The tiger's fortress

This one of Karnataka’s best island fortress and often regarded as the best known not only in India but the world over.

Situated at the junction of two rivers, the fortress was initially built by a local chieftain. However, it achieved renown as one of the most impregnable forts only in the 17^th and 18^th century.

Today, the ruins of the fort dominate the island and it still stands in all majesty, a tribute to all those who worked hard to make it a formidable bastion of stone, lime and mortar.

 The fort was breached by the British more than 200 years ago. The breach too stands as it was centuries ago, a mute testimony to the treachery of  a handful of people and the determination of the British to stifle out all dissent and opposition, in their bid to make India their own.

This is the fort of Srirangapatna, just a few miles from Mysore and located on the Bangalore-Mysore Road.

The fort is surrounded by the waters of the Cauvery and Paschimavahini and it one of the best known island forts of India. Though the fort is closely associated with Tipu Sultan and his father, Hyder Ali, not many know that they were not the builders of the fort. They only reinforced, strengthened and at some places added to the already existing fort.

The history of the Srirangapatna fort goes back to the 15^th century when a local chieftain, Thimanna Hebbar of Nagamangala began construction of a mud wall. The then Vijayanagar Emperor, Deveraya, the second, permitted Hebbar to fortify Srirangapatna. The construction commenced sometime in 1454 and when the Vijayanagar dynasty was decisively defeated by the Muslim Kingdoms of  the Deccan in the Battle of Talikota in 1565, Srirangapatna rose to prominence as one of the strongest forts of a truncated and much decreased (in area and size) of the Vijayanagars.

 The fort was the last frontier of the Vijayanagars and when the last Vijayanagar Viceroy of Srirangapatna province, Tirumala Raya lost a battle to Raja Wodeyar in 1601 (This was the battle of Kesare, which today is part of Mysore), the Wodeyars made Srirangapatna their capital and began ruling from there.

The Wodeyar Kings began strengthening the fort walls and in 1654, Kanteerava  Narasaraj Wodeya, the then ruler of the Mysore, rebuilt it.  More than a century later, Tipu Sultan with the help of French engineers, added to the fort structures and strengthened its defenses.

Tipu went in for a double enclosure fort constructed with massive granite blocks. However, the inside of the fort ramparts are made of mud and rubble masonry.

The Srirangapatna fort is shaped like a triangle, and aligned along the northwestern corner of the island so that the eaters of the Cauvery add to the defence. The rugged riverbed form a natural moat on the north and west of the fort. From the air, the fort looks like an irregular pentagon with a

perimeter of about 4 kilometres.

The double moats on the south and east side of the forts were built by Tipu to deter the enemy from gaining easy access. Crocodiles were let into the moats but today they are rather dry. The moats were 30 feet deep.

The moats around the fort were dug under the personal supervision of the French military engineer, Huben. For Tipu, the moats provided the much needed security for a capital which was constantly under enemy attack.

The main entrance to the island city was from the bridges and gateways on the south and eastern side of the fort. Two important gateways – the Mysore Gate and the Elephant Gate face the Bangalore-Mysore highway..

The ruins of Bangalore and Delhi Gates or the water gate have their own tales to tell. The fort was once ringed by 18 watch towers, interspread with cannons.

It  was from the water gate that the British successfully breached the fort. Unfortunately, for Tipu and his family, this was the only passage for them to access water from around the moat without fearing for crocodiles.
The moat today is facing threat from a different kind. A callous and insensitive administration coupled with man’s greed is spelling ruin to this once grand structure.

Debris from the town and the other areas is being dumped into the moat surrounding the fort. Leftovers from chicken, mutton and fish stalls and other garbage are also being thrown into the moat.
The moat near Cauvery Layout in Srirangapatna is partially buried under debris and the situation is similar on the road that connects Thomas Inman’s dungeon. Weeds have grown in the moat.

Just a little away from the Water Gate is the place where Tipu died, valiantly fighting on till his last breath. 

The first of the three Rangas

The post on the three Rangas in the three islands of Srirangapatna, Shivanasamudra and Srirangam which houses the Ranganatha statues has received several queries on places in and around each of the three places.

Several people have asked us about tourist and pilgrim places around each of these three Kshetras or pilgrim places.   

According to belief, if you visit all the three Rangas in a day, you will get a lot of Punya. All the three places are Vaishnava centres and all of them have temples dedicated to Narayana or Ranganatha in a sleeping posture.

All the three temples are located across the Cauvery and they follow and conduct almost the same rituals. You have to start the tour from Srirangapatna by taking a dip in the Cauvery and then head to the other two Rangas. 

While Srirangapatna is known as the Adi Ranga, Shivanasamudra is termed as Madhya Ranga and Srirangam as Antya Ranga. While the first two Rangas are in Karnataka, the third is in Tamil Nadu.

So let me start with places of interest in and around Srirangapatna. All these places can be covered in two days and they are easily accessible by road.

Srirangapatna is an island fortress and it is 110 kilometres from Bangalore, It is easily accessible by both road and rail from Bangalore, Mysore is the nearest City with excellent road and rail communication and it is 19 kms from Srirangapatna.

