Bekal FortBekal Fort which is located in Kasaragod, Keralam, India is the best preserved fort as well as the largest fort in Kerala. Bekal Fort is more than 300 years old and was built by Sivappa Naik in the year 1650's. The fort has a master design with its zigzag entrance and the best defensive walls. The Fort was built for and is best known for its defense architecture. The Bekal Fort has been a source of attraction for historian and tourist for years.
According to histories behind the Bekal Fort, its told that the Bekal Fort was originally built by Kolathiri Rajas and later captured by Sivappa Naik. The fort was later occupied by the Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1763 AD and then by Tipu Sultan. The Fort served as a very important station for all these Kings especially for Tippu Sultan when he led the great military expedition to capture Malabar. Bekal Fort defended the port from overseas attack. Tipu Sultan who died fighting against the British in 1799 saw the end of the Mysorean control and later Bekhal Fort came under the British East India Company.
The excavations conducted recently at the fort yielded different types of secular and religious structures built of laterite of the time of Nayakas of Ikkeri and Tipu Sultan. The other interesting discovery was the mint house (Huzur) and a palace complex of the medieval period. Remains of Darbar hall and temple complex were also brought to light during the excavation. The coins collected from the excavations belong to Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and Mysore Wodeyars. Another interesting find was the copper coin mould of Tipu Sultan. The structures exposed were mostly secular in nature.
Bekhal Fort is now protected and preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Government of Kerala is now promoting Bekhal Fort as the best Tourist place under the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC). The near places of the Fort like the Bekal Aqau Park and the Pallikere Beach is also a must visit place.
Pallikere Beach is a shallow beach which offers a spectacular and fascinating view of the Fort.
Features of the Fort:
* The Architecture of the Fort is the most sophisticated. The Fort is spead over 40 acres with its walls about 12 meters in height. The Fort is 130ft above the sea level.
* Another important feature of this fort are the tank with its flight of steps.
* The opening of the tunnel towards the south,
* The magazine for keeping ammunition, wide ramp leading to the observation tower.
According to histories behind the Bekal Fort, its told that the Bekal Fort was originally built by Kolathiri Rajas and later captured by Sivappa Naik. The fort was later occupied by the Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1763 AD and then by Tipu Sultan. The Fort served as a very important station for all these Kings especially for Tippu Sultan when he led the great military expedition to capture Malabar. Bekal Fort defended the port from overseas attack. Tipu Sultan who died fighting against the British in 1799 saw the end of the Mysorean control and later Bekhal Fort came under the British East India Company.
The excavations conducted recently at the fort yielded different types of secular and religious structures built of laterite of the time of Nayakas of Ikkeri and Tipu Sultan. The other interesting discovery was the mint house (Huzur) and a palace complex of the medieval period. Remains of Darbar hall and temple complex were also brought to light during the excavation. The coins collected from the excavations belong to Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and Mysore Wodeyars. Another interesting find was the copper coin mould of Tipu Sultan. The structures exposed were mostly secular in nature.
Bekhal Fort is now protected and preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Government of Kerala is now promoting Bekhal Fort as the best Tourist place under the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC). The near places of the Fort like the Bekal Aqau Park and the Pallikere Beach is also a must visit place.
Pallikere Beach is a shallow beach which offers a spectacular and fascinating view of the Fort.
Features of the Fort:
* The Architecture of the Fort is the most sophisticated. The Fort is spead over 40 acres with its walls about 12 meters in height. The Fort is 130ft above the sea level.
* Another important feature of this fort are the tank with its flight of steps.
* The opening of the tunnel towards the south,
* The magazine for keeping ammunition, wide ramp leading to the observation tower.
