Guide to visit Palakkad Fort

I love exploring places that have history. India doesn’t seem to have any dearth of places that are old and have amazing historical significance. And one such place that is beautiful, old and rustic is the Palakkad Fort in the Palakkad town of Kerala. It was by accident that I visited Palakkad Fort and I am glad to have accidently discovered it.

Are you looking for other things to do in Kerala? Refer the section, Kerala travel diaries.

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About Palakkad Fort

Rebuilt by Mysore Emperor Hyder Ali in the year 1766, the Palakkad Fort is a very old fort in Palakkad town of Kerala state in India. There is not much information about when the fort was actually built before it was captured and rebuilt by Hyder Ali

Hyder Ali was the Sultan and de facto ruler of Kingdom of Mysore (Southern India) in the mid 18th century.

The fort complex has a Palakkad Special Sub Jail, small temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and a garden called Vatika Shilavatika. On the exterior, there is a park on one side of the fort and the fort is surrounded by a water body. The fort is very well maintained by Archaeological survey of India and it is one of the most beautiful places to hang out in Palakkad. The best time to visit the Palakkad Fort is during the winter season (between the months of November and March) as it is pleasant and it is open between 8 AM and 6 PM every day.

History of Palakkad Fort

Even though there is not much information about when and who built the fort first. But it is believed that the local ruler Palakkad Achchan who was the tributary of Zamorin. The Zamorin was the monarch of the Kingdom of Kozhikode. He became independent before the beginning of 18th century. When there was a threat to Zamorin, he reached for help from Hyder Ali. Hyder Ali took opportunity and gained possession to Palghat and from then on the fort was in hands of the Mysore Sultans or British.

How to get to Palakkad and Palakkad Fort?

• Flight – The nearest airport is at Cochin. And the distance between Palakkad and Cochin airport is about 140 kilometres. The best way is to fly into Cochin and then taking a local taxi from the airport to Palakkad.
• Public transportation – Palakkad has two railway stations, one in the city (3 kilometres from the fort) and the other one is in the Palakkad junction (6 kilometres from the fort). The up to date train information can be found on the IRCTC website.
• Driving – The distance from Bangalore city to Palakkad is around 415 kilometres and takes 8 hours by road. The nearest city to Palakkad is Coimbatore which is one the way between Bangalore and Palakkad.

Safety for solo female travelers

I would not suggest visiting this place without a buddy. I went with my friend and it was safe because we were two of us. The place can get very isolated and it is better to visit it with one another person. Even if you visit the place alone, make sure to be cautious and know your surroundings especially at nights.

Are you new to solo traveling or want to start traveling solo but have a lot of questions? Read frequently asked questions for solo traveling.

Closing Notes

Palakkad Fort is surely one of the most beautiful forts I have visited. It has so much history and stories to tell. I highly recommend visiting this place when you are in Palakkad.

If you loved reading about the Palakkad Fort, then you will love the below articles on other forts too:

• Sinhagad Fort.
• Channarayana Durga Fort.
• Rayakottai Fort.
• Gingee/ Senji Fort.
• Rani Durgavati Fort.

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