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The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
A guide to Gingee fort, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The privilege of lounging on Monday afternoons is reserved for loafers and lovers. You do not have to take my word for it. Ask one of several hundred people who are scaling Gingee fort at the start of the week, and you would know I am right. Ever since Gingee fort, part of the Mighty Maratha Landscape encompassing 11 other forts, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site last week, footfall has shot up from between 600-700 people a day to about 1,700 over the weekend. Gingee fort, first said to have been built in the 12th Century by Ananda Kon, a chieftain of the Konar (Yadava) community, lies 160 kilometres from Chennai, in Villupuram district. The fort stands on three hills in a dramatic triangular formation — Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and Chandragiri. Within the walls of the three hills, once lay hidden pathways, crocodile-filled moats, golden thrones, barracks, sacrificial stones, and the illusive promise of treasure. Everyone who is scaling the citadel today, is trying to find something — privacy, gold coins, or respite. Kesavan M and Sarguna K, once young lovers, have been meaning to visit since the time they were dating. 'We are from Melmalayanur, not too far away from Gingee. I moved to different parts of the State and we somehow never found the time. The UNESCO announcement is a matter of pride for us. It is why we decided to swing by here on a Monday afternoon. We have waited nine years to climb to the top together. We are married today, but this has been a dream since 2016,' says Kesavan. I'd like to think that doing the four-hour drive from Chennai, and getting lost in the several granaries, magazines, and watch towers of Gingee fort, is one of the finest ways to pass time. The fort brims with stories of romance, war, famine and deceit over 800 years by its several distinct rulers — the Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, Carnatic Nawabs, the French and British. It begets retelling. History 101 Contrary to UNESCO's declaration of the 'Senji' fort being a Maratha bastion alone, the citadel has swapped hands between several kings. Its most popular rulers were the Nayak of Gingee, chieftains of the Vijayanagara empire, who succeeded Krishna Kon, a ruler who fortified and expanded the fort beyond Rajagiri, establishing Krishnagiri at around 1240 CE. Writer TS Subramanian in his essay, The Impregnable Troy of the East in a book titled Forts of Tamil Nadu by The Hindu and the Department of Tourism, Tamil Nadu, says that it was the Nayaks who helped add the wonderful structures we see atop Rajagiri, the strongest part of the triangular citadel, standing at about 800 feet. Their rule was a largely peaceful period that saw several architectural advancements. As we walk in, one is treated to delightful sights of the ancient kalyana mahal, built in the style of the Vijayanagara school. 'In Kalyana Mahal, there is a beautiful bathing tank with steps all around, made for the royal women,' writes CS Srinivasachari, the author of A History of Gingee and its Rulers (published by Annamalai University, 1943). Besides this, there are mosques, temples, magazines where weapons were stored, granaries, gymnasiums, treasuries, bell towers and secret escape pathways inside the fort, added by subsequent rulers. The Mughal influence on some of the domes and archways inside the fort are unmissable, particularly a treasury built in the Indo-Islamic style. You will also spot two mighty cannons at the fort. Touch the iron on both and imagine what it might have been like to fire at enemies near and far. Ready for the climb? Gingee is located 160 kilometres from Chennai and is enroute Thiruvannamalai. The nearest bus stop is Gingee, railhead is Tindivanam and airport is Chennai. It takes about four hours by road. Carry a stick to fight monkeys, a one-litre water bottle and a snack in case you get hungry. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for the approximately two-hour hike up Rajagiri. A two-day trip would be advisable if you'd like to scale all three hills. Climbing is not permitted after 3pm. A ticket for Indians costs ₹25 and ₹300 for foreigners. Still cameras can be taken for pictures at a cost. However, the usage of drones is prohibited unless permission is sought. Archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed a mighty throne with a backrest made of polished granite and water pipes and tanks that capitalised on the spring water available atop the fort. Although ASI might want us to believe that the several rooms near the throne-like structure are just horse stables, some historians believe that it is also where the harem lies. After taking in the sights at the base of Rajagiri, the ascent to the top of the citadel begins. A well-meaning guard suggests that we carry sticks. Troops have now been replaced by greedy monkeys who loot and plunder bags full of snacks and goodies. If you have been indulging in cardio, the 800 feet climb to the top should be a piece of cake, taking under two and a half hours to climb up and come back down. This is especially so if you are engaging in a petty competition to scale the top with two young boys from Bengaluru who you beg for water from every now and then. A Nithin and Madhan, brothers who are nine and 14 years of age, who have been impatiently waiting for their mother to join them at the top of Rajagiri, say that they have been watching YouTube videos incessantly to prepare for their trek. Sitting outside the treasury, Madhan laments, 'The videos promised treasures. I can't seem to find any even near the treasury. I am excited to go down the hidden pathway at the top but I