The chandragiri fort and bekal fort are considered to be part of a chain of forts constructed as part of a strategic military manoeuvre. The zigzag entrance and the channels around the fort show the defense strategy inherent in the fort. The granite walls of the fort are between 16 and 20 feet thick and on the south side the city walls meet. However considering the architecture and style of construction, the construction seems to have begun by the rulers of tulunadu, the ikkeri dynasty. Bekal fort, the largest and the bestpreserved fort in. Shivappa nayaka constructed this bekal fort in 1650 ad. Bekal fort kerala location bekal fort is the biggest fort in kerala, situated at kasaragod district, north kerala. Bekal fort is a mustvisit for every kind of backpacker. History, bekal, kasaragod, kerala, india kerala tourism. Bekal fort is believed to have existed from the early days of the chirakkal rajas for the purpose of defence. The circular laterite for set on a rocky headland overlooking the arabian sea, is one of the largest and best preserved forts of kerala. Bekal fort kasaragod 2020 all you need to know before you. Initially it was built in defensive structure and hence there is. Done with my philippines series, i had no other trip report to write about after that.
Book your stay now at the lalit bekal, the best 5 star beach resorts in kerala. Next drive to the historic 17th century bekal fort and spend a few hours in a houseboat cruising the backwaters of bekal. It is quite wonderful to think that this place was once the lookout ground for many ships that came from all the far corners of the world. Yes, i am talking about bekal fort which is the largest fort in kerala, situated at kasaragod district, north kerala. Some sources say that the fort had been rebuilt in the 17th century by shivappa nayaka, a ruler of bednore. Asi turns a blind eye to bekal fort conservation the hindu. The 300yearold bekal fort, shaped like a giant keyhole, is one of the largest and bestpreserved forts in kerala. Bekal is a coastal town in the south indian state of kerala. It became an important port town of tulunadu and malabar. Bekal fort is situated in bekal fort village which in the north of kerala in the kasaragod district. Selcer covers fort worths progression from military outpost to county seat to trail town, rail hub, regional gateway, oil. Bekal fort, kasaragod is a beautiful town poised at the northern extreme of kerala state. History of bekal fort dates back to the period of nayakas. The history of the fort construction is shrouded in mystery.
The history of kerala, india, dates back more than several millennia. Initially it was built in defensive structure and hence there is no palace inside bekal fort. Some argued that the fort was builtr by ikkeri nayakas. During the perumal age bekal was a part of mahodayapuram.
This page was last edited on 28 january 2019, at 10. It is said to have existed from the time of kolathiri, that is, around 12th century ad. The negligence towards the conservation of bekal fort by the archaeological survey of india asi has left conservationists and tourists disappointed. The fort standing in the hilly area shows how the north indian style of fort construction differs from that of the south. Bekal fort kasaragod 2020 all you need to know before. Hyder ali invaded in 1763 and took over a majority of the area. Located 16kms south of kasaragod town on the national highway, bekal is famous for its largest and best preserved forts in kerala. Selcer covers fort worths progression from military outpost to county seat to trail town, rail hub, regional gateway, oil capital, and ultimately worldclass city. While the major fighting of the war moves to the south in the summer of 1779, a british force of fewer than a thousand scottish infantry, backed by three sloopsofwar, sails to the desolate and fogbound coast of new england establishing a garrison and naval base at penobscot bay, in the eastern province of massachusetts that would become maine, the scotsthe only. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page.
The facelift provided to bekal fort by asi and district tourism board is commendable and requires special appreciation. Bekal resorts development corporation ltd brdc, a prestigious project to make bekal an international standard. The hallmarks of the fort are the vista of the tunnel in the south, the steps to the tank and the magazine to store military armours and the wide flight of steps to the observation tower. Delving into the history of the fort, we find that bekal was once a part of the mahodayapuram perumal kingdom. The hotel also offers mountain bikes and some light refreshment. Innovative storytelling to give fillip to kerala tourism. Cornwell is at the top of the heap as a writer of historical fiction, beyond doubt. Explore these top 10 fascinating historical monuments of. It was built by shivappa nayaka of bednore in 1650 ad. It is 67 km from mangalore spreading over forty acres.
