Alamparai -a photo feature

The milestonesays about 50 kms to Pondicherry, when I pass a fish market in Kadapakkam. I take a detour and drive through alost hamlet surrounded by backwaters.  Itake another detour and enter  theportals of a port lost amidst the ruins, located right next to the seashore.There is no one in sight. Coconut and palm grooves shelter the broken bricks asthe rubbles resonate with the glory of the past.

 This is the 17^th centuryAlamparai fort also called Alampara or Adamparai.  Built during the Mughal era it was ruledby the Nawab of Carnatic and was later on gifted to the French for theirsupport. The British eventually destroyed the fort  and the dockyard which was more than 100 metreslong.

A rusted ASI board gives us moreinformation. Alamparai, it says was the ancient land of Idaikazhunadu,mentioned in the literary work, Siruppanatruppadai. The sea port was used fortrade by the Arcot Nawabs and  zari ,salt and ghee were exported from here. Coins were minted from here as well andlater on the mint was shifted to neighbouring Pondicherry. The mint built on a highway nearAlamparai here even housed a Shiva temple, a “choultry “ and a pond and wasbuilt for the benefit of the travelers coming down this route towardsRameshwaram.

“Do you want to go boating  ?” asks a local . The sea looks inviting, butthe sun sends me a warning . I decide to give it a pass although the salts of the sea did beckon us.