The 16th century fort of Vellore, on the banks of the River Palar, was
constructed by the feudal chieftain Senna Bommi Nayak. The fort has been
a mute witness to the power struggles that swept through the city. It
was under the Nawab of Arcot, the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, the Marathas,
Dayud Khan of Delhi, Tipu Sultan of Mysore and finally the British
Empire. This fort has also played a strategic role in Indias first
struggles for Independence in 1857.
The Jalakanteswarar temple, dedicated to Lord Siva, is a fine example
of Vijayanagara temple architecture. The temple with rich carvings on
the pillars and roof was built in 1550 A.D, around the same time as the
Vellore Fort. The deity was removed during Adil Shahi attacks, during
which time the temple was used as a garrison. The temple houses a
magnificent nuptial hall adorned with elegant carvings and sculptures.
Vennamalai temple dedicated to Lord Muruga is at a distance of 25 km
from Vellore. This temple perched on top of a majestic hill is carved
out of a single piece of rock.
Vellore is also famous for its medical college built by the American
missionaries in 1900. The medical college is now well renowned for the
superb facilities available. The Government museum cum archive,
maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu, houses various priceless
artifacts relating to Anthropology, Archeology, Geology and Numismatics.
Beautiful frescos depicting the archeological wealth of erstwhile Arcot
district is also on display here.
On the banks of River Palar is the Muthu mandapam, a rock memorial.
This memorial is constructed near the tombstone of Vikramraja Singh, the
last Tamil ruler of Kandy in present day Sri Lanka. The imposing 14th
century Kartikeya Temple in Ratnagiri is famous for its rich carvings
and beautiful sculptures.
