A 12th Century fort’s untapped potential for tourism

The sprawling Gingee Fort in Villupuram district should have been an ideal must-visit tourist destination in the northern part of Tamil Nadu. Known as the ‘Troy of the East’, the fort located atop three hillocks – Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and Chandragiri – was considered impregnable and was a symbol of the State’s glorious past. The fort has a lot of untapped tourism potential and a lot more work needs to be done to attract tourists. Official sources said the Villupuram district administration, in association with the Department of Tourism and the Archaeological Survey of India, which maintains the fort, is working on a proposal to help put the Gingee Fort on the tourism map.