Nedumkotta
Encyclopedia
Nedumkotta or Travancore lines was a wall built as a protection against consistent invasion and threats from northern kingdoms mainly Zamorins of Kozhikode
. It was built by the Dharma Raja
Karthika Thirunal, King of Travancore
with the support and permission of the Kingdom of Kochi.
The Nedumkotta was built primarily to resist the invasion under Hyder Ali Khan against Travancore State. It was raised mainly with clay and mud, and reinforced with stones, laterite and granite at strategic places. It started from the Krishan Kotta on the west coast, above Kodungallur, and stretched up to the Annamalai Hills on the Western Ghats. It was about 48 km long, twenty feet wide and twelve feet high. Its alignment was along the Periyar river on the west coast up to Chalakudy from where it went along the Chalakudy river up to the Annamalai Hills in the east. There were underground cells to store gunpowder and other war materials, special chambers for soldiers to live, and look-outs and mounted field-guns all along the fortification. Besides, on the north side of the fortification, ditches were dug twenty feet wide and sixteen feet deep, and filled with thorny plants, poisonous snakes, and hidden weapons. On the south side as well as on the top of the fortification, wide roads were laid for the convenience of military movements.
Today there is no physical evidence of the historic Nedumkotta in the form of even ruins anywhere in the Mukundapuram taluka - Chettuva, Parur, Kodakara, Chalakudy, Mullurkara, Enamanakhal and Karikodu - through which it passed. However, some place-names having a reference to the historic fortification are still popular in the northern borders of the erstwhile Cochin and Travancore States - Krishnan Kotta (meaning Krishnan Fort), Kottamukku (fort corner), Kottamuri (part of a fort), Kottaparampu (fort land), Kotta Vazhi (fort road), Kottalaparampu (magazine ground), Palayam (cantonment), etc.
It started from Pallipuram Kotta near the sea, touches kottamukku, krishnankotta and extended till the Foot hills of the Anamalai in the Western Ghats. The Chalakudy river and lagoon which falls on the alignment was left alone as they themselves were a barrier. A trench 20 feet (6.1 m) deep and 16 feet (4.9 m) wide was built along the northern side of the wall for the full length. At some places the wall reached 50 ft (15.2 m) in height. Hollows were made inside where about 100 soldiers could hide and make an ambush. A company of soldiers was stationed about every kilometer with ammunition store house at strategic points. There were also caves in the nearby wells to hide in the possibility of an unannounced attack.
The places where fortification once stood is in the present Mukundapuram Taluk in Thrissur District
, Kerala.
, Tipu Sultan
started on a conquest to conquer Kochi and Travancore. On December 28, 1789 Tipu attacked the lines
and gained entry but was ambushed by the Travancore army and had to retreat. Later in April he came back with reinforcements and this time was able to break in to the territory after making the way through the Nedumkotta. He destroyed the wall at Konoor kotaa or kottamuri and advanced further. He filled trenches for a few kilometers so that his army could advance. By this time he received information that the British army was planning an attack on Srirangapatnam and had to return back.
Many portions of the wall were destroyed during war, others later eroded away due to heavy rains, and trenches were filled up. The most of the ruins whatever left have also been lost due ignorance about the historical structure among the locals.
Unfortunately, there are no memorials erected anywhere in Kodungallur, or Trichur, or Alwaye to honour the Dharma Raja and Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai who were the architects of the fort; or Raja Keshavadas under whose direct command a comparatively small army humbled and defeated the invading army of Tipu Sultan.
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
. It was built by the Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
Karthika Thirunal, King of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
with the support and permission of the Kingdom of Kochi.
