site of an almost inaccessible fortress constructed by the Hindu rulers of the Vijayanagar empire (c. 1347–1642). It is located about 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Chennai (Madras) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nādu).

In 1638 the fortress was captured from the Maratha chief Shahji by the Muslims of Bijapur. In 1677 Shahji's son, Shivaji (Śivājī), recaptured the fort. From 1690 it was besieged by the Mughals, who surrendered it in 1698. A large Mughal army was thus immobilized for eight years. The fortress was passed to the nawabs of Karnataka under the Mughals and was captured by the French in 1750 and the British in 1761. It was surrendered to Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1780 and thereafter played no significant role in Indian history.