Dindigul Fort

The Dindigul Fort is a 17th-century hill fort situated in the town of Dindigul in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The fort was built by the Madurai Nayak kings in 1605 and was later passed on to Kingdom of Mysore (Mysore Wodeyars) in the early 18th century. Later it became an important fort during Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan reign of Mysore. In 1799 it went to the control of the British East India Company during the Polygar Wars. There is an abandoned temple on its peak apart from few cannons. Today the fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and is open to tourists.

Name and location:
Approaching from Madurai (65 km), the huge rock emerges on the horizon like a "Dhindu" (pillow) — hence the city's name, Dindigul. Amidst paddy fields and coconut groves, it stands out like a welcome symbol, one kilometer short of the city centre. Under the Mysore reign in the 18th century, this fort marked the border between the Madurai and Mysore kingdoms. Dindugul town was not in existence at that time, whereas the region was an amalgamation of a few villages. Today the fort is an important landmark of Dindigul town.