The Bandar Fort in Machilipatnam, Krishna District, serves as a weathered manuscript of India’s maritime history. Strategically located six kilometers from the district headquarters, this bastion once acted as the "East Coastal Gateway" for a succession of global powers—the Dutch, French, British, and the Nizam rulers. However, today this monumental heritage is a portrait of profound neglect, with its grand structures facing the dual threats of environmental decay and official apathy.
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| Bander Fort in ruins Machilipatnam Facebook.com |
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| Remnants of Dutch settlement Machilipatnam facebook.com |
A Crossroads of Colonial Ambition
The story of the fort’s prominence began in 1602 with the arrival of the Dutch, known locally as "Vallandulu." In 1605, having secured permission from the Quli Qutub Shahi rulers to trade at a modest 4% tax, they established a textile factory at Bandar Kota. Unlike the more extractive British or the ideologically driven Portuguese, the Dutch focused primarily on commerce, notably engaging local artisans in the production of Kalamkari textiles—a legacy that still survives in the shed-wise production systems of nearby Pedana.
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| Location Machilipatnam livehistoryindia.com |
To protect their burgeoning trade and ship-building industry, the Dutch expanded the existing Golconda structures into a formidable fort. They constructed twelve outer walls around the hillock-bound godowns, an arsenal, and a secure gunpowder magazine. Records from British Captain Albert Harvey, documented as recently as April 2026, indicate that during his ten-year stay, this arsenal was so central to the region that it supplied rations and equipment for the whole of the northern division of the British army, including subsidiary forces in Hyderabad and Nagpur.
The 1864 Deluge: A Turning Point
The fort’s chequered history saw it change hands frequently, moving from the Dutch to the French as part of the "Northern Circars," and eventually being annexed by the East India Company in 1765. A radical plan by Sir Charles Trevelyan to level the ramparts for a "people’s park" was only abandoned because of the catastrophic Cyclone of 1864.
On November 1, 1864, a thirteen-foot tidal wave engulfed the region, washing away half of the town's population. While the sturdy Dutch masonry survived better than the newer British structures, thirty thousand lives were lost in the. aftermath of the worst natural calamity on the eastern coast.
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| Machilipatnam Cyclone memorial en.wikipedia.org |
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| cyclone victims memorial thehindu.com |
Above image: A view of cyclone victims memorial constructed during British rule at Gilakaladindi near Machilipatnam, As of 2024,the Cyclone memorial memorial in a dilapidated state and needs urgent restoration to save for the posterity............
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| Masula heritage site Cyclone memorial monument thehindu.com |
Above image: The monument commemorates the poignant fate of 30,000 people who were all swept away by the giant ocean wave over Masula town on the night of the cyclone of November 1, 1864, at Bandarkota village is one among a few heritage sites that need. Many people of the town do not even know where the monument is located and its present state (vide The Hindu dated November 17, 2021)............
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| 1864Cyclone Memorial youtube.com |
To commemorate this tragedy, British Collector Thorn Hill erected a Cyclone Memorial near the village of Bandar Kota. The unexpected natural disaster made agriculture lands in a vast area uncultivable for years and destroyed the vegetation The memorial that is located near the Bandar Fort area (often referred to as Bandarkota) and the St. John Church's Cemetery also honors G. Thornhill, the then Chief Magistrate, who worked to manage the aftermath of the cyclone and prevent the spread of disease.The East India government started the 'Masulipatam Relief Fund' in order to aid the rescue and rehabilitation efforts of the people . Queen of England in her parliament opening speech in 1865 made a mention about the cyclones. This cyclone along with the 1864 Calcutta cyclone made the British East Indian Company develop a reliable cyclone warning system in India to prepare for future events.
Today, this thirteen-foot monument stands in a state of advanced dilapidation, mirroring the neglect of the fort’s hospital, armor, and jail.
The Silent Echoes: Colonial Remnants
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| Bandar Dutch fort facebook.com |
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| Ratnapura Dutch Fort Masulipatnam Facebook.com |
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| 1757-1864 Ruined St.John's Baptist Church, Masulipatnam facebook.com |
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| St Mary's Church Machilipatnam deccanherald.com |
The ruins of Bandar Fort today offer a haunting gallery of colonial remnants that testify to the diverse occupants of this port city. Among the most significant are:
The Dutch Armoury: A quadrangular enclosure once used as the customs and port office. It consists of rooms and godowns built around two open courts. Its collapse in June 2016 remains a stark symbol of heritage loss.
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| Cattle shed at Dutch armoury, Machilipatnam thehindu.com |
Above image: Way back in 2019 a cattle shed was built on the prohibited area of the Dutch Armoury at Bandarkota. Because of continuous excavations activities by the locals, the safety of the remnant of the Dutch army site was at risk. Roughly 100 meters away from the armoury, the brick wall of the old Nizam hospital (According to ASI) was bulldozed during the same period by locals (vide The Hindu dated January 13, 2019). Across India Many monuments slowly disappear from the landscape due to continuous official apathy and lack of action by the Heritage department of the state governments.........
The Gunpowder Magazine: Built with thick, reinforced walls, it highlights the constant state of military readiness required to defend the Coromandel trade.
The Nizam’s Hospital: A roofless shell that speaks to the era when the Nizams of Hyderabad held sway over the region, blending Persianate administration with European trade needs.
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| Dutch tomb of Machilipatnam etvbharat.com |
Above image: The 17th century grave. The Carvings of lovers Johannes Krujjeff and Katharina VandenBrian after death appear in the same grave.
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| Dutch tombs, .facebook.com |
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| Cemetery Machilipatnam youtube.com |
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| Dutch cemetery Machilipatnamfacebook.com |
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| Dutch cemetery, Machilipatnam facebook.com |
The Dutch Cemetery: Located slightly away from the fort, it houses massive tombstones with detailed coats of arms, preserving the names of soldiers, sailors, and administrators who died thousands of miles from their homelands.
Present Status and Conservation
The physical state of the Bandar Fort is currently critical. ASI Superintendent Archaeologist Kannababu has recently noted that a detailed structural study is underway to initiate the renovation of the Dutch Armoury. The goal is to conserve what remains of these structures that "speak volumes" about the marine trade operations that once made Machilipatnam a global hub.
For heritage lovers, the preservation of Bandar Fort is a race against time. These ruins are not just piles of stone; they are the last physical links to a time when Machilipatnam connected the weaving sheds of Pedana to the markets of Europe. Saving these remnants is essential to ensure that the strategic and cultural history of the Coromandel coast remains visible for future generations.
https://tripxl.com/blog/places-to-visit-in-machilipatnam
https://www.deccanherald.com/content/577248/monuments-face-utter-neglect-bandar.html
https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-dutch-connection/article4873212.ece
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1864_Machilipatnam_cyclone
(Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com)