The bekal fort is the largest and the best preserved of its kind in kerala. The project aims to attract the newage foreign tourists who prefer to know and experience the history and culture of the land by going on a sightseeing tour. There are several forts in kerala, among all of them bekal fort is the best preserved and largest fort in kerala. The idea is to make the destinations more appealing to the tourists by sharing stories and thereby make travel more of an experience. I hope all other historical monuments are resurrected in similar fashion without too much modernity. The important features of this fort are the tank with its flight of steps, the tunnel opening towards the south, the magazine. It is the largest and best preserved fort in the whole of kerala, bordered. The kondavalam inscription of king baskara ravi ii found here corroborates the.
Bekal historical places,bekal monuments kerala kerala travels. Jul 04, 2015 bekal fort most popular place in kerala. Though it was built by shivappa, later on bekal fort was passed in hands of hyder ali, tipu sultan and britishers. Being in kannur, i had always wanted to go to bekal fort in kasarkode district, north of kannur.
Nestled in the lap of nature, bekal fort is a historic fort surrounded by a beautiful beach offering an enchanting view of arabian sea from its high observation tower where once the cannons were placed. The storytelling project will be launched in bekal. Bekal fort, the largest and the bestpreserved fort in kerala. History sleeps here by the sea shore, among the lonely battlements of the bekal fort located at bekal in kasargode district of kerala, the tall observation towers. Shaped like a giant keyhole, the historic bekal fort was built in the 17th century. Located next to a beach, the fort offers a breathtaking view of the rocky shoreline of the arabian sea. Bekal fort has been a source of attraction for historians, tourists and nature lovers for centuries since it embodies memories of a glorious past.
Whether you are 8 or whether you are 80, whether you love history or whether you hate history, whether you are adventurous or whether you are a nerd, whether you are a photographer or whether you love painting this place is going to spellbind every visitor. Stone age carvings in the edakkal caves feature pictorial writings believed to date to at least the neolithic era around 5,000 bc, indicating the presence of a prehistoric civilization or settlement in this region. Mar 21, 2015 it is situated at kasaragod district, north kerala. Bekal fort, which spreads over 40 acres of land is the largest fort of kerala. Kasaragod is a beautiful town poised at the northern extreme of kerala state. Stand at the points where tipu sultans soldiers defended bekal. Bekal is a small town in the kasaragod district on the west coast of the state of kerala, india. The bekal fort stands tall amidst the two palmfringed beaches with the eternal note of the unending waves. Sep 12, 2019 bekal fort is a mustvisit for every kind of backpacker. Ajit kumar on his new book forts of kerala, a readyreckoner on the historical and.
If you ever plan that kerala trip which you should do sooner rather than later, then do not miss the chance to have a go at the bekal fort. The lateritebrick fort, built between 1645 and 1660, sits on bekals rocky headland and houses a small hindu temple. Historical significance of bekal fort in kasaragod. Bekal fort can be accessed by roads, rails or flights. The bekal fort is a tribute to the rich history of kerala. Photos of bekal, see photos of bekal, kerala by travellers. Bekal, a tranquil and beautiful place lies at the southwestern tip of india, is located on the shoreline of pallikkara village in kasaragod district. Best 8 hotels in bekal on makemytrip choose from 8 best available bekal hotels and save. May 31, 2008 history sleeps here among the lonely battlements of the bekal fort, by the sea shore. Explore keralas largest forts history, architecture and terrain. Much of what he writes is based on historical incidents for which very few records remain e.
Kasaragod kso is a municipal town and the district headquarters of kasaragod district of kerala state in india. The fort at bekal is the crown jewel among many forts and is the largest and the best preserved. Book bekal fort entry tickets online, buy online tickets now. Standing in the kasaragod district of kerala, it is accredited as the largest fort of the state. Bekal fort beach during the perumal age bekal was a part of mahodayapuram. Some sources say that the fort had been rebuilt in the 17th century by shivappa nayaka, a. Near the fort is an old mosque that is said to have been built by tipu sultan of mysore. Situated in the rich biodiversity of western ghats, it is known for the chandragiri and bekal forts, chandragiri river, historic kolathiri rajas, natural environment of ranipuram and kottancheri hills, historical and religious sites like the madiyan kulom temple.
