Team G Square: Anchettydurgam Fort, Krishnagiri

Anchetty is a well-known destination located on the route to Hogenakkal waterfalls. However, we were pretty sure that this place had no fort as we have traveled quite a few times along the same route. A visit to "Anchettydurgam" however remained pending for a long time. While researching for Anchettydurgam on the net, I realized it has nothing to do with Anchetty, and is situated much closer to Bengaluru. On a late Sunday morning we decided to explore this place and little did we know that this place was going to unravel its past. Not much of the history of this place is known or available on the internet. The fortification here is similar to that at 'Balagondarayanadurgam', and was probably built during the period of Ankushagiri Palegars. Later, it fell into the hands of Tippu and finally the British in 1799. This fort acted as a military outpost to Kelamangalam.

Anchettydurgam Fort

Thanks to the wonderful weather that day, we were able to start our trek late. This being a small hill we were able to trek slowly and enjoy the place to the fullest. At the outset, this place seemed like a prehistoric site. But surprisingly it does not find its mention in the Archaeological sites of Krishnagiri. There are two temples in the village of Anchettydurgam dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Mallamma probably built during the same time as the fort. Walking through the small lanes of this village, we reached the base of the hill fort from where the path led us to the top of this hill. The trail is pretty simple and remains of fortification were quite evident. Most of the gateways here are of a much simpler type and sadly remain damaged.

Ruined Mandapa

Rock Cut Steps

Under the Rock

Meditating

We inspected every rock for the presence of any kind of rock art. Unfortunately, we weren't successful and there were many such probable rock sites that were out of reach for exploration. Once we passed by the second gateway, we came across a small cave temple which consisted of many small stones that represented the local guardian deities of the village. We came across debris of pottery all through our trek, most of which belonged to the historic era except for a few. Some carried interesting design patterns on them along with others that had color. We reached the third entrance on either side which were present carvings of Lords Anjaneya and Garuda. The artwork was simple and seemed quite different.

Ramparts

Layers of History

Stairway

Third Gateway to the Fort

Hereon the trail turned interesting and at one spot, we felt that this place was a prehistoric settlement. Though dating it will be a very difficult task, some of the stones found here resembled prehistoric man-made tools, especially that used as a hand axe. Also spread across the site were many pieces of pottery. However, it is quite difficult to ascertain whether they belong to the historic or pre-historic period. This place needs a thorough investigation and should be excavated for further details. We inspected the nearby rocks for any carvings but found none. Further from here, we reached the top tier of the fort where there was a small temple-like enclosure on our right. We decided to check it out. There were seven stones lined up next to each other. To our surprise, five out of the seven stones closely resembled polished hand axes belonging to the Neolithic period. Thus indicating that prehistoric people indeed lived here. Hence a scientific study of this site needs to be carried out and this place needs protection.

Neolithic Polished Stone Hand Axes

Lord Shiva Temple, Anchettydurgam

Clear Water Pond

Keep Me Clean

There was a small rock at the top which had a carving of Lord Hanuman, most likely carved in recent years. We could find many stones of different colors and shapes along our way and this sight left us puzzled. We wondered about what they could be and how could they get there!? Many such questions kept us engaged while we reached a small temple on the peak of this hill, dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is believed to have been built during the Chola reign and has undergone renovations during the Palegars' rule. We rested for some time here at the top, while I was scanning around the area to find out if I could spot any area of interest. Overall, a beautiful and serene place to explore. Thus completing another adventure.