Ranjankudi Fort

Ranjankudi Fort is a 15th-century fort located in Ranjankudi village, Perambalur District, Tamil Nadu, about 22 km north of Perambalur town. Built with stone and brick ramparts, bastions and a moat, it was held successively by Vijayanagara Nayaks, the Jagirdar of Ranjankudi, the Nawab of the Carnatic, and French and British forces. The site of the 1751 Battle of Valikondah, it is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and contains a palace, temple, underground chambers and defensive structures.

Visitors can expect a compact, well-preserved inland fort surrounded by a dry moat and fortified walls with bastions. Inside are ruined palace structures, a small temple, underground chambers, storage rooms, and open courtyards. The terrain is uneven with stone steps and narrow passages. The surroundings are rural agricultural fields with quiet, open views from the ramparts. Exploration is self-guided, focused on architecture, history and photography.

Ranjankudi Fort was originally built in the 15th century during the Vijayanagara period and later controlled by the Nayaks and the Jagirdar of Ranjankudi. In the 18th century it came under the Nawab of the Carnatic and was contested by French and British forces during the Second Carnatic War. The Battle of Valikondah (1751) was fought here, where British-allied forces defeated the French-allied troops. The fort illustrates medieval Deccan military architecture with its moat, bastions and palace complex.

The fort reflects the military and architectural traditions of Tamil Nadu's inland forts and the region's layered history under Vijayanagara, Nawab and European influences. The presence of a temple and palace remains within the fortification shows the integration of administrative, residential and religious functions in historic fort complexes.