Srirangapatna is a religious and historic town. This is the place where Tipu Sultan died battling the British on May 4, 1799. Apart from the Ranganatha Swamy Temple, check out the Narasimha Temple nearby.

The place where Tipu died is identified by a small stone slab. It s here that Tipu died fighting. Nearby is the Bailay dungeon where British prisoners of war were held. A little away is an obelisk. The Jama Masji is one of the most elegant structures of the town and it has a sun dial on which Tipu depended for knowing the time.

A little distance away from the main gate of the temple is the recently excavated tunnel leading to the palace of Tipu which is another ruin opposite the Ranganatha Temple. Local lore has it that one of the balconies of the Lal Mahal or palace of Tipu was so built that Tipu could get a glimpse of Ranganatha every day after he got up.

(An interesting aside here is that Tipu never slept in a bed. He slept in a closed room which oversaw the inner courtyard of the palace. The room was sparsely furnished and it had a beautiful hammock on which Tipu slept. The hammock was dismantled after the British ravaged the palace in 1799 and taken away).

A little away from Srirangapatna is Daria Daulat, the palace. It has some excellent paintings and artifacts. It is surrounded by a beautiful garden. Down the road is the Gumbaz is where Tipu is buried along with his father Hyder Ali and his mother.

English and contemporary accounts recount that when the cortege containing the body of Tipu was being escorted to the Gumbaz by British soldiers, heavy rains lashed Srirangapatna. To this day, rain falls on the day Tipu was buried.

A little away from the Gumbaz is Sangam where three rivers meet-Cauvery, Kabini and Hemavathi. This is an excellent boating and picnic spot. This is just three kms from Srirangapatna.

Another place worth a visit is the Nimishamba Temple in Ganjam. This houses the idol of Parvati and since she is supposed to grant a boon within a minute of asking, the place came to be known as Nimishamba. Nimisha in Kannada means a minute. This is 2 kms from Srirangapatna.

Gosai Ghat is another picnic spot. Several Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films have been shot. The Cauvery is at its best here. Enjoy a coracle ride.

Just two kilometres from Gosai Ghat is another scenic spot called Paschima Vahini. There are several heritage buildings and bathing ghats of the Wodayar Emperors here. The heritage buildings and the bathing ghats are in a dilapidated condition.  This ghat is visible from the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

If you still have time, check out the French cemetery in Srirangapatna, Inman’s Prison which was discovered almost a century after Tipu died, Wellesley bridge and several ancient temples.

Ranganathittu

This is one of the best known bird sanctuaries in India. Though it is small, you can spot several species of  birds. The sanctuary adjoins Srirangapatna.

Karighatta

This is a hill on which a temple of Srinivada is situated. It is just a a few kilometres away from Srirangapatna and it is off the Bangalore-Mysore road. Karighatta means Black Hill in Kannada. The srinivasa is called Karigirivasa or Bairagi Venkataramana. The epithet ‘Bairagi’ for this idol is derived from the fact that when alankara  or flower decoration is done to the deity, it resembles a Bairagi or mendicant.

A small river, Lokapavani, a tributary of  Cauvery, flows by the hill. The head to Mysore, the royal city of the Wodeyars.

Mysore

Mysore is 136 kms from Bangalore and 19 kms from Srirangapatna. This is the city of palaces and home to Chamundi, the Goddess, who slew the demon Mahishasura.

The Chamundi temple is located atop the Chamundi Hills which you can either climb or motor up. The Godly museum, the statue of Mahishasura (this is the exact place where he was slain by Chamundi), the Dodda Basava or Nandi, the Rajendra Vilas palace and a few other temples are worth a visit.

A little away from the Chamundi temple is Devi Kola or a tank from which water is drawn to perform abhisheka to Chamunid. Enjoy an unrestricted view of Mysore and its surroundings from the hill. There are a number of buses from Mysore bus stand to the hill. The temple opens from 7 a.m., to 2 p.m., and again from 3-30 p.m., to 9 p.m.

The Jayachamrajendra Zoologial Garden is one of the oldest and the best zoos in India. It has a variety of wildlife. The museum inside is worth a visit. The zoo also houses an Anaconda in a special enclosure. The zoo is opne from 8-30 a.m., and Tuesday is a holiday.

The Regional Museum of Natural History and Melody World wax museum are near to each other. The wax museum is a new addition and it is at the beginning of the Siddarthanagar locality.

The main palace or the Mysore palace is the star attraction of Mysore and it is one of the largest residential palaces in the world. The palace is illuminated in the evenings. This is regarded as among the top five best palaces in the world. There are twelve temples within the fort. Each portion of the magnificent palace has its own tale to narrate.

The palace is a masterpiece of several styles. It was commissioned in 1897 and completed in 1914 and it then cost a little more than Rs. 40 lakhs. It was designed by Sir Henry Irwin, who also designed the Viceregal lodge in Shimla. After the Taj Mahal in Agra, this palace draws the largest number of visitors.

The palace is open to the public from 10 a.m., till 5-30 p.m. The illumination on all Sundays and public holidays is from 7 p.m., to 8 p.m.      

