel that has been designed to give excellent slip resistance o ...
hall which was built by Vijayarama Raju-III in 1869. At the entry to this hall, there are two marble statues. This is a monument that represents the past glory, donated to the Maharajah Alak Narayan Society of Arts and Science (MANSAS Trust) by its founder Dr. P.V.G. Raju, the Raja Saheb of Vizianagaram, is now functioning as a college for women on its first floor. It also houses a museum which has artifacts of the past kings who ruled from the fort.


Other Structures in Vizianagaram


Oudh Khana

The Oudh Khana is a tower constructed in 1876-77 by Maharaja Vijaya Rama Raju III. It is present in present-day Phool Bagh, Vizianagaram. A unique part of this palace is an exclusive bathroom of the Rajas, which is an octagonal stone structure that adjoins the Phool Bagh Palace. The structure is in height built with stones and has a spiral stairway which leads to the water tank at the top that is fed by pumping water from a nearby well.


Alakananda Palace

The Alaknanda Palace was built as a royal guest house. It was constructed in a plush style for the royal guests. It is set within a well laid out garden with walkways. Within the grounds of this palace, an airstrip has been built in recent years for use of the royalty. This palace, however, now houses the 5th Battalion of the Andhra Pradesh Armed Reserve Police.


Korukonda Palace

Nearer to the Alakananda Palace is the Korukonda Palace. The land around this palace, about large, is used as a playground and also has well-tended gardens. Educational institutions have been established in this land and there a school to train youth who wish to join the defense forces.


Ganta Stambham

Ganta Stambham is the Clock Tower patterned on the lines of the
Big Ben Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower itself, which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Originally named the Clock Tower, it ...
in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. The rajas of Vizianagaram, who used to frequent
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
during the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
, built it. It is located just outside the limits of the fort within the heart of the city. The octagonal tower, built of sandstone in 1885, reaches a height of . It was painted white at the top in the past but is now painted cream and red.


Other structures

Outside the limits of the fort, there is an ancient temple dedicated to goddess Pydithalli Ammavaru which is held in great reverence by the people of the town. It is believed that this deity is the reincarnated form of a daughter of the royal family. The image of the Goddess worshipped in this temple was found on
Vijayadashami Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navaratri, Navarahtri. It is ob ...
day in 1752. This day is marked by an annual celebration on 21 and 22 October as a " jatra" or "religious fair". The temple has a
Shiva linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...
in two colours, which is said to exemplify the union of
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
and
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
. Perla Home, also known as the "Perla Vari", constructed in 1895, is said to be one of the most well-maintained monuments in the city. The first building to get electricity connection in the region, it had a bedroom fitted with bedsteads made of silver. A library, which was part of this building, is still functional. The elegant European furniture and the
chandeliers A chandelier () is an ornamental lighting device, typically with spreading branched supports for multiple lights, designed to be hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold candles, but now in ...
of past glory are on display with other artifacts.


References


External links

* {{Forts in Andhra Pradesh Forts in Andhra Pradesh Buildings and structures in Vizianagaram district Monuments and memorials in Andhra Pradesh Buildings and structures completed in 1713 1713 establishments in India Uttarandhra Military installations established in 1713