Tipu's Fort.......

I have been to Tipu Sultan's Fort in Palakad with my parents when I was a kid. I have a vague memory of that.....but the fort I remember and what we saw this time was different. It could be that I was young then and my sense of scale and the way I saw the fort would have been in a very different light or the ASI has done extensive work in the preservation of the Fort and deemed it unrecognisable! 

Whatever it is, it was a good experience and I am glad we took the time out to go there. Palakad was very very hot but there was a beautiful cool breeze blowing in the evening and the huge huge trees and the open spaces enhanced the breeze around the fort. The fort also houses a temple. That and the children's park in the compound makes it a popular space for everyone in Palakad. 

What impressed me most about the Fort was the moat running all around it....they have maintained it very well. The waters are teeming with little turtles. With the number of people visiting I expected to see lots of garbage thrown in but the waters were quite clean.

Wonder if Tipu had ever thought that such a mighty fort would be a such a popular spot in Palakad one day.....

Leena

The mighty tree.......

A large part of my memories of a place are about the trees there. Whenever I think of my college, the first thing that comes to mind is the beautiful trees and the road shaded by their canopies. Trivandrum for me is more about the frangipanis in the Napier Museum and powder puff and jacaranda trees lining the Palayam road than anything else.

So when we went inside Tipu Sultans fort in Palakad and saw this gorgeous mango tree, both Sai and I were in awe! The lawns inside were a perfect setting for the tree. The most amazing thing about it was the one branch which had swooped down and grown back up as another tree from the ground. Wonder how it fell....wonder if it was part of the wars fought in the fort or a much less exciting story.....

There was another humongous tree on the other side of the fort with the most interesting trunk. It was almost like a sculpture. We wanted to take photos but we were already late and the guards did not want to get into trouble having us there for longer. ..... 

This particular tree was interesting for another reason....there were at least 2 'just-married' couples being photographed sitting on its low branches. It was such a cute sight to see! Such a perfect location to start a new life from.....wonder how many have.....
Leena