It is the fort which is situated in the middle of Palakkad town that first welcomes the tourists to this place. This fort tells the tale of many a subjugation and surrender. As per the directions of Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore, the work on this fort was started in the year 1766 under the supervision of a team of French engineers. Hyder had settlements in Coimbatore, Malabar and Kochi (Cochin). His intention was to turn the Palakkad fort into a focal paint of these settlements and rule them. In the war with the English in 1767 the fort was damaged and Hyder Ali reconstructed it on a solid foundation. Hyder Ali was succeeded by his son Tippu Sultan as the Nawab of Mysore in 1782 and the fort came under his control. In 1787 the English and the Kozhikodu Zamorin captured this fort of vital strategic importance. Knowing this, Tippu sent a strong contingent and drove out the Zamorin and recaptured the fort.
In the war between the English and Tippu in 1790, the English again captured the fort. According to a treaty after 3rd Mysore war, in 1782 the British got Malabar region and the complete control of the fort therein. In 1797 the English mended the damaged parts of the fort. The war between Tippu and East India Company ended with the treaty of 1872 and all the possessions of Tippu in Malabar were ceded to the British. Gradually these formed part of the Malabar district of the Madras presidency.
Palakkad was only a taluk of old Malabar district of Madras presidency till the linguistic reorganization of the States in 1956. At present, some government offices and a sub jail are functioning at this fort.
Kottamaithanam, west of the fort, is very famous. It is said that it was here Tippu?s cavalry camped. This maithanam is used for conducting exhibitions and mammoth meetings. Nearby the fort, there is a children?s park and an open air stadium called ?Rappadi?.
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