Fort St George

Last Saturday I went to Fort St. George with a friend. I've been planning to visit the place for some time now and was anxious about it. It's the first fort built by the British in India and is to this day one of the most important historical places of the British era.

Today, the fort houses the Legislative Assembly of the Tamil Nadu state. It's not one of those desolate and crumbling fortresses but rather full of life. There were people everywhere - tourists, civilians, even the military. It is the seat of the state government.

Fort Entrance

We reached the place after travelling some 15 minutes on the local train. Before I saw the fort, I had imagined it to be an old British stronghold that attracted only tourists and historians. Looking back, I couldn't be more wrong.

Cupola

One can find exquisite buildings of the British period. My favourite was the cupola. Some said it used to house a statue of Lord Cornwallis. Now it's empty although I envision it to be much better with the late governor-general of British India.

St. Mary's Church

Another building that caught my attention was St. Mary's Church. It is said to be the oldest Anglican Church in India. It's a must see for anyone visiting Chennai.

St. Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church - Interior

St. Mary's Church - Interior

Some Government Building

One can see the legacy of the British everywhere. The buildings that once housed the Raj are now occupied by the government. Those in power may change but their seat remains the same :-)

Secretariat Building

Fort Musuem

Then we came across the Fort Museum. It showcases some of the best examples of the period. If one is interested in British history, this is the place to be.

Fort Museum - Painting Gallery

Fort Museum - Pistols

Fort Museum - Mortars

Some Old Building

There were other buildings like the Clive House which I wanted to visit but was not open to the public. In the end we spent the better half of the day within the fort. If anyone who's reading this is planning to visit Chennai, then I recommend you spend an afternoon here.

View from Fort Train Station