Information on Bekal Fort (Kasaragod, Kerala) - History & Architecture

In the contemporary world, a major part of the economies of nations are reliant on the tourism and hospitality sector. Historical significance of a place plays a major part in developing its tourism sector. Kerala is one of such places that have rich historical background owing to the presence of numerous historical monuments. One of such monuments is the Bekal fort that is located in the northern part of the state. It is constructed on a widespread area of 160,000 m2.

Bekal Fort Architecture

One of the most vital attractions of the fort is its architectural beauty. The fort was established by the 'King of Mahodayapuram' keeping in concern the military activities of the enemies. Owing to this reason, there lies underground tunnel at one end of the fort which has its opening in the side of the fort facing the Arabian Sea. Noticeably, the Bekal fort was constructed in a manner where three-fourth of its exterior portion is soaked and strike by sea water on a continuous basis. It is the most strategically built monuments during that particular period.

The Bekal fort got a zigzag entrance where any one entering can be kept in supervision for a longer duration. This was designed with regard to place a close eye on the enemies during war or battle. The fort also has long drains that were purposely made with the intention to protect it from enemies. Another vital architectural feature of this fort is the scenic beauty of the sea that visitors can enjoy from the west end of the monument.

Bekal Fort History

Bekal fort which is one of the largest forts in Kerala was built in the year 1650 AD. Located in the outskirts of Kerala, the fort was constructed during the reign of the 'King of Mahodayapuram' in the 'Perumel age'. However, following the decline of the perumals, the fort was acquired by the royal family of Chirakkal. The fort played a major part during the 'Battle of Talikota'. It is also believed that the fort was built in quite a rapid pace so that it can be extensively used during the battle. Subsequently, the battle saw continuous quest amid the Kolathiries and Nayaks kingdom to take control over the Bekal Fort. As the end result of the battle, Hyder Ali rise into power and the fort was captured by the Mysore dynasty. In the later stages, the rulers of Bednore rebuilt the monument and subsequently improved its architecture. Historical reports suggested that the fort was once used by Tipu Sultan as his military station while he was in the quest of capturing the Malabar.

Bekal Fort Tourism Importance

The monument has become one of major attraction for the tourism sector right from the time when the monument was declared to be open for tourists during the 1992. In order to ensure the formation of a more systematic use of the fort in the tourism sector, the government of the state establishes the 'Bekal Tourism Development Corporation' by the year 1995. In the later stages, the concerned authorities have developed promotional campaigns to raise awareness amid the tourists about the historical and architectural beauty of the fort. The fort also came into the attention of the public from the time when one of the song of the Hindi movie i.e. Bombay was shot in the Bekal fort. Subsequently, many songs and movies were shot in this monument which further provides it with a wider promotion amid the tourist.