I had vague memories of visiting the fort when i was very young but my mom insists i had never been there. Bekal fort provides the best kerala tourism for the family as it not only has a rich history but also is the largest and the most wellpreserved forts in kerala. Though it is generally believed that shivappa nayak of bedanore built this fort, this has not been accepted by all scholars. Padmanabha menon suggests in his work kerala history the probable connection between bekal fort and the kolathiri royal family according to seniority. Bekal fort served as important military station for tipu sultan when he led the great military expedition to capture malabar. The top 10 things to do near bekal fort attraction on. Almost three quarters of its exterior is in contact with water.
The giant observatory allows for great views of the sea into the horizon. The bekal fort looks like it has formed from the sea. Legends hold that the bekal fort was there since the days of the chirakkal rajas as it was very common in those days to build a fort for the purpose of defense. Bekal fort is said to have been the brainchild of shivappa nayaka of ikkeri dynasty. History sleeps here among the lonely battlements of the bekal fort, by the sea shore. Few centuries ago on observation tower of bekal fort huge cannons were placed. Bekal is small town on the eastern shore of kerala state of south india. For the british also bekal fort was significant for their military and administrative ventures. Bekal fort largest and best preserved forts in kerala. Get full detail of bekal fort in kasaragod, kerala. There is a controversy regarding the building of the fort. Bekal was included in mahodayapuram during the perumal age.
All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Just outside the fort there is a mosque built by tippu sultan of mysore. Angelo in kannur, thalassery fort, remains of thangassery fort in kollam, anjengo fort in anchuthengu and palakkad fort are under asi protection. Bekal fort kasaragod 2020 what to know before you go. His son, tipu sultan, followed him and conquered most of. Explore these top 10 fascinating historical monuments of kerala. In the south most of the forts were built on the sea beds like the bekal fort in kerala. Hotels in bekal, 8 bekal hotels available get free cancellation. Bekal fort, the largest and the bestpreserved fort in kerala, lies 16 kms south of kasaragod on the national highway at the northern tip of the state. Bekal fort bekal bekal fort photos, sightseeing nativeplanet. It is the largest fort in kerala, spreading over 40 acres 160,000 m 2. Following the political decline of mahodayapuram perumals by the 12th. On this dayexcursion from mangalore, visit the lake temple of ananthapura.
Somashekhara nayak captured manjeswar and thaliparamba and built a fort at kanhangad hosdurga new fort. This historic monument offers a superb view of the arabian sea from its tall observation towers, which were occupied by gigantic cannons till afew centuries ago. There are conflicting views on the establishment of the fort. A panorama of the other side thats the entrance we went back down. Whether you are 8 or whether you are 80, whether you love history or whether you hate history, whether you are adventurous or whether you are a nerd, whether you are a photographer or whether you love painting this place is. The kodavalam inscription pullur, 7 km from kanhangad of bhasakara ravi ii the king of mahodayapuram illustrate the undisputed political sway of mahodayapuram over this region. Now bekal fort seems to be idyllic spot for picnic lovers, family outing, adventure and heritage tourists. The kodavalam inscription of the king of mahodayapuram, bhasakara ravi ii, mentions the undisputed political scenario over the. Built almost 300 years ago, bekal fort is considered as one of the largest and most preserved forts in kerala. History of kerala project gutenberg selfpublishing. Giant keyhole shaped fort, the golden expanse of a beautiful beach surrounding the fort, backwaters and hill destinations and water sport facilities nearby. It is situated at kasaragod district, north kerala. It was originally built by shivappa naik of the ikkeri dynasty, between 1645 and 1660. Angelos fort in kannur, which was built by the dutch, bekal fort was built in 1650ad by shivappa nayaka, an indian ruler.
Some others connects it with the history of tipu sultan and portuguese. Selcer, a native of fort worth, texas, loves and is proud of his home town which he writes warmly about in his history, fort worth, a texas original. Bekal fort is around 300 years old and built in a shape of giant key hole located at kasaragod district in kerala. The bekal fort is the biggest fort in kerala and presents a beautiful scenary to the visiters.
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