Tranquebar is a town with a Dutch, Danish, and British colonial heritage, characterized by pristine beauty and enduring charm. It is located on the Coromandel Coast in the Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu, South India. Known as Tharangambadi in Tamil, meaning ‘the land of singing waves,’ the town was renamed Tranquebar by the Danes. Positioned 15 kilometers south of the ancient Chola port of Pumpuhar and 15 kilometers north of the former French comptoir of Karikal, this picturesque coastal town holds a strategic location.
Established in 1616 under a privilege granted by Danish King Christian IV, the Danish East India Company established its base in Tranquebar within the Dansborg Fort, which served as the residence of the Governor of Danish India, titled Opperhoved. In 1620, Danish admiral Ove Gjedde arrived, having been granted territory by the Nayak ruler of Tanjore. The Danes settled in Tranquebar with the aim of exporting pepper to Denmark. They remained in the area until 1845 when, after enduring significant losses, the colony of Tranquebar was sold to the British Raj. Subsequently, the fort became the residence of the British administrator of the colony.
In 2000, the Bungalow was purchased by the heritage hotel company Neemrana Hotels. After two years of extensive restoration, the hotel opened on Christmas Eve in 2004. However, the following day, it was seriously damaged by the Indian Ocean tsunami, necessitating an additional three months of restoration thereafter.