A day trip from Chennai to Pondicherry by ECR is always a glory; but what if with a pit stop, with a bit of history.
There came the day trip plan to Pondy with the family of cousins and we included a pit stop as a breakfast place. That was SADRAS!
Sadras fort is near Kalpakkam - around 60 km from Tambaram and 16 km after Mahabalipuram on the ECR. Sadras is the anglicized form of Sadurangapattinam. One can reach Sadras fort by reaching Vengambakkam and taking a left from the ECR. Keep following the broader road and it would take one to the fort. Local people can also guide easily if you are not using Google Maps. We used Google Maps to reach the location.
Though the British are said to have made bigger marks on India, Coromandel Coast had been popular with Dutch building small forts and controlling many of the ports of ancient India. Sadras is one such Dutch fort by the Coromandel Coast.
The Sadras fort was used as granary as well as muslin trading. The locality was popular for weaving and hence the Dutch were able to leverage the efforts to build their business and other commercial purposes. The fort has high walls, a granary, stables, and few cemeteries.
The canons, high walls, and view through the stairs guiding towards the walls make it a good place to spend some time. The ruined fort is governed by ASI currently.
Overall, a place to stop by for a quick visit on the way to Pondicherry or when you are visiting Mahabalipuram. We ate the packed breakfast outside the fort and continued our trip.
Bonus
Enroute to Pondicherry, we also stopped by the humongous lake - Odiyur lake. The fine breeze and some waterbirds almost make it a picnic spot; a good stop by for snacking and taking a break.
The place is a great visual treat for sunsets!
We then made it to Pondy and returned later in the evening to Chennai. Do plan to visit the fort, next time when you plan for Pondy .. :)