Near to the main palace is the Jaganmohan palace which houses many artifacts. The best among them are the painting of the lady with the lamp and the French musical clock.

This palace was completed in 1861 and it was used by the royal family after the main palace accidentally burnt down during a wedding in 1897. It has one of the largest collection of artifacts in south India. It has several paintings by Raja Ravi Verma, Roerichs and Tagore. The palace is open from 8-30 a.m., to 6 p.m.

The Lalitha Mahal hotel at the foothills of the Chamundi is a five star hotel. Check out the architecturally pleasing building and if you can afford to splurge, have a bite. It is definitely going to burn a hole in your pocket.   

The Manasa Gangotri is the campus housing Mysore University. The Crawford Hall is worth a visit as is the folklore museum. Adjacent to the University is the Kukkaranahalli lake.

The sandal factory and Cauvery emporium are other major attractions. The KRS dam is accessible from Mysore, Mandya or even Srirangapatna. The musical fountain show is in the evenings. The Fountain timings are 7 P.M., to 7.55 P.M., on weekdays and  7 P.M to 8.55 P.M., on holidays.
During winter, the fountain timings are from 6.30 P.M., to 7.25 P.M., on weekdays and from 6.30 P.M. to 8.25 P.M., on holidays The dam is built across the Cauvery and it is a marvel of engineering. The credit for the dam goes to Sir M. Visveshvaraiah.

The Brindavan Gardens of the KRS has been a popular shoot for hundreds of Indian films. It was among the first landscaped gardens of a dam.

Mysore has several temples and other places of interest. The Oriental Reseach Library is one for students and scholars and it was here that the Arthashastra of Kautilya or Chanakya was discovered.

The Railway museum, St. Philomena’s Church, Karanji lake, Ligambudi lake, the Ganapathi Sachidananda Ashrama are other places worth a visit.

Balamuri

Near Mysore is Balamuri where the Cauvery takes a reverse. Upstream is Yadamuri. Both are easily accessible. Balamuri is located midway between Mysore and KRS Dam. The nearest town is Belagola.

Mahadevapura

This is another little known bird sanctuary near Mysore. It is one of the most scenic places around and what makes it attractive is that it is not as well-known as other places.

Sagarkatte

This is a tiny hamlet across the Cauvery 25 kms from Mysore. There is an old Vyasaraja Matha here. The backwaters of the KRS form a beautiful water body. Take a train ride to this place from Mysore and enjoy its beauty. 

Nanjangud

This old temple town is just a few miles (23 kms) from Mysore and it is approachable either by road or rail. The Mysore airport is midway between Mysore and Nanjangud.

The Nanjundeshwara Temple here dedicated to Shiva is one of the biggest in south India. The town is on the banks of Kapila. The deity is also called Srikanteshwara.

Nearby is the temple of Raghavendra Swamy. It is only here that we can see an idol of Raghavendra Swamy. The idol was recovered by a washerman from the Cauvery in Srirangapatna. It is also known for a variety of bananas and tooth powder. It is also home to Ayurvedic products.

A little away from the old Nanjungud railway station is Asia’s oldest railway bridge. This is a heritage structure.

Chamarajanagar

Continue on the Nanjangud road and touch Chamarajanagar which is 38 kms away. This district headquarters is accessible by both road and rail. This is the southern end of Karnataka. This town is famous for the temple of Chamarajeshwara. It is surrounded by several hills stations of which ths most famous is BR Hills. 

 Kanakagiri

Kanakagiri is an important Jain centre. It is the only siddakshetra in South India and the only one for Jainism for performing Kalasarpadosha Parihara pooja. This is 18 kms from Chamarajanagar.

The temple of Parsavanath, one of the Theerthankaras, is atop a hill. The idol is five feet in height and black in colour. Maleyur, three kms away from here, is known for its thick forest cover and its sandalwood.

Melkote

A little more than 34 kms away is one of the finest Vaishanava shrines in India and this is the well-know temple town of  Melkote. It was home to the saint-philosopher, Ramanujacharya, for several years. The Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple and the Yoga Narasimha temples are stunning. The Yoga Narasimha temple is accessible after a steep climb that can leave you exhausted. There is a small cave beneath the Yoga Narasimha temple where Prahalada meditated.

The Mahadwara which is a structure of two massive pillars meant to be the main entrance to the temple town is another monument. This monument has figured in several films.

The Puliyogre handed out at the temple as Prasad is the best of its kind. Taste it and you will feel like having another helping.

Pandavapura

It was known as French rocks during the reign of Hyder Ali and Tipu as the French had based their troops here. The Kunit Betta or hill is the place where Kunti, the mother of Pandavas, stayed during the Vanavasa. The Pandavas ended their exile here and, hence, the name Pandavapura. This is just 10 kms from Srirangapatna and 25 kms from Mysore.

Tonnur

It has two magnificent temple and one of them, the Nambi Narayana, was consecrated by Ramanajucharya. This is a beautiful temple and it is one of the most sacred shrines for Vaishnavas.

It is near Pandavanapur and Melkote.

Tonnur is flanked by the beautiful Tonnur lake which came to be called as Moti Talab by Tipu Sultan.

