Monuments to visit South India

The largest fort in Kerala is located near the beautiful beach of Bekal. Built in the 17th century, it is composed of a circular structure and flows into the Arabian Sea. A temple dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman is located at the entrance and a mosque built by Tipa Sultan of Mysore is nearby. Many Bollywood films have been shot there to enjoy its imposing beauty. From the top of its ramparts, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the coconut-lined beaches, fishing boats and the surrounding mosques.

Built in 1505 by the Portuguese, this imposing fort is one of the monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. To access it, you have to go through a military zone. The fort is in good condition and very well maintained, with beautiful gardens and a beautiful view of the Arabian Sea. You can see a chapel, the soldiers' barracks, an old oil lamp lighthouse, and many cannons. Don't miss the stone engraved in Dutch with a pirate symbol. His visit is a pleasant walk.

You will find a crocodile farm and a ornithological reserve around this dam. Possibility to take a boat tour. This area is part of the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary established in 2010.

This imposing fort was built in 1427 by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Bahman. Defended by thick walls and a triple moat, the fort was for a time the seat of the administrative capital of much of South India. It houses about thirty monuments within it, including the delicate Rangin Mahal with its panels inlaid with mother-of-pearl and coloured tiles, the Tarkash Mahal or throne room and its delicate Islamic inscriptions, and the Solah Khamba mosque and its 16 pillars. The most interesting monuments are closed by heavy gates, so we strongly recommend that you use a guide who can open them for you. Although it is falling apart, many Bollywood films have used the beauty of the fort to shoot scenes. A small museum at the entrance displays sculptures, mosaics and objects from the fort. The ideal time to discover this jewel is just after the monsoon, in September or October, when the plain at the foot of the fort is lined with greenery.

Karez. This is the most original feature of the site. The impressive water supply system, inspired by Persian technology. The set of underground canals was supplied from nearby springs and connected to the surface by vertical ducts. 17 of these ducts are still visible and the canals spread over 2 kilometres under the fort. It provided drinking water to the garrisons based inside the fort, even though the region is experiencing frequent periods of drought.

The Thangasseri lighthouse offers a breathtaking view of the coast from the top of its 41 meters. Built in 1902, it was recently equipped with an elevator which allows people with reduced mobility to visit it, but be aware that there is still a last floor to walk up to its summit

The Punalur suspension bridge, built in 1877 by the British, is located on the Kallada River. Built to connect the population to dense forests across the shore, its interest is now purely historical.

It was designed in Italian Gothic style by F.W. Stevens. The first train that left left Mumbai - Thane in 1853.

Auroville has several educational centres for Tamil villagers. New Creation is a primary school for 180 village children, 20 of which are internal.

Youth training centres introduce students to pottery, etc, painting, weaving and metalwork. There are kindergartens and night schools for adults, which follow regular training programs in organic agriculture, water sharing line management and environmental education.

The most elegant and best preserved of all former British clubs. The hunting of Ooty, which always uses dogs to pursue kebab, is one of its secret boots. There is a good 18 hole golf course at Wenlock Downs, at the Ooty Shoe golf club. It offers beautiful views over the hills.

The fort dates back to the 17th century and underwent major transformations in the 19th century thanks to the British. Located in the centre of Madikeri, it houses a palace renovated in 1814, which houses the municipality's offices, a chapel transformed into an archaeological museum (open from 10am to 5.30pm, closed on Mondays and the ^2nd Saturday of the month). It offers a beautiful view of Madikeri. It was built by a Kodagu ruler in the 17th century, then rebuilt in granite by Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore, and finally occupied by the British from 1834 onwards.

The complex of rock temples of Badami is a site of exceptional beauty which is moreover candidate for a future inscription with the heritage of UNESCO.

Vatipa Nagar, the ancient name of Badami, was the capital of the Chalukiya empire from the 6th to the 7th century. This site consists of a huge artificial reservoir of the^5th century named Agastyatirtha, surrounded by ochre cliffs in which cave temples have been carved in the rock. On the tops of these cliffs are forts intended to watch the surroundings. These monuments are representative of the Chalukiya architectural style. The site has a total of four rock temples: three Hindu and one Jain. The Hindu temples would have been even the first to appear on the Deccan plateau. Two are dedicated to Vishnu and one to Shiva. A fifth cave, of lesser size, would be perhaps dedicated to Buddha... Another temple is located near the artificial lake and also deserves your attention.

