Tharangambadi

About this place

Tharangambadi also known as Tranquebar is 35 kilometres north of Nagappattinam abutting the Bay of Bengal. The Danes landed at this place in 1620 AD. It was already a pre existing village, when the Danes landed. This is borne out by the temple on the seashore, which is crumbling now due to the sea ingress. Maravarama Sundarapandian, a later Pandya King, constructed this temple called the Masilamani Natha temple in 1305 AD. The Danes constructed fortifications on the coast at Tranquebar. This was the only busy trade centre on the Coromandal coast for the Danes. This fort was a busy trade centre till 1845 AD when the Danes handed over the fort to the English. It was used as a Public Works Department Travellers Bungalow for government servants and colonials till 1977 AD. This fort was declared as a protected monument by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamilnadu in 1977 AD.