Background
The Nedumkotta was a defence fortification constructed along the northern borders of the erstwhile Travancore State. It passed through the territories of the then Cochin State.The Nedumkotta was built primarily to resist the invasion under Hyder Ali Khan against Travancore State. It was raised mainly with clay and mud, and reinforced with stones, laterite and granite at strategic places. It started from the Krishan Kotta on the west coast, above Kodungallur, and stretched up to the Annamalai Hills on the Western Ghats. It was about 48 km long, twenty feet wide and twelve feet high. Its alignment was along the Periyar river on the west coast up to Chalakudy from where it went along the Chalakudy river up to the Annamalai Hills in the east. There were underground cells to store gunpowder and other war materials, special chambers for soldiers to live, and look-outs and mounted field-guns all along the fortification. Besides, on the north side of the fortification, ditches were dug twenty feet wide and sixteen feet deep, and filled with thorny plants, poisonous snakes, and hidden weapons. On the south side as well as on the top of the fortification, wide roads were laid for the convenience of military movements.
The structure
The fortification was constructed during the regime of Rama Varma Raja, popularly known as Dharma Raja of Travancore, and under the direct guidance and supervision of the then Prime Minister, Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai, and the then Commander of the Travancore Army, the Dutch Captain D'Lenoy. This historic defence line was comparable to the Great Wall of China except that the latter was more ancient and greater in length. It was under the protective cover of this Nedumkotta that a small army of Travancoreans under the command of Raja Keshavadas defeated and frustrated near Alwaye a formidable army led by Tipu Sultan.Today there is no physical evidence of the historic Nedumkotta in the form of even ruins anywhere in the Mukundapuram taluka - Chettuva, Parur, Kodakara, Chalakudy, Mullurkara, Enamanakhal and Karikodu - through which it passed. However, some place-names having a reference to the historic fortification are still popular in the northern borders of the erstwhile Cochin and Travancore States - Krishnan Kotta (meaning Krishnan Fort), Kottamukku (fort corner), Kottamuri (part of a fort), Kottaparampu (fort land), Kotta Vazhi (fort road), Kottalaparampu (magazine ground), Palayam (cantonment), etc.
It started from Pallipuram Kotta near the sea, touches kottamukku, krishnankotta and extended till the Foot hills of the Anamalai in the Western Ghats. The Chalakudy river and lagoon which falls on the alignment was left alone as they themselves were a barrier. A trench 20 feet (6.1 m) deep and 16 feet (4.9 m) wide was built along the northern side of the wall for the full length. At some places the wall reached 50 ft (15.2 m) in height. Hollows were made inside where about 100 soldiers could hide and make an ambush. A company of soldiers was stationed about every kilometer with ammunition store house at strategic points. There were also caves in the nearby wells to hide in the possibility of an unannounced attack.
The places where fortification once stood is in the present Mukundapuram Taluk in Thrissur District
Thrissur district
Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population. Thrissur district was formed on July 1, 1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as...
, Kerala.
Attack of Tipu Sultan and its destruction
24 years after his father, Hyder Ali had attacked KochiKingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
, Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
started on a conquest to conquer Kochi and Travancore. On December 28, 1789 Tipu attacked the lines
Battle of the Nedumkotta
The Battle of the Nedumkotta took place on 29 or 28 December 1789, and was the opening of hostilities in the Third Anglo-Mysore War and was also a part of the Travancore-Mysore War...
and gained entry but was ambushed by the Travancore army and had to retreat. Later in April he came back with reinforcements and this time was able to break in to the territory after making the way through the Nedumkotta. He destroyed the wall at Konoor kotaa or kottamuri and advanced further. He filled trenches for a few kilometers so that his army could advance. By this time he received information that the British army was planning an attack on Srirangapatnam and had to return back.
Many portions of the wall were destroyed during war, others later eroded away due to heavy rains, and trenches were filled up. The most of the ruins whatever left have also been lost due ignorance about the historical structure among the locals.
Unfortunately, there are no memorials erected anywhere in Kodungallur, or Trichur, or Alwaye to honour the Dharma Raja and Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai who were the architects of the fort; or Raja Keshavadas under whose direct command a comparatively small army humbled and defeated the invading army of Tipu Sultan.