History of Dindigul and Dindigul Fort

Dindigul, headquarters of the district, is in the middle of an extensive plain of red soil surrounded by hills: on the east by Aiyalur and Karandamalai hills, on the south by the Sirumalai and on the west by the lower Palani hills.

The nomenclature of the word ‘Dindigul’ is derived from the great isolated rock 380 metres above the sea level. The wedge-shaped rock, situated at the western flank of the town, is called ‘Dindu-Kal’ meaning “pillow rock’ from its resemblance to a pillow. The combination of the two Tamil words ‘Dindu’ and ‘Kal’ gave the name Dindigul to the town. In fact, inscriptions mention the word ‘Dindigul.’There is a fortress built upon it which looks like a crown adding beauty to this great rock and the place around it. It was the capital of a vast province of eighteen palaiyams under Visvanatha Nayaka (c.1529-1564 A.D.) covering the present day taluks of Vedasandur, Nilakottai, Uttamapalaiyam,Palani and Periyakulam.

The Dindigul fort is believed to have been built by Muthu Krishnappa Nayaka of Madurai (1601-1609 A.D.) On the top of the hill is a dilapidated temple dedicated to Abhiramiamman which might have been built by him. It is believed to have been originally a Siva temple,dedicated to Lord Padamagiriswara,built by the Pandyas whose architecture it resembles. The assumption may be correct. An inscription of Achyuta Deva Raya (1529-1542.A.D.) of Vijayanagar, dated 1538, recording the gift of money to the temple, appears on the wall of the Goddess Abhiramiamman temple. Similarly, a fragmentary inscription of (Konerimaikondan) Pandya period, denoting lands, appears on the walls of the Siva temple.

The walls of the fort are made of brick and stone and run round the crest of the whole rock except in the southern side which is so perpendicular that rendered artificial protection unnecessary. Tipu Sultan removed the statue of Abhiramiamman to the town in order to prevent the spies from entering the fortress.

On the south western side of the rock, close to the west corner of the fort, there is a cave 60 metre long 6 metre broad and 1 metre high. It contains rock-cut beds resembling to the Jain- caves of Thiruparankundram. The Pandya inscription on the Siva shrine attests to the presence of Jains in Dindigul.

Syed Sahib, brother-law-of Tipu Sultan, altered and improved the fort in the modern style when he was in charge of the Dindigul province from 1784-1790 A.D. The British innovated and systematically strengthened in the years 1797 and 1798. The buildings on the submit were established as prison and arsenal for military stores and it was well provided with guns. The garrison that stationed in the fort was totally dismantled in the year 1811 owing to a malignant and epidemic fever that raged in the southern province towards the end of 1810.