Pallikare Beach

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Bekal Fort: a Short History
The Ikkeri Nayakas of Bedanur have been widely regarded as the founders of this fort. The fort was eventually completed during the period of Sivappa Nayak. It is believed that the Kotteyar community found in Bekal, Panayal and other places in Kasaragod were brought here by the Nayaks to build and defend the forts. However the issue of the fort's origin has forever been open to dispute.
Historian Nandakumar Koroth argued that the modifications to the Fort was done by all the rulers who ruled the tract from the time of the Ikkeri Nayakas. The Ikkeri Nayakas had not developed guns to defend themselves from the invaders approaching from the Arabean sea route. But the western part of the fort is built in a solid manner with numerous slits on the walls for defending the fort from the naval power of other rulers. So it is believed that the present look of fort was the outcome of the conflict between European powers. A number of forts built by the Ikkeri Nayakas have failed to stand the test of time and perished. Located at the centre of the fort is an Observation Tower built by Tipu Sultan which offers a breathtaking view of the coastline as well as that of neighbouring places like Kanhangad and Pallikare. Also in existence is a rest house built by the British.