It was the second capital of the Hoysalas after Dwarasamudra (Halebidu) but none of the Hoysala structures remain. The palace of the Hoysala Emperor, Vishnuvardhana, was built just behind the Nambi Narayana temple but no trace of it remains today.      

All the places mentioned above can be covered in two days if you have the time. They are all nearby and it would be advisible if you hire a driver who can also act as a guide. For example, you can take in Sangama, Gosai Ghat, Daria Daulat, Gumbaz, Nimishamba all in a stretch.

In Mysore, take in Chamundi Hills, Zoological Gardens, Wax museum, Main palace, Jaganmohan palace and KRS Dam in a day. Similarly, Melkote, Tonnur, Pandavapura can be completed in a stretch.

There are plenty of eateries and hotels in Mysore and eating out would not be major problem. Mysore is one of the cities in India that has hotels and eateries to suit you taste and budget. This is the City that gave Mysore Pak and Bisibele bath to its Wodeyar Emperors first. Both the dishes are a rage today among the populace.

Mysore, a few decades ago, was home to the Ideal Jawa motorbike factory which manufactured the legendary Jawa, Yezdi and Roadking bikes. The factory has shut down. It is also the place where the State Government opened its tyremaking unit called Vikrant. This factory too has been privatized.

Mysore is home to one of the most beautiful buildings that is the headquarters of the Infosys Knowledge centre.    

Mysore is easily accessible from all parts of India. There are plenty of trains from Bangalore, Chennai and Hubli-Arsikere. 

This concludes the first part of the Ranga tour. The next part will carry details on road trip from Srirangapatna to Shivanasamudra and the places worth seeing.Till then, happy reading. 

The Makaana which is forgotten

This is the Makaana or a clump of wilderness amid sugarcane fields and agricultural lands. It is only a few miles north-east of Mysore and on the Srirangapatna-Mysore Highway.

A canal carrying the Cauvrey water flows nearby and the Varuna canal overhead casts a long shadow. A few decades ago, a cluster of Muslim graves were part of the Makaana. But the graves have been uprooted and only the remnants of a wall and a few pieces of brick and mortar indicate the presence of civilisation.

The wilderness did play and important role in Indian history but as is our wont, we have forgotten it and there are only a handful of people who are aware of its importance. It was at this very spot, and more than two centuries ago, that Arthur Wellesley was defeated in a battle by Dewan Purnaiah in the fourth and final Anglo-Mysore War in 1799.

More importantly, this battle which occurred a few days before the death of Tipu Sultan, gave the shivers to Wellesley. The rockets that the Mysore army of Tipu fired upon the British at this place sent the British scurrying back to safety. Wellesley was wounded and barely escaped capture and death.

Had Wellesley been taken prisoner on that day or had the Mysore forces pressed their advantage and gone after the demoralized British, perhaps the war would not have ended in the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan.

The rocket attack had such a psychological impact in Wellesley that even years after the death of Tipu and even decades after e defeated Napolean Bonaparte, Wellesley confessed to still have nightmares about this place.

Today, a clump of  trees is all that is the remnant of  this epoch event, which has been totally ignored by Indians and downplayed to the extent of being trivalised by the British and other Western authors and sources.

This is the village of Sultanpet, which once was a satellite town on the Srirangapatna-Mysore Highway. The land between Srirangapatna and Sultanpet was full of farms and parts of it was heavily forested.

Tipu  Sultan had stationed a contingent of  rocketmen under Purnaiah at Sultanpet. Since the contingent was well hidden from the prying eyes of the British and their advance party, Wellesley had no knowledge about it.

The British, by then, were advancing towards Srirangapatna from all sides. It was pitch dark of April 5, 1799, when an enthusiastic 30-year old Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Wellesley led the King’s 33rd Regiment of  Foot into a tope or mangrove which also had coconut and betel trees near Sultanpet.

The town of Sultanpet looked deserted and seeing no resistance, Wellesley advanced towards the fields and the clump of forest. That was when the Mysore Army opened rocket fire. The British troops scattered and ran back to their camp, a defeated and dispirited unit. Wellesley lost himself in the forest and the dark night was all the more aggravating for him as he had been shot in his limb-he had been hit by a spent musket-ball in the knee and he went back hobbling with pain and humiliated at his only defeat.

Wellesley had inadvertently led his men into a trap. Some of the rocketeers had worked their way around to the rear of the British encampment and they fired rockets simultaneously to signal the beginning of an assault by 6,000 Indian infantry and a corps of Frenchmen, all directed by Mir Gulam Hussain and Muhammed Hulleen and Mir Mirans.

The rockets had a range of about 1,000 yards. While some burst in the air like shells, others-ground rockets- on striking the ground, rose again and bound along in a serpentine motion until their force was spent.

It was by pure luck and nothing else that Wellesley managed to evade the Mysore Army. He came back to the camp and brooded the whole night over his defeat and also the capture of twelve soldiers who were subsequently by Tipu in Sriurangapatna. The next day, he determined to avenge his humiliation and he marched, all prepared to give a fitting reply. But much of the Army had already withdrawn from the tope of Sultanpet and only a small unit was left behind.