hear it is blocked. Come on, Nithin, let's go,' he says, cutting our interview short. Gingee's tryst with the Marathas began in 1677 when Chhatrapati Shivaji captured the fort from its then Mughal governor. It remained under Maratha rule until about 1677-1698 when the generals under the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb captured it. It was Shivaji who called the fort the Troy of the East, deeming it impregnable. Whilst in battle for seven years, the Marathas often employed the use of a drawbridge at the top of Rajagiri, causing opposition soldiers to fall to their death if they tried scaling the fort. The fort also prospered under Swarup Singh, a Bundela chief deputed by Aurangazeb in 1700, to take charge of the fort. When he died, his son, the fabled Raja Tej Singh (popularly and incorrectly called De Singh) ruled Gingee for 10 months, from January to October 1714. He tried to fight the Carnatic wing of the now fragmented Mughal kingdom, and take over his father's throne. Several Tamil ballads celebrate his heroic death in the fight against the Nawab of Arcot, especially since he left behind a beautiful young wife who committed sati after he perished in battle. The French and the British then began supplying weapons to local armies, eventually vying for the fort's capture. It was also briefly held by Hyder Ali. The British forces established several magazines and introduced guns to the supplies at the fort. Whilst standing at the very top between the bell tower and the Ranganatha tower and taking in the breeze, it is easy to conjure up images of battle here, especially because a temple procession employing lakshmi vedi passes by. As I get ready to leave, a group of men who have bunked college, fellow loafers, stand by the drawbridge at the top of the fort and ask for a picture. 'Selfies do not capture the might of the fort. But promise us that you won't publish it in the paper,' one of them says. Sepia-tainted thinking tells me that 800 years ago, a similar group of loafers may have made their way up the hill. This time though, they might have been burdened with the weight of a kingdom and not just of college attendance.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Yadava era inscription discovered in Junnar taluka, records land grant by King Singhanadeva
A stone inscription dating back nearly 800 years to the reign of King Singhanadeva 2, regarded as one of the most powerful and expansionist rulers of the Yadava dynasty, has been discovered in Thorali Shiroli village, Junnar taluka, Pune district. Having remained unnoticed for years, the inscription was found in a small shrine on the premises of local resident, Gulabrao Thorve's house. Importantly, this is the first known inscription from King Singhanadeva's reign discovered in Pune district, making it a significant historical find. The inscription was found in a small shrine on the premises of local resident, Gulabrao Thorve's house. (HT PHOTO) There's more. The inscription records the grant of land for cultivation, specifying that one-sixth of the land was donated and concludes with a curse that anyone who steals or disrespects the grant will face a disgraceful fate of being born of a union between his mother and a donkey. The curse is symbolically reinforced by the figure of a donkey carved below the text. The Yadavas ruled from the 9th to the 14th century and controlled vast regions of western and central India, with their capital located at Devagiri which is the present-day Daulatabad in Maharashtra. King Singhanadeva 2 of the Yadava dynasty played a key role in shaping the political landscape of medieval India. He ruled from 1199 to 1248 AD during which time, he led successful campaigns and expanded his kingdom across Gujarat, Malwa, Karnataka, Andhra, Kosala (Chhattisgarh) and Kalinga (southern Odisha). The inscription offers valuable insights into the political and cultural landscape of the era as deciphered by Pune-based history researchers, Atharva Pingale and Anil Dudhaney. The inscription written in the Marathi language using the Devanagari script suggests it belongs to the 13th century although it lacks a direct date of reference. The inscription comprises three lines: 'Shri Singhandeve dat kam Mathachi sati sustu (Jo dana) na pali' The lines as translated in English mean, 'King Singhanadeva donated land for cultivation; one sixth portion should be donated. Whoever violates this donation shall face the curse of being born of a union between his mother and a donkey.' Dudhaney explained, 'The land granted for farming is referred to as 'kamat' or 'kammat' during the Yadava period. The inscription does not mention the recipient, suggesting it is private and fragmentary in nature.' Pingale noted, 'We see an increase in Marathi inscriptions during Singhanadeva's reign. His other inscriptions have been found in border regions like Kolhapur, Solapur, and Nanded. This period marks the emergence of Marathi as an administrative language.' 'During the 1980s, the condition of archaeological research in Maharashtra was quite good. Today however, we lack a proper mechanism to study these inscriptions. There are no official epigraphists appointed by the government. Those who are currently studying inscriptions are doing so independently at their own level but they have limitations and cannot do much beyond a point. Unfortunately, the government does not pay enough attention to this field,' Pingale said. 'The Maharashtra Sahitya Sanskruti Mandal has published many inscriptions in the past. In contrast, neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are far more advanced and efficient in this area. They work diligently to preserve inscription sites, regularly study them, and publish their findings in a systematic manner; we should also follow a similar approach,' Pingale further said.
