Tourism potential of Fort St George lies trapped behind locked doors

Fort St George – the seat of power for the Madras Presidency and a launch pad for the many successful wars that the British East India Company waged, could be a revenue spinner tapping the tourist influx from Europe if the government decides to open its doors and allows visitors more freedom in experiencing the vast historic monuments. 

The Fort is an integral part of the history of Madras, the first city established by the Company outside Britain. Historians feel that the Fort should be handed over to the Archaeological department in order to preserve the monuments besides reviving the historical connect of the ancient colonial Fort.

Named after the patron saint of England– St George, the fortification began on March 1, 1640 CE, and the fort attained its present form, spreading over 42 acres within its walls, through reconstruction between 1756 – 83 CE. Fort St George has 13 protected monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Validation and Amendment) Act, 2010. 

Six of these under the purview of ASI are St Mary’s Church, big warehouse – south of the church library, Clive’s house built in 1753, Old British Infantry Officer’s Mess (now housing the Fort Museum), Last house on the left of ‘Snobs Allay’ (oldest house in the Fort), and a portion of the ramparts wall. 

The rest which are under the control of the Defence include Chaplain’s house, garrison engineer’s depot, guard room, King’s barracks, nursing sister’s house, ramparts (gates, bastions, ravelins with vaulted chambers and water cisterns underneath; moat and defence walls all round with glacis to the extent of the existing barbed wire fence), Wellesley House (built in 1798), and ‘Arsenal’ between Wellesley House and Clive’s House with shells and cannons piled together near the gateway block.

The Secretariat buildings came up in course of time integrating the old structures, and much later came the Namakkal Kavingnar Maligai – a 10-storey building in the heart of the Fort, a lone modern structure. One could also see dozens of military boards prominently displayed across the fort making one to wonder whether it is a protected site or mere military base. 

“Keeping this in mind, former Chief Minister and the DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi decided to move the government out of the Fort so as to help preserve it. However, that did not materialise due to political reasons. The monuments can not only enthral the tourists from abroad, it could also attract our students from across the state who seldom visit it,” Prof Ranjith, a historian said.

“It is pertinent to note that Madras remains the first town which the British had built outside Europe in 1646. Nearly, a century later, the British founded Calcutta, which eventually became the British capital of its territories in India. It is a historical accident, which became a major setback to Madras,” Prof Karunandan, a historian, told DT Next. 

“However, there is no denying to the fact that Fort St George is the oldest ancient colonial Fort in India. The entire Fort should be handed over to the State Archaeological Department to carry out the preservation and promotion rather than handing it over to the ASI. 

The regional approach will help preserve the Fort much better,” he added.  When contacted, a senior official of the Archaeological Survey of India, said, “We want to take control of the fort on the lines of the Red Fort. 

We want the Defence and the state government to leave this campus and relocate elsewhere. Once, both the agencies leave the fort premises we would raze down all the modern structures and restore the Fort to its former glory.”