Wellesley had his way and he defeated the unit and marched onwards to Srirangapatna where he joined the other British forces. When Srirangapatna was captured and pillaged on May 4, 1799, Sultanpet too met a similar fate. Almost all the buildings in the village were razed to the ground and only a small wall, part of a mosque and graves were left. Even these buildings were razed to the ground a few years ago.

Neither the graves nor the Cenotaphs that once proclaimed the names of the people who were buried here can be seen today. The meandering canal makes a fairly large circular detour and the wilderness seems like an island surrounded by lush green paddy fields.

The village of Sultanpet exists but its history is gone and the monuments ravaged by the British and then by insensitive Indians. British historians like Beatson and Frances Buchanan and even Macaulay who has written an account of Srirangapatna, Bangalore and Mysore have studiously ignored the Battle of Sultanpet or glossed over it.

The villagers still point to the place they earlier called Makaana. The only relic of the past appears to be the portion of a wall of a large building.

Today, there is no trace of the battlefield though parts of the tope can still be seen. There is not even a caption or sign board by the ASI or any other body identifying the place. Sultanpet today exists only in history books and it has long been forgotten by the lakhs who traverse the busy Bangalore Mysore road everyday.

Tourists and visitors to Srirangapatna and Mysore are given a talking to on the bravery and exploits of Hyder Ali, Tipu and the rather remarkable achievements of the Wodeyars. None of them, however, even have an inkling of the military importance that Sultanpet once had and the deep impact it left permanently on the future Duke of Wellington who later went on defeat Napolean in the European theatre of war.   

As far as the Government and the authorities go, they have given short shrift to a place that the British would never like to remember. Certainly not Wellesley, who woke up at night, having a nightmare of Sultanpet. The nightmare continued till Wellesley died or so says his biographer Forrest. Another biographer, Wellington: The Iron Duke [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)
by Richard Holmes, also alludes to the nightmare and the defeat at Sultanpet. 

When Munro became Munrolappa

One of the most outstanding achievements of any human being is when his name is perpetuated by people who respectfully take his name and also name their children after him.

There are only a handful of  such people in India and one among them is perhaps the first foreigner and the first Britisher to see Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru seated in his Brindavana and also talk to him in 1800. (Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana in 1691).  He is also the man who banned people from eating Tirupathi parasada with their bare hands at the holy town in Andhra Pradesh  and forbade the custom only to revere it later after he began suffering from acute stomach ache.

His stomach ache was miraculously cured after he reversed his order on eating Prasada. He is none other than Major-General Sir Thomas Munro, (May 27, 1761 – July 6, 1827).

A  Scottish soldier and colonial administrator, he joined service in the East India Company as an Army officer and fought both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.  However, he is even today remembered not as a soldier or an a man who spoke to Rayaru but as an outstanding administrator and a superb civil servant who introduced the ryotwari system in agriculture which continues to this day.

Born to a merchant named Alexander Munro, he was educated at

at the University of Glasgow. While at school, young Thomas was came to be known for his mild manners, courage and presence of mind. A robust boy, he easily surpassed all his school mates in athletics. At school, he came to be known as a boxer.

In 1799, he was appointed to an infantry cadetship in Madras. He served with his regiment during the hard-fought war against Hyder Ali (1780–1783) and also in the first campaign against Tipu Sultan (1790–1792).  He was then chosen as one of four military officers to administer the region of Barahamahal. This was part of the territory acquired from Tipu and Munro remained in the post for  seven years. He learnt the principles of revenue survey and assessment which he applied throughout the presidency of Madras.

After the death of Tipu in 1799, Munro spent a short time restoring order in south Karnataka; and then for another seven years (1800–1807) he was in charge of the northern districts ceded to the British by the Nizam of Hyderabad, where he introduced the Ryotwari system of land revenue.

He then left to England and came back to India in 1814 with special instructions to reform the judicial and police systems. When the Pindari War broke out in 1817, he was appointed as brigadier-general to command the reserve division formed to reduce the southern territories of the Peshwa.

In 1820, he was appointed as Governor of Madras, where he founded systems of revenue assessment and general administration. These systems continue even today and he is fondly regarded as the father of the farmer friendly Ryotwari system.

When Munro was the Collector of  Bellary, the Madras Government in 1800 ordered him to procure the entire income from the Raghavendra Swamy Matha located in Manthralaya village. Munro asked the Revenue officials to comply with the order but when they failed to do so, he himself visited the Matha.

Munro removed his hat and shoes and entered the Matha.  He stood before the Brindavana and Raghavendra Swamy conversed with him for sometime about the resumption of endowment.

The venerable Madhwa saint was visible and audible only to Munro who also received the Manthrakshathe.

Munro then went back and wrote an order favouring the Matha. This order and notification was published in the Madras Government Gazette in Chapter XI and page 213, with the caption ``Manchali Adoni Taluka. This order is still preserved in Fort St. George and Manthralaya.

