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| Manjarabad Fort |
Manjarabad fort is star-shaped fort located in Sakleshpur, Karnataka on the bank of river Hemavati at an altitude of 3240ft above sea level. Sakleshpur is also famously known as “poor man’s Ooty”. The fort was built in 1792 by Tipu Sultan the then ruler of Mysore. The fort was designed in the pattern of the military forts developed by the French architect Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban.
The fort came in useful for Tipu Sultan to keep an eye on the British army as well as the Kodagu army as they marched towards Mysore from the Sakleshpur side. It was, according to historian Srivatsa Vati, a fort to store arms and ammunition.
Why Manjarabad? The name Manjarabad comes from Kannada word ‘Manju’ which means fog or mist. During an inspection of the fort, while it was constructed, Tipu Sultan observed the fog cover. Observing this beautiful landscape Tipu Sultan named this iconic fort as Manjarabad.
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| Aerial view from Manjarabad Fort |
The fort is unique in terms of architecture. This is single level castle having an octagonal layout with eight walls (star-shaped architecture). This fortification style evolved during the age of gunpowder when cannon came to dominate the battlefield. The external walls of the fort have been built with granite stones and lime mortar while the interior buildings, which accommodate army barracks, armory, stores and others, have been built with fired bricks. The fort has sloping walls. It is fortified with bastions which project out from the walls and which are in the form of arrowheads, unlike the semi-circular or square shaped bastions common in other parts of the country. The fort has a parapet in brick and mortar, provided with cannon mounts and musket holes at regular intervals. From the fortification, one can get a perfect view of the Western Ghats. It is said that on a clear day, one can even see the Arabian sea.
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| Cross-Shaped` Water Tank |
Inside the fort there a cross-shaped tank to collect rainwater to meet the drinking water requirements of the guards. All along the north-western and northern sides are arched cells which served as resting places for guards. It is also said that there is a tunnel inside the fort connecting to the Srirangapatnam fort.
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| Resting place for the Guards |
Star fortifications were further developed in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries primarily in response to the French invasion of the Italian peninsula. The French army was equipped with new cannon and bombards that were easily able to destroy traditional fortifications built in the Middle Ages. In order to counteract the power of the new weapons, defensive walls were made lower and thicker usually, made with earth and brick, as the brick does not shatter on impact from a cannonball as stone does.
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| Sloping Walls of the Fort made up of brick. |
Another important design modification was the bastions that characterized the new fortresses. In order to improve the defense of the fortress, covering fire had to be provided, often from multiple angles. The result was the development of star-shaped fortresses. This structure reduced the dead zones to almost zero providing better security and visibility across the fort.
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| Manjarabad Fort Entrance |
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| Eagle viewpoint used for vigilance |
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| Surveillance Tower to keep an eye on enemies |
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| Fort Exterior walls |
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| Aerial view of Sakleshpur from Manjarabad Fort. |
How to reach
- You can reach Sakleshpur via Buses and Trains. Look up buses on RedBus and you will find many private buses. Few trains are also available which connects the city to Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli and other cities of Karnataka. Hasan is a major nearest city well connected via buses and trains.
- Once in the city, you can take auto-rickshaw and ask them to take you to the fort. They charge around Rs 100 for the 5 km ride.
- The fort is located at a curve near Donigal about 6.4 km from Sakleshpur on NH48 that runs from Bangalore to Mangalore.
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