Thirumayam Fort, a fortress in the heart of Tamil Nadu

From Thanjavur I take the Pudukkotai-Karaikudi highway to reach Madurai, the last stop of my trip to Tamil Nadu.

I make a stop at Tirumayam (or Thirumayam), where there is a 40-acre fortress built in 1687 by the Raja of Ramnad, Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi I.

Thirumayam fort is one of the few left in Tamil Nadu (the most famous is the Gingee Fort) and in 2012 was entirely renovated.

Share with your friends:

A place off the tourist routes

From Thanjavur I take the Pudukkotai-Karaikudi highway to reach Madurai, the last stop of my trip to Tamil Nadu.

I make a stop at Tirumayam (or Thirumayam), where there is a 40-acre fortress built in 1687 by the Raja of Ramnad, Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi I.

Thirumayam Fort is one of the few left in Tamil Nadu (the most famous is the Gingee Fort) and in 2012 was entirely renovated.

Thirumayam Fort structure

The continuous wars between Indian kingdoms has led to the construction of many forts and defensive structures, some of which are truly impressive.

The typical fortress of southern India is built on top of a rocky hill, near a perennial water source. This generates a small river just south of the fort, where over time villages have arisen and some are still inhabited. Around the fort structure, ditches were dug and filled with water and crocodiles.

Thirumayam Fort fully reflects this description: it was built on a rocky spur, alternating blocks of stone and brick, right on a perennial water source, which flows south of the fortress and ensures a constant water supply.

It has 3 entrances, one to the north, one to the south and one to the east. Seven concentric walls protected the heart of the structure, although only 4 remain today. Crocodile ditches have been completely destroyed.

What to see at Thirumayam Fort

Inside the fort, which can be accessed by paying a ticket, you can visit 5 temples dedicated to the patron gods, the room that served as a barn and the tanks that were used to supply the fort with water.

There are also several brick-built rooms and a chamber carved into the rock that contains a lingam of Shiva. You can also walk in the open air, among trees and monoliths clinging to the slope of the rocky hill.

During British rule, the fort was converted to the seat of the administrative offices of the British crown and several cannons were placed on the outer walls and on the top of the fort.

My visit at Thirumayam Fort

When I get to the fort, I find it closed for New Year’s Eve. I can only walk the road that runs along it and admire it from the outside.

The small village that has risen close to the hill still reserves me some pleasant surprises: the houses, poor and humble, have the doorways decorated with drawings made with colored sands, candles and flowers to celebrate the arrival of the new year. Some elderly women prepare garlands of flowers to sell to temple visitors, while cows and monkeys wander around the dumpsters, looking for leftovers.

I am welcomed with great enthusiasm: the Indians are curious people and they know how to smile gracefully. They love to be photographed and, even if they don’t speak English well, they manage to leave me their Instagram contact and make me promise to send their photos.

A family invites me to photograph their little girl, who is all dressed up for New Year’s party. She has two beautiful eyes and I take some very intense portraits of her. But I do not forget to photograph also the grandmother, whose face is equally interesting.

It is important when traveling to make bonds and, above all, to keep the promises made. On my return from India, I spent half a day recovering the photos and sending them to my Indian friends.

It is also essential to be fast and not tire people with countless shots. They would regret the agreed availability and would not have a good memory of the meeting. About this, I wrote an article on portrait photography for the magazine All Photographers.

Is Thirumayam Fort worth a visit?

I wouldn’t know how to answer that. Unfortunately, I found the fort closed. I made my opinion only from the outside and on the explanatory videos avalaible on youtube (unfortunately they are almost all in Indian language).

It’s definitely a good place to stop if you’re crossing Tamil Nadu. If you find the Fort open, let me know if you liked your visit!