Coming back to his administrative achievements, Munro earned renown for his compassion and innovative schemes when he was principal collector of  the Ceded districts from 1800 to 1807. He  then had his headquarters at Anantapur. He took over office on November 1, 1800 and he had four able assistants or sub collectors-Alexander Stodart who worked from Kadapa, James Cochrane from Harapanahalli, William Thackeray, father of novelist Theckeray who is the author of Vanity Fair, from Adoni and James Ravenshaw from Kambam. Maj Gen Dugald Campell was appointed Commander of the Ceded districts.

It was during this time that Munro evolved a policy towards the local chieftains or poligars.

Under the ryotwari system, the entire cultivated area was surveyed and this process was begun in 1802 and completed in 1807. Each field was surveyed, numbered and the name of the holder registered. The land revenue was directly collected from them, thus making the ryots owners of the land. The ryot was at liberty to sublet, rent or lease his piece of land. As long as he paid his dues, he could not be ejected from his land or displaced. Before cultivation commenced in 1802, Munro made advances to the ryots for purchasing seeds, agricultural implements, bullocks and repair wells and dig new ones. When heavy rains breached more than 100 tanks in the Ceded districts in 1803, Munro went ahead with relief and rehabilitation measures without waiting for government approval. He repaired damaged and breached tanks and lakes. The repairs were so timely that in 1804, there was a bumper crop and the government collected 100 per cent revenue.

Munro to the Indians then came across as a man with deep concern for the common man. He left an indelible impression on several score families. Many people liked him and called him father. His tale of generosity, magnanimity and deep concern so grew that people compared him to a divine being. Even today, rustic people in and around Anantapur and areas that formed part of the Ceded districts sing ballads remembering Munro and his everlasting contribution.

If his conversation with Raghavendra Swamy made him a legend, the blessings of Srinivasa in Tirupathi made him into a demi god. Munro’s name is also associated with two other temples-Kadiri Lakshminarayanaswamy in Ananthapur district where he wanted to attach lands of the temple and Narasimhaswamy temple at Gangapur in Kadapa.

People of the ceded districts believed him to an incarnation of Mandava Rishi and began naming their sons as Munrolappa. Even today, that name stands. Check out the Ceded districts and you are sure to come across thousands of Munrolappa. All their names owe their origin to Munro. This is how Munro became Munrolappa.

How many politicians in Indian today, barring film stars and cricket players, can claim to have such a distinction. Politicians should read about Munro and learn from his achievements. The stocks of politicians in India has sun so low that few would like to name their children after them and fewer would prefer to be associated with them.              

Srirangapatna as Buchanan saw it

Though Tipu Sultan died just over two hundred years ago, he has continued to generate interest among both Indians and foreigners. He is one person you can either love or hate. Ignore him you cannot as he has emerged as a controversial figure with people taking diametrical opposite views on him.

While he is generally looked upon as a man who opposed the British, the Mandya Iyengars to this day point out to the massacre of their ancestors by Tipu and the same goes for the people of the Malabar in Kerala and Catholics of Mangalore.

The recent controversy over naming of a university after Tipu has further widened the chasm between those who love and respect Tipu and others who see in him a bigot who persecuted Hindus, was a mercenary and one who tried to put down the legitimate Wodeyars of Mysore.

Many of the news and articles on Tipu today are coloured by extreme views and there are few pieces which can be described as dispassionate and disinterested portrait of the Tiger of Mysore.

One of the few accounts of the life and times of Tipu and his favourite island city of Srirangapatna is by Francis Buchanan.

Dr Francis Buchanan, later known as Francis Hamilton but often referred to as Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (1762-1829) was a Scotish physician who made significant contributions as a geographer, zoologist and botanist while in India.

The standard botanical author abbreviation Buch.-Ham. is applied to plants and animals he described, though today the form Hamilton, 1822 is more usually seen in ichthyology and is the preferred fishbase.

He conducted a survey of  the then Mysore Kingdom in 1899, just an year after Tipu was slain in the fourth and final Anglo-Mysore war in Srirangapatna on May 4, 1799.  

Much of the social, religious and anthropological details of Mysore State, including Canara and Malabar, are contained in the Mysore survey that he undertook for several months.

The results of the survey were published in his “A Journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar”, where he has devoted an entire chapter-the second-to Srirangapatna and another to Bangalore.

Buchanan says he came down to Srirangapatna from Madras via Vellore and Bangalore. He reached Srirangapatna on May 18, 1800 and the next day he had an interview with Purnaiah, whom he calls Purnea, the Dewan of the Raja of Mysore (Wodeyar) and during the Prince's minority, the chief administrator of his Government.

Buchanan was provided with the services of a Brahmin who had orders to accompany him everywhere.

In his short description of Purnaiah, the writer says he is a from Coimbatore and that his native is Tamil but he speaks Kannada, Marathi, Mussalaman (Urdu) and Persian. He says the Dewan is called Sri Mantra.

However, he says Purnaiah wielded less power than Mir Sadiq, the confidant of Tipu who finally betrayed him.

Buchanan was in Srirangapatna from May 20 to June 5 and he says he took in everything remarkable in Srirangapatna and its neighbourhood.

He begins his description of the island fortress by describing the Cauvery and the stone bridge which elicits his admiration. He then goes on to talk of the need to construct one more bridge and says discussions are on to share the expenses between the British and the new Raja-Mysore Wodeyars.

