Thenkaraikottai Fort

Thenkaraikottai, also written Tangrakottai, is a ruined fort near Pappireddipatti in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu, raised by two Vijayanagara chiefs, Seelappa Nayakkar and Chennappa Nayakkar. Unlike the others it stands on level ground rather than a hill, and it covers about 40 acres. Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur, took it in 1652. Among the ruins are granaries, stables for elephants and horses, cannons and a bathing place for the princes.

At the centre is the Kalyana Ramaswamy temple, said to date from the 15th century and run by the state Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department; its architecture resembles that of the Jalakandeswarar Temple in Vellore. Its pillars produce the seven svaras of Indian classical music, and the main sanctum holds twelve images in the Pattabhishekam form, with Rama shown seated. Devotees believe he clears obstacles from their lives and helps them find a life partner. There is also a Shiva temple inside the fort.