A little known India Trip destination is located between Chennai and Puducherry on the East Coast Road. Past the melange of eclectic tourist attractions like the Artists' Village, the Crocodile Bank, Dakshinachitra, and the Pallava temples, just 50km before Puducherry, is a green signboard that marks the turn-off to the small fishing hamlet of Kadapakkam.
From the main road, you take a 3km detour and you will come upon Alambara Fort, a relatively unknown treasure that was bequeathed by the Mughals along the Coromandel Coast. The portals of the fort are surrounded by an eerie silence as you are not likely to see another soul in sight. It is easy to envision the sounds of gunshots, artillery and soldiers from a past era in this place, and the sea view makes the crumbling ruins even more beautiful.