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{{short description|Fort in India}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name=Arikady Fort / Kumbla Fort
|height=
|image2=
|events=
|battles=
|occupants=
|commanders=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|controlledby=
|open_to_public=Yes
|ownership=
|condition=
|demolished=
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|builder=
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|code=
|coordinates={{coord|12.618380|N|74.945290|E|display=inline,title}}
|type=
|map_caption=Location of the fort
|map_size=300
|map_type=India Kerala
|caption=Arikady fort
|image=Arikady fort.jpg
|location=[[Arikady]], [[Kumbla]], [[Kasaragod district]]
|caption2=
}}
'''Arikadi fort''' is a fort located in the [[Kasaragod district]] of [[Kerala]], [[India]]. It is also known as '''Kumbla fort'''. The fort is located at a distance of 2 km from Kumbla on the [[National Highway 66 (India)|NH 66]] National Highway between kumbala River and shiriya River<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite web |title=ആരിക്കാടി കോട്ട നാശത്തിലേക്ക്.. |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/kasaragod/news/kumpala-1.4242277 |website=Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref> There is a [[Hanuman]] temple just below the fort.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

Excavations by a team from the Department of Archeology, [[University of Kerala]] in 2015 uncovered a large hall possibly meant for congregation.<ref name="hindu">{{cite web |last1=Mahadevan |first1=G. |title=Excavations at Kumbla fort unearth palace hall |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/excavations-at-kumbla-fort-unearth-palace-hall/article7063107.ece |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |date=3 April 2015}}</ref> The excavation was carried out as part of the 'A Survey of Forts' research project jointly funded by the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] (UGC) and the University of Kerala. Excavations have also uncovered large quantities of roof tiles, local pottery, Chinese pottery, lead bullets and the mold used to make them.<ref name="hindu"/>

==Geography==
The fort is located in the [[Arikady]] village in Kumbla, Kasaragod district. The nearest railway station and busstand is at Kumbla and the nearest airport is [[Mangalore International Airport]]. The fort is located on a lateritic hillock on the right bank of the Arikady River.<ref name="hindu"/>

==History==
According to the South Canara Manual, the [[Keladi Nayaka]]s (1500–1763) who had their capitals at [[Keladi]], [[Ikkeri]] and [[Bednore]] in [[Karnataka]] built few forts in the Hosdurg-Kasargod region of Kerala.<ref name="DH"/> Arikadi Fort is one of them. According to historical records, Arikady Fort was built by Ikeri Hiriya Venkadappa Nayak in 1608.<ref name="asianet">{{cite web|url=https://www.asianetnews.com/magazine/kumbala-travelogue-by-km-irshad|title=നിത്യാനന്ദ ഷേണായിയുടെ നാട്ടിൽ!|website=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd|language=ml}}</ref> In the second volume of the South Canara District Manual, Stuart records that there was an inscription in Kannada at the entrance to the fort, which states that the fort was built by Nayak.<ref name="asianet" />

Other histories are also being told. Most commonly, it is believed that the fort was built during the reign of [[Tipu Sultan]].<ref name="asianet" /> Another belief is that it was built for the headquarters of the Kumbala dynasty.<ref name="asianet" /> Another belief is that the fort existed during the reign of the [[Kolathiri Rajas]] and that after the collapse of the Kolathiri kingdom and the [[Vijayanagara Empire]], the area came under the control of the Ikkeri Nayakas and they rebuilt the forts.<ref name="DH">{{cite web |title=Vestige of glorious past |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/93735/vestige-glorious-past.html |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |date=3 September 2010}}</ref>

Some historians say that the fort was under the rule of the Maypadi Kovilakam, which had jurisdiction from Kumbala to the Chandragiri river.<ref name="hindu"/> The area was under their control during the heyday of the Vijayanagara Empire, which was later handed over to the Nayaks of Bednore and the local king acted as their feudatory.<ref name="hindu"/> After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire, it fell into the hands of the Mysore rulers and after the defeat of Tipu Sultan by the [[British Empire|British]], the fort fell to the British control.<ref name="hindu"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Forts in Kerala]]
[[Category:Kasaragod district]]

Arikady fort - Revision history

Bot at 00:20, 10 February 2022