He says the new bridge would cost 16,000 pagodas.

He then goes on to describe the Ramghanatha temple which he says is of  “much higher antiquity” than the town itself.

Buchanan went around the fort and he describes them as immense, unfinished, unslightly and an injudicious mass of building. Tipu, he says, seems to have a too high opinion of himself and did not consult the French while building the fort.

He then speaks of an inner fort with several traverses which Tipu himself defended. Here, Buchanan pays tribute to the Sultan. He points out that the English could advance slowly and that Tipu retired slowly, defending his ground with obstinacy. He then described how Tipu inadvertently got himself boxed inbetween the two forts but there is not much description on how he was killed.

Then follows several paragraphs of how the Englishmen and others pillaged, plundered and ransacked Srirangapatna.

He says women came out of their homes and stood in groups on the streets to avoid being raped or harassed. The last remnants of Tipu’s army fled to the Jamia masjid and other places and when they staggered back the next day, they were attended to by English doctors.

For Buchanan, the city of  Srirangapatna is poor and its streets narrow. The streets are more confused than anywhere else, he says. Nobody was allowed to own property here and Tipu allotted quarters and withdrew them at his will.

The houses are hot and inconvenient. Many of the chiefs fell at Siddeswara and then at the storming of Srirangapatna. Some were pensioned off by the company while others joined service with the Nawab of Arcot.

He then jumps to Mysore and says how Tipu planned to construct a fort. When the siege commenced, work on the fort stopped and there were sheds or huts for workmen which was where the young Wodeyar was enthroned.

He says the throne to Wodeyar was presented by the East Indian Company and that Col Close was the Resident on whom the young Prince relied a lot.

Buchanan makes a reference to the Dalwais and the role they played to help out the Wodeyars against Tipu. He then claims that Mir Sadiq, on orders from Tipu, had imprisoned the Wodeyars in their palace in Srirangapatna and that Mir Sadiq had stripped the Royals of all their jewels and ornaments.

He claims that when Srirangapatna was stormed, none of the royals had an idea of what had been going on.   

Buchanan then again comes back to Srirangapatna and talks about the palace of Tipu which he describes as a very large building surrounded by lofty walls of mud and stone and which outwardly is of “mean appearance”.

He found that some of the handsome apartments in the palace have been converted into barracks for the troops.

Tipu’s private apartments formed a square, in one side was the rooms which he used. The other three sides were occupied by warehouses in which Tipu deposited a vast quantity of goods for he acted not only as a Prince but also a merchant.

These goods, Buchanan says, were sold at a much higher prices by the Amildars and Tipu thus gained huge profits. “The three sides of the square are now  occupied by the sons of the Sultan -five of them-who are not yet removed to Vellore. They are well looking boys and are permitted to ride and exercise themselves in the square when they are so desirous”.

The apartment most commonly used by Tipu was a large lofty hall upon front and on the other three sides shut up from ventilation, In this, he was wont to sit and write, and plan many schemes.

The principal front of this palace also served as a revenue office and it was also the place from where Tipu showed himself to the populace which gathered below.

The entry to his private quarters was through a strong narrow passage where he had chained four tigers.

Within this was the hall of Tipu Sultan into which very few persons, except Meer saheb, were admitted. Behind this was his bed chamber which communicated with the hall by a door and two windows. The door was strongly secured from the inside and a close iron grating defended the windows.

The sultan, lest any person fire on him, slept on a hammock, which was suspended from the roof by chains. In the hammock were a pair of swords and a pistol. The only other passage from this private quarters was into the Zenana or women's apartments. Buchanan says there were 600 women, when the palace was taken by the British troops.

Outside Srirangapatna are two other palaces which are now occupied by the Resident and Commandant of the British forces. The gardens are laid out at considerable expense. He says the palace at Lalbagh is the handsomest building he has ever seen. Near to it is the mausoleum of Hyder where Tipu is buried.

Buchanan also discounts the native estimate that Srirangapatna had nearly five lakhs people within its fortifications. He counted the number of houses and says the number would not exceed a few thousands.

Buchanan them once again made his way to Bangalore and from Bangalore he travelled to Doddaballapur, Chikaballapur, Nandi Hills and Mangalore.  

In Bangalore, he visited the Lalbagh and he leaves a short description of the gardens. He credits Hyder with the founding of Bangalore.

Buchanan’s accounts are fairly accurate and his description of Srirangapatna and its surroundings are a testimony to the painstaking job that he carried out at the behest of the Governor-General Wellesley.  

This Brinjal is not a vegetable

It is by no stretch of imagination a brinjal. Yet it is called so. Moreover, it is not a vegetable but a fruit but in India it is called a vegetable and people prepare dishes with it.

Though it does not originate in India, it is named after an Indian city. The entire plant is a gastronomic delight. Most people think that only the fruit is edible. However, its root, stem, seeds and leaves are edible as well.

The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables, while the shoots and leaves are often consumed in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia. Like other members of the gourd family, such as cucumbers, melons, and squash, chayote has a sprawling habit, and it should only be planted if there is plenty of room in the garden.

