Alamparai Fort

Alamparai Rock Fort
Part of History of Tamil Nadu
Kadappakkam
Shown within Tamil Nadu
Coordinates	12°15′57″N 80°00′36″E / 12.2659°N 80.0101°E / 12.2659; 80.0101Coordinates: 12°15′57″N 80°00′36″E / 12.2659°N 80.0101°E / 12.2659; 80.0101
Built	1735
Construction materials	Granite
Current condition	Under renovation
Current owner	Archaeological Survey of India
Open to the public	Yes
Controlled by	Archaeological Survey of India

The ruins of Alamparai Fort (also called Alampara) lie near Kadapakkam, a village 50 km from Mamallapuram on the land overlooking the sea. Constructed in the late 17th century during the Mughal era, the Alamparai Fort once had a 100-metre long dockyard stretching into the sea, from which zari cloth, salt, and ghee were exported. During 1735 AD it was ruled by Nawab Doste Ali Khan. In 1750, for the services rendered by the famous French commander Duplex to Subedar Muzarfarzang, the fort was gifted to the French. When French were defeated by the British, the fort was captured and destroyed in 1760 AD. More recently the structure was damaged in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.^[1]

Presently it is a picturesque and serene spot with backwaters and cool sand. Local fishermen assist tourists in a pleasurable boating experience around the fort. The fort can be reached on driving down the East Coast Road, about 100 kilometers from Chennai and 50 kilometers from Pondicherry (Puducherry).

Alambarai is mentioned in several places in the diaries of Ananda Ranga Pillai, Dubash to Dupleix in French India. It was the primary port of trade for the Arcot nawabs. They had a mint there, and later, at the request of Dumas, the governor of Madras Presidency, The People who worked in the Mints of Alambarai (it is mentioned as 'Alampuravi') moved to Pondicherry and established a mint with the approval of the Nawab of Arcot. It is a regular port of call on the Coromandel Coast. The other contemporary ports were Pulicat, Madras, Mylapore, Sadras (12 km from Mahabalipuram), Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Porto Nova, Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), Karaikal, and Nagapattinam.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alamparai Fort

• Alamparai: Fragments of history