Cave n° 1. The access is by a staircase framed by figures of ganas, the dwarfs guardians of Shiva. The porch is supported by 4 columns with bas-reliefs of Shiva dancing. Two stone guardians welcome the visitor. They are dwarapalas (doorkeepers) 1.88 m high. The cave is decorated with numerous sculptures and bas-reliefs, including representations of Laxmi and Parvati surrounding a huge Harihara (half-Vishnu, half-Shiva) of more than 2 meters high. But the most beautiful image is undoubtedly that of Nataraja, or Shiva dancing. He has 18 arms, most of whose hands are in mudra position (symbolic hand representation). Only three of them carry objects, including a trident, a drum and an axe. At Shiva's feet, you will recognize Nandi, his ox, and Ganesh, his son. The ceiling of the cave is also decorated with 5 carved panels. The central panel represents Shesha, the snake who carries on his heads all the planets.

Cave n° 2. This cave dates from the 6th century and is dedicated to the god Vishnu, represented under different avatars. The porch is supported by four rectangular pillars, carved on their upper parts. You can see battle scenes, or others referring to Krishna at his birth and in his youth. The door frame is adorned with an entablature inlaid with gavakshas, the semi-circular forms. On the outer wall, note the beautiful depiction of Vahara (Vishnu's avatar in the form of a boar) saving the earth represented by the goddess Budhevi. Inside, Vishnu is represented as Trivikrama (a dwarf) with one foot on the earth and the other pointing north. Another panel again depicts Vahara saving the earth from the depths of the ocean. This sculpture is made in the center of a circular form. The ceiling is supported by 8 pillars and decorated with bas-reliefs. The top of the wall is decorated with a frieze representing scenes from the mythology of Vishnu or Krishna.

Cave n° 3. The unusual dimensions of this cave make it difficult to imagine the work required for its excavation. 20 meters wide, 21 meters deep and 4.6 meters high, it was necessary to dig the mountain on 15 meters deep! The cave contains many sculptures and bas-reliefs, the most notable of which are on the many pillars that support the weight of the ceiling. Will you find the scene of the Kamasutra representing a couple in an erotic posture? The walls of the cave are decorated with bas-reliefs, many of which depict Vishnu in different forms: Vishnu with 8 arms standing; Vishnu sitting on Shesha, the many-headed snake; Narasimha (half-man, half-lion avatar); Trivikrama armed; or Harihara. The ceilings still show traces of frescoes, which are among the oldest painted frescoes of Indian art known to date.

Cave n° 4. This cave, the most recent of the complex, is dedicated to various figures of Jainism. The porch is supported by 4 pillars with capitals. Parshvanath, the 23rd tirthankar, is depicted standing with his head haloed by a multi-headed snake symbolizing protection and respect. A few steps lead up to the shrine. In the shrine, Mahavira, the 24th tirthankar, rests on his pedestal. Inside the cave, you can admire a beautiful statue of Bahubali, the son of Adinath the^1st tirthankar, snakes coiled along his calves.

Cave n° 5. It is the smallest of the caves and it is almost necessary to make contortions to penetrate there so much the entry is narrow. Inside, a man is represented sitting on a throne and surrounded by bas-reliefs representing people holding fans, a tree, elephants and lions ready to attack. No one knows for sure who this statue represents and interpretations are rife. Some think that it is a statue of Buddha and that the cave would have been then dedicated to Vishnu. Other scientists lean more for a representation of a figure of Jainism. Other archaeologists, finally, emit the hypothesis that it is a king. Unfortunately, the statue has suffered greatly from the ravages of time and part of its face has crumbled.

Bellary Fort is located about 60 kilometres from Hampi. Perched atop Ballari Gudda Mountain, it is also known as Fort Hill. The date of its construction is not yet identified, Vijayanagar period, but in 1769, it was taken from the Nayaka by Hyder Ali and modified with the help of a French engineer, who did not meet the requirements and was hanged. The tomb of the latter is visible at the entrance to the fort.