India Today
04-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Assam forest land used for camps without approval, action ordered against official
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has directed legal action against Assam's Special Chief Secretary MK Yadava for serious violations of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The violations pertain to the unauthorised diversion of protected forest land in Assam to build Commando Battalion Camps without securing the mandatory prior approval from the Central to official documents, Yadava, who was then serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, allegedly permitted the diversion of 28 hectares in Geleky Reserved Forest under the Sivasagar Division and 11.5 hectares in Innerline Reserved Forest under the Hailakandi Division for non-forest purposes. The Ministry has now empowered Divisional Forest Officers in Assam to initiate legal proceedings against construction projects, undertaken by the Assam Police Housing Corporation Ltd., proceeded without Central clearance. Inspections carried out by the Ministry's Regional Office in Shillong confirmed that large-scale permanent construction had already taken place in both forest areas. The August 2024 inspection of Geleky Reserved Forest found that nearly 80 percent of the structures for the Commando Battalion Camp had been completed. A similar site visit in March 2024 at Innerline Reserved Forest revealed that around 500 workers and multiple heavy vehicles were engaged in construction activity spread across 11.5 hectares. The plinth area of buildings under construction was estimated at 30,000 square Advisory Committee acknowledged the importance of deploying security forces to protect forests, but reiterated that diversion of forest land requires prior approval from the Central Government, as laid out in Rule 11.8 of the Forest (Conservation) Act and the updated 2023 rules and justification for the construction - citing forest protection concerns - was deemed unsatisfactory and 'not legally tenable' by the Ministry. Under Rule 15(2) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, the Central Government has directed the State Government to initiate Forest Officers have been given 45 days to file complaints and submit action-taken reports, with the Assam Government required to provide monthly updates to the Ministry's Shillong matter is further complicated by a conflict of interest. As Special Chief Secretary, Yadava now holds a position that may influence whether legal proceedings against him are approved - raising questions over institutional the National Green Tribunal has closed the Damchera camp case after a post-facto clearance, the Geleky case remains pending before the tribunal's Kolkata bench.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre asks Assam govt to take action against officer over illegal forest land use
Guwahati: The union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has directed the Assam government to take action against a senior state official for allegedly allowing illegal construction inside a reserve forest in Hailakandi district, in violation of provisions under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. Yadava had approved the construction of the second commando battalion of Assam Police in October 2021. (HT File Photo) MK Yadava, who was the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), head of forest force (HoFF), and special chief secretary (forests) of the Assam government, was accused of permitting the diversion of 11.5 hectares of land inside Damchera Inner Line Reserve Forest in Assam for the construction of a commando battalion, without obtaining prior permission from the Centre. Yadava had approved the construction of the second commando battalion of Assam Police in October 2021. The Shillong-based regional office of MoEFCC issued a letter to the Assam government on May 25 stating, 'MK Yadava, the then PCCF and HoFF, Assam, had no authority to grant permission for clearing the forest land for non-forest activity without the prior permission of central government.' Directing the state government to submit a report on action taken regarding litigations pending before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the letter further stated, 'Government of Assam is hereby authorised to take legal action against the offender and furnish an action taken a period of 45 days.' The letter, written by Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central) Pee Lee Ete, noted that the diversion was allowed without prior approval, and 'for conservation and protection of not legally tenable.' HT has seen a copy of the letter. The letter explained that while the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam permits the construction of bare minimum operational buildings for forest management—such as check gates, single-lane untarred roads, and huts for guards—without prior permission from the Centre, approval is required for large structures that could impact conservation. A MoEFCC team that inspected the area found that construction was ongoing in full swing, with permanent structures covering a plinth area of around 30,000 square metres being built over 11.5 hectares, the letter said. Officials from the Assam Police Housing Corporation informed the team that around 50% of construction for some of the proposed battalion buildings had already been completed. 'The activities amount to gross violation of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam and rules, guidelines and notifications framed thereunder, and it is also against the legal principles framed by the courts and tribunals,' the letter read. Also Read: NGT directs Assam govt to clear 4200 ha of encroached forest land in Kamrup (M) It added that the submissions given by Yadava and the Assam government in response to the show-cause notices issued by MoEFCC were 'not satisfactory' and 'failed to prove not guilty.' The Assam government has not taken any action against Yadava so far, and the 45-day deadline given by MoEFCC to take action and submit a report will expire on July 13, an official requesting anonymity said. The letter also noted that the offence is punishable under Sections 3A and 3B of the Van (Sanrakshan and Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, read with Rule 15(3) of the Van (Sanrakshan and Samvardhan) Rules, 2023. Violation of the Act can result in imprisonment for a maximum period of 15 days.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Gross' forest law violations: Centre orders Assam to take legal action against top official
