According to Maha-vamsa (மஹாவம்சம்), the Srilankan chronicle, a line
running from Ponnamaravathi (பொன்னமராவதி) to Kizhanilai and thence to
Manamelkudi (மணமேல்குடி), divided the Chozha and Pandya in the 10th and 11th
centuries, before the final subjugation of the Pandya kingdom by the Chozha-s.
This line marks the northern limit reached by the Sinhalese in their
invasion of South India. Parts of the 12th-13th century strategic road
leading from Kizhanilai (கீழாநிலை) to Aranthangi (அறந்தாங்கி) in the east and to
Tiruppattur (திருப்பத்தூர்) and Ponnamaravathi in the west can be seen even
now. About the middle of the 12th century, the Ceylonese general, Lanka-pura
(இலங்கபுரம்), who was in alliance with Parakrama Pandya (பராக்கிரம பாண்டியன்),
defeated Kulasekhara (குலசேகரன்), a rival claimant to the Pandya throne, who
had killed Parakrama (c. 1162 AD) and placed Vira-pandya Parakrama's (வீரபாண்டிய
பராக்கிரமன்) son, on the Madurai throne. During this campaign, a sanguinary
battle was fought at Kizhanilai in which, according to the Maha-vamsa, the
slaughter was so great that the corpses of the slain covered a space of four
leagues. Kizhanilai was one of the frontier forts of the Thanjavur kingdom
under the Nayak-s. Vijaya-raghava, the last Nayak ruler, is the reputed
builder of the fort, now in ruins.
 The
Fort, Kizhanilai
|
The Statistical Account of Pudukkottai (1813) informs us that the fort,
which had an arsenal, was built about 1683 by a Sethupathi (சேதுபதி). It is
probable that this Sethupathi, who got possession of the fort, repaired or
extended it by adding an arsenal. In 1756 when Vijaya Raghunatha Raya
Tondaiman (விஜய ரகுநாத ராயத் தொண்டைமான்) of Pudukkottai temporarily occupied
the place, a granary was built in which to store provisions against sieges.
The fort passed through different hands over a time, including Thanjavur
(தஞ்சாவூர்) and Ramanathapuram (இராமநாதபுரம்), before coming to Pudukkottai. It was
afterwards part of the debatable land, which passed from Ramanathapuram to
Thanjavur in 1750 and 1763 and again in 1771.
Thanda-Thevan (தண்டத் தேவன்)
of Ramanathapuram promised the fort and district of Kizhanilai to the
Pudukkottai Tondaiman-s in 1723, if he succeeded in gaining the throne with
Tondaiman's assistance. Tukoji, Raja of Thanjavur (1729-36) also appears to
have granted it to the Tondaiman, who sold it back to Thanjavur on certain
conditions. The conditions were violated and the Tondaiman attempted to
recapture it. In 1749 Manoji the Thanjavur general, ceded it to the
Tondaiman on his own account in return for military assistance, so that the
Tondaiman actually got possession of it. But the Raja of Thanjavur refused
to ratify Manoji's act and ordered its recovery in 1756.
Hider's forces seized and occupied it for a time in 1781, but the
Tondaiman recaptured it in the same year at the request of Colonel
Braithwaite of the Madras Army. When, soon after this, the whole of the
Thanjavur territory was annexed by the British. Kizhanilai, which originally
formed part of Thanjavur but had all along been claimed by the Tondaiman,
was finally ceded to Pudukkottai (புதுக்கோட்டை). The only condition imposed was the payment
annually of the tribute of an elephant. This, however, was never paid, on
the ground that the stipulation was inconsistent with previous treaties, and
with the rank and status enjoyed by the Tondaiman-s. It was formally waived
in 1837 by the Court of Directors themselves.
The Fort
This extensive but now dilapidated fort, covering an area of 43.61
acres, is built of laterite, quarried close by in the extensive Sengirai (செங்கீரை)
and Sakkottai (சாக்கோட்டை) patches. The first place of interest that a
visitor observes within the fort is a small temple of Hanuman then he
approaches the Ariya-nayaki Amman (அரியநாயகி அம்மன்), which is the principal
one. There are other temples dedicated to Vishnu and Munisvara (முனீஸ்வரர்).
Sections of walls have fallen down. According to the tradition, an
underground passage near south gate, now blocked, leads to a fort in
Sakkottai in the Ramanathapuram (இராமநாதபுரம்) district. A fairly large gun lying on one of
the ramparts is all that now remains of the efficient military equipment
with which the fort was once fitted.
There is a small hamlet within the fort surrounded by flower gardens.
|