This 34-metre high dam is located on the Vaigai River. It provides water to the Madurai and Dindingul districts. It is a popular picnic spot with beautiful gardens.

Chitradurga Fort is a little-known site for foreign tourists and certainly deserves your interest. The old Chitrakaldurga is huge, with many challenging climbs and descents; allow at least two hours of visit. A small booklet (in English) with a map of the fort and a description of the points of interest is given to you when you purchase your entrance ticket. It may be advisable to take an approved guide for the visit.

The fort was built in stages between the 11th and 13th centuries by the various dynastics who ruled the region, including the Chalukyas and Hoysalas, and later the Nayakas of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Nayakas of Chitradurga participated in the expansion of the fort between the 15th and 18th centuries. The fort was briefly recaptured by Hyder Ali in Chitradurga in 1779 and captured by the British twenty years later, after the defeat of his son Tipu Sultan. The fort includes seven concentric fortifications, a citadel, a palace, warehouses, water tanks, temples and gunpowder millstones. There are 18 temples in the upper fort and a huge temple in the lower fort. The many basins were used to collect rainwater. The landscapes composed of huge rocks, similar to those of Hampi, give the site an undeniable charm. The most adventurous can go to one of the summits to enjoy a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

From the palace of the Rajas of Nileshwar on the region, unfortunately there is only an old ruined building.

A 15th century palace, where the Travancore royal family was born. Today this palace is in ruins and threatens to collapse at any time.

Locally known as Ayakotta, it is India's oldest existing strong European, built in 1503 by the Portuguese. One can still see its hexagonal structure, but the whole is unfortunately falling in ruins.

Daulatabad Fort, also known as Devgiri Fort, includes the walled city below, a palace and the defensive fort on a 200-metre high rocky plateau. It was built in 1187 by the Yavada dynasty, which then dominated the Deccan. The mosque built in 1318 has since become a Hindu temple, the Bharat Mata Mandir. The site was chosen by Muhammad bin Tughluq, Sultan of Delhi, upon his accession to the throne in 1325. Two years later, he had the capital emptied of its inhabitants and installed them in Daulatabad. The Sultan thought that by settling further south, he would occupy a more central position to lead his conquests to Bihar and Bengal and above all that he would escape the Mughal invasion attempts that focused on Delhi and the north.

The fortifications: The town of Daulatabad was protected by a triple enclosure, which would slow down access to the fort in the event of an attack. The outer perimeter wall has a 4.5 km loop

Chand Minar: this 30-metre minaret dates from 1445 and celebrates the capture of Ala-ud-din Bahmani which brought Daulatabad back into the feudal fold of Muhammad bin Tughluq. Largely inspired by the Qutab Minar of Delhi, the tower was built by a Persian architect. It was covered with glazed tiles painted with natural ochres and lapis lazuli powder. Unfortunately, the minaret is closed to the public following a suicide.

The fort: the fort of Daulatabad bears witness to a great deal of defensive thinking, and consequently, to the intense struggles that followed one another on the Deccan plateau. The base of the piton was cut to create a vertical wall about 50 metres high. Access to the fort is through a single entrance: a narrow bridge spans the moat and leads to a steeply sloping gallery carved into the rock. The gallery is now nicknamed "dark passage", a dark passage that shelters many bats. Halfway down the slope, the slope becomes a staircase, at the top of which is a grid covering a pit. In the event of an attack, the soldiers of the fort would start a fire there to slow down the enemy's progress.

The fort is full of lures and defensive tricks: false access doors, labyrinthine gallery, rounded walls breaking visibility, succession of access doors equipped with points against elephants...

Chini Mahal: this small ruined palace, which literally means "Chinese palace", was built by Aurangzeb and served as a prison for "distinguished guests". In particular, he had the last king of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Hyderabad and Golconda imprisoned there. The latter died within the walls of the Chini Mahal, leaving no descendants.

Mughal Baradari: a steep climb leads to Mughal Baradari, a pavilion commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a splendid view of the Deccan Plains.

Opposite the entrance to the fort, there is still a 16th century hammam that is worth a look.