At Gingee Fort, Tamil Nadu, India - Background, Durbar Hall

Gingee Fort - History
About 4 hours and 100 miles (160 km) later, we reached Gingee (pronounced Senjee) Fort, one of the few remaining forts in the state of Tamil Nadu. Dramatically perched on the top of three jutting hills were three citadels. One could immediately see the 65 ft (20 m) thick stone walls surrounding the fort in a triangular-shaped area 7km2( (4.35 mi2). At its height Gingee was rated as the “most impregnable fortress of India,” earning it the nickname “Troy of the East” by the imperialist British. Although the region’s historical importance dates back to before 600AD with some cave temples, what we see today dates back to the end of the 14th century when the Nayyakka rulers established Gingee as their capital. Their strong fort walls, towers, temples, shrines, granaries, and tanks were built from granite.


Up the Granite Stairs
As I began to ascend the formidable-looking number of granite stairs on Krishnagiri Hill, I noticed a few monkeys on some rocks, appearing to watch guard over the great expanse. Near the top were some fortifications, including walls with arrow slits, portals, and lookout areas. Because the buildings were perched on different levels of the stony hill, it took a while to find out the best way to get to each and explore the structures. Some people chose to take the safer more worn paths, while others simply scaled up the steep rock.

Durbar Hall
One of the most prominent buildings on Krishnagiri Hill is Durbar Hall. Its small-domed top and colonnaded balconies were seen from quite a distance. I had to wait to get inside the hall, as a professional photographer was busy taking photos inside and through the windows. Once inside, I admired the ribbed arches, fanning gracefully to the ceiling. The slightly pointed window openings were multi-leveled, giving the hall a great deal of light. From the balconies one had a great view of the region. Through another entry below was a stage-like area with carvings of elephants and a series of flat-sided columns with reliefs of deities and decorative forms on them.

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