gingee regained its political importance, for the last time in its fateful history, in 1780 ad, when haidar ali, helped by some able french officers, invaded carnatic with a force of 90,000 men. haidar's men appeared before the fortress and easily carried it by their assault in november 1780. the english re-conquered it at the close of the second mysore war from tippu sultan in 1799. after that gingee had been free from the ravages and anarchy of war, but subject to desolation and decay. during the frequent indo-french wars, the british resident wanted the fort and the fortification to be demolished. luckily his suggestion was not accepted and the fort remains for us to experience and relive the history. the presence of muslim rulers in gingee is evident from the inhabitants of a nearby village called minambur, where the urdu speaking navaitha muslims living with their unique culture and tribes such as shakir, koken, bhanday bhonday, choudary, pappa, aghalay, hazari, amberkhani, sayeed etc.
