“What is the connection of Napoleon with India?”. Napolean is a well-known person in India, but I don’t think he got involved in Indian affairs as he was busy with wars in Europe. But there is a fort built in Tamilnadu in memory of his historic defeat at Waterloo!! The Manora fort on the shores of the Bay of Bengal near Thanjavur is associated with Napolean.
Why would someone in India build a fort in memory of Napoleon’s defeat?
It was the Maratha King Sarfoji-II who built this fort. He was ruling over Thanjavur at that time. He constructed this fort in 1814-15 to commemorate the British victory over Napolean. Being an ally of the British, he did this act to please them. Since the tower looked like a minaret, it was named Manora. Once the fort was completed, it had served as the residence for the Royal family. The tower also served as a lighthouse.
Our travel to Manora
We visited Manora while driving from Thanjavur to Rameshwaram. The roads were good, but it passed through many villages, which slowed us a bit. The area was super fertile, with paddy fields everywhere. The topography changed to coastal as we neared Manora. It took us about 1.5 hours from Thanjavur to reach Manora. Manora is a small village, with the fort being the main attraction. As I parked our car, we realized that we were the only visitors at that time. It was a luxury that we did not have in other attractions in Thanjavur.
I do not know why it is called a fort. The monument is a tower with walls and a moat. It may be the reason for calling it a fort. The hexagonal tower makes this place an attractive location. Something unique, I must say.
At Manora Fort
The caretaker/ticket collector of the fort was an unpleasant fellow. He asked us to pay Rs 50/- as an entrance. We were four of us, and the price per person looked strange. I did not see any board about the entry fee. The lousy fellow also refused to give us the ticket. But it was hard to argue in a place where we do not know the local language. I shelled out the money. Seeing my camera, he asked me to pay Rs 100 extra. I said that I would only take photos from my mobile. He was disappointed at the loss of opportunity to make more money.
We walked around the moat and the walls. The circular ramp took us to the first level of the tower. We could not climb further as the stairs were closed for visitors. But even from the first floor, we could view the sea and the village. There was also a lighthouse nearby.
We spent about 20-30 minutes at the fort. It was a pleasant day with sunshine and moderate temperature. The beach was nearby, but we did not visit as it did not look attractive.
I enjoyed the drive on the East Coast road from Manora to Ramanathapuram (Near Rameshwaram). Smooth roads, less traffic, fewer towns on the way and a lesser number of barricades (a nuisance on Tamil Nadu roads) made the drive fun.
Information and tips
- Manora Fort is about 60 km from Thanjavur and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- You do not need more than 30 minutes to see the fort.
- There are no restaurants nearby. Plan accordingly.
- There are no basic facilities like toilets in the fort. A lot of open spaces outside to park the car.
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