The Union environment ministry's regional office in Shillong has directed the Assam forest department to take legal action against Special Secretary (Forest) M K Yadava for authorising two commando battalion camps on forest land in 'gross violation' of the law, official documents show. The construction of the camps has been under a cloud since early 2024 and faced scrutiny from the environment ministry as well as the National Green Tribunal's principal bench and eastern zone bench (Kolkata). The ministry's order, dated May 29, comes even as its Forest Advisory Committee granted ex post facto clearances to the commando camps earlier this year, after the imposition of penalties. Yadava had authorised Assam Police commando battalion camps in the Geleky forest, Sivasagar district, and in Damchera, Hailakandi district, over 26 hectares and 11 hectares of forest land, respectively. The ministry sent two separate directions to the Assam government, regarding the violations at the two camps. The ministry's order for action against Yadava was obtained by Assam-based activist Rohit Choudhury under the Right to Information Act. The top Indian Forest Service officer was served a showcause notice in May 2024, after he was deemed guilty of violating the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 2023. In October 2024, Yadava defended his decision to give the go-ahead to the camps in his capacity as the then principal conservator of forest (PCCF) and head of the forest force (HoFF) in Assam. The ministry deemed this explanation to be legally untenable. 'Shri M K Yadava, the then PCCF and HoFF, Govt of Assam had no authority to grant permission for clearing of forest land for non-forest activity without the prior permission of Central Govt as per…Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam and Rules, Guidelines and Notifications,' the ministry's Shillong office noted in its May 29 order. The ministry said this amounted to a 'gross violation' of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, and added that it was also against the legal principles framed by courts and tribunals. Yadava's submission to the 2024 showcause notice, the ministry noted, failed to prove he was not liable to be proceeded against and punished as per provisions of the Van Adhiniyam and its Rules. The ministry's order thus authorised the divisional forest officer concerned 'to take legal action against the offender and furnish an action-taken report' within 45 days. Under Rule 15 (2) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules 2023, information on offences and violations has to be communicated to the state forest department for filing a complaint against offenders before a court. Though he retired on February 29, 2024, Yadava was given a tenure extension till March 2025 and another one after that, even as his decisions were under scrutiny. Yadava did not respond to calls and queries sent by The Indian Express. Sandeep Kumar, PCCF and HoFF, Assam, did not respond to queries seeking comment on the ministry's order. Pee Lee Ete, Deputy Inspector-General of Forests in the environment ministry, who sent the directions to the Assam government in May told The Indian Express, 'We have taken action as per the provisions under law. We are waiting for an action-taken report from the state government.' In April 2024, even as the Union environment ministry had already directed the Assam government to stop work on the Damchera camp, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sought its regularisation. Sarma wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, requesting that the environment ministry accord a 'post facto' approval to the camp, which was granted eventually. Sarma had sought to justify the camps on forest land citing national security and forest encroachment as reasons. Ministry probe and NGT scrutiny In December 2023, the NGT's principal bench took up the matter about the commando camp in Damchera based on media reports. Consequently, the environment ministry sought a detailed factual report from its regional office in Shillong. Meanwhile, Assam-based activist Rohit Choudhury filed an application before the Kolkata bench of the NGT on the other camp in Geleky forest. A site inspection of the Damchera camp revealed that the Assam forest department had constructed residential buildings for officers, garages, ration and clothing stores, and a small hospital on an area of 11.5 hectares. The site inspection report stated that the work was in violation of norms, and based on the report, the environment ministry had directed the Assam government to halt work. Using the inspection report, the Shilling regional office had served a notice to Yadava. A similar site inspection report on the Geleky camp was submitted by the Shillong office to the NGT and the environment ministry and found the camp to be in violation of the law. While the NGT's principal bench has disposed of the Damchera case after Centre granted post facto approval, the Geleky case is pending before the Kolkata bench. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
