The Jalakandeswara Temple inside the fort is an imposing example of Vijayanagar architecture. The temple, now renovated, is known for its exquisite sculptures. There are scores of other temples and shrines in the area. Among these, the ancient rock-cut Jain cave temples attract heritage enthusiasts from all over the world for their rich art and beautiful sculpture. Not far away, the remains of the Arcot Fort and the magnificent entrance that Robert Clive named the Delhi Gate are reminders of Clive's successful defence of Arcot in 1751 and his uncanny prediction that, with this victory would begin the march from this gate to Delhi.
Among other places of interest in Vellore are:
The Abdullah Khan Palace, where the Marathas imprisoned the last of the Bijapur Generals.
The graveyard of the Tipu Sultan family, with over 40 graves and nine Bijapur style mausolea
The tombs of Sri Vikrama Raja Singha, the last king to rule Kandy in Sri Lanka, and his three queens. The mandapam encompassing the graves has been built by the Tamil Nadu Government in more recent times.
Several relics of the British Imperial Age
The Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple, a grand "golden temple" in Sripuram near Vellore, constructed recently by the Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peetam has intricate carvings and sculptures in gold.
The important industrial towns of Ranipet, Ambur and Vaniyambadi are each within an hour's drive from Vellore. One of the earliest towns to be industrialised 100 years ago, Ranipet boasts of large, medium and small companies such as EID Parry and BHEL. Ambur and Vaniyambadi are major centres of the leather industry.
Vellore Sepoy Revolution - 1806
Two hundred years ago, on 10th July 1806, Indian sepoys rose in a bloody revolt against the East India Company's garrison in Vellore Fort. As shrieks and gunfire pierced the quiet, the sepoys shot at English officers, fired into the European barracks and leaving fourteen officers and 100 soldiers dead. Fatteh Hyder, Tipu Sultan's first son, who was incarcerated at the Tipu Mahal along with Tipu's family inside the fort, was perceived as one of the key architects of the rebellion.
In the counterattack unleashed at 9 a.m. by Colonel Robert Rollo Gillespie's men, who rushed from Arcot 14 miles away, 350 Indian sepoys were put to death. Some British accounts place the figure at 800. This event, known as the "Vellore Sepoy Revolution", was the first major rebellion against the emerging British Empire in colonial India. According to some scholars, this was the spark that led to the "First War of Independence" in 1857, otherwise known as "The Uprising".
Vellore is ideally situated almost equidistant to the top most happening metropolises in South India, Bangalore and Chennai. The former is considered to be the Silicon Valley of India and the later is known for its manufacturing as well as Information Technology prowess.