It is known by different names in different countries and even in India it is known by different names in different states. Though it was not a native of India, it is now one of the most widely consumed vegetable.

First introduced in Bangalore in the 1800s, it has quickly taken root and today it is grown across several states, including Karnataka.

The credit for introducing this foreign vegetable, sorry fruit, goes to James Cameroon, the then Superintendent of Lalbagh.  Cameroon was personally entrusted with the job of looking after the Cypress Gardens in Bangalore soon after the death of Tipu Sultan in Srirangapatna on May 4, 1799.

Cameroon took his job with sincerity and went about his task with utmost  dedication and devotedness. He imported several varieties of plants, flowers and trees and planted them in Lalbagh.

One  of his imports was Chow Chow which is also called as Bangalore Brinjal. The name Bangalore Brinjal is misleading as it did not originate in the city. However, it was in Bangalore that this was first introduced.

The Bangalore Brinjal is actually a native of south America. If the keenness to document local plants went hand-in-hand with an awareness of plants across the world. Due to the moderate weather in Bangalore, he introduced many foreign varieties, one of which is the chow-chow or "Bangalore brinjal", a plant native to Middle America.

It is more popularly known as the chayote (Sechium edule). Other names are christophene or christophine, cho-cho, mirliton or merleton, chuchu (Brazil), centinarja (Malta), pear squash, vegetable pear, chouchoute, choko, pipinola, güisquil (El Salvador).

Chayote is originally native to Mexico where it grows abundantly and has little commercial value. Subsequently, it was introduced as a crop all over Latin America, and worldwide. The main growing regions are Brazil, Costa Rica, Veracruz  and Mexico. While Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the European Union,  Veracruz exporters mainly to the United States.

The plant was first recorded by botanists in P Browne’s  1756 work, “The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica”. In 1763, it was classified by Jacquin as Sicyos edulis and by Adanson as Chocho edulis. It was left to Swartz  to include it in 1800 in its current genus Sechium.

Chayote is popular in South Indian cuisine. It is referred to as Bangalore brinjal and is used in vegetable stews.

In TamilNadu, it is known as Chuw Chuw and is widely used in everyday cooking for Saambar or Kootu. Kannidigas call it Seeme Badanekai.

Whether raw or cooked, our Bangalore Brinjal is an excellent source of amino acids and vitamin C.

The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension and to dissolve kidney stones.

Chayote is good for the heart and may even help prevent cancer.
An excellent source of folate, this is a B vitamin which helps prevent homocystein build-up. Studies have shown that too much of this amino acid in the blood is linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.
It also helps prevent cancer as it has abundant Vitamin C. This Vitamin is known as one of the most powerful antioxidants which can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent cancer development. It also helps the body produce energy. Its manganese content helps the body convert protein and fat to energy.
Recent research has pinpointed that Bangalore Brinjal can help
prevent constipation as its fiber promotes bowel regularity. It also keeps the thyroid healthy, prevents acne, leg cramps and bone loss and reduces blood pressure.   
Bangalore Brinjal is also good for the brain as the Vitamin B6 helps improve memory.  

The Sultan and his fruits

Over the last few years, Karnataka has emerged as a major horticultural hub of India and part of the credit must go to Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore.

As per the latest estimates, horticultural crops occupy an area of 18 lakh hectares with a production 136.38 lakh tonnes. Although the area under horticulture comprises only 14.44 per cent of the net cultivated area, the total income from this sector stands at 40 per cent of the total income derived from the combined agriculture sector (This includes income from agriculture, floriculture and horticulture put together). This sector accounts for 17 per cent of the GDP of the state.

Tipu Sultan took keen interest in the cultivation of crops, planting of  trees and encouraging setting up of farms and gardens in his Mysore State.

People today seem to have remembered only Lalbagh in Bangalore as Tipu’s green gift to the people of the State. What they have forgotten or seem not to know is that this ruler took an active interest in greening of the entire Mysore State that he ruled.

Tipu encouraged planning of mango and cypress trees. Such trees were not only planted in Lalbagh but also in his gardens in Srirangapatna, Sangam, Ganjam, Sira, Malavalli and many villages around Srirangapatna-Mysore and Bangalore-Mysore belt.

Tipu also took keen interest in developing varieties of mangoes and he encouraged people to go in for large-scale mango cultivation. When he died in 1799, the British found thousands of mango trees in Malavalli in Mandya district. Unfortunately, the mango grove is gone and all we can see today is a vast expanse of green.

Tipu also planted a number of trees in and around Srirangapatna. The Gumbaz and Dari Daulat in Srirangapatna were full of flowering plants and shrubs. Even Lord Cornwallis, the then Governor-General of India, was moved to remark that when he visited Srirangapatna, he found it to be full of gardens and farms.

Tipu was a pioneer in developing different species of plants and trees. He sent missions abroad, particularly to Iran and Turkey, to collect seeds of flowering plants, vegetables and fruits including the famed Ganjam fig and the Devanahalli pomelo.

There are enough records to prove Tipu’s interest in developing horticulture. In 1799, immediately after the defeat of Tipu Sultan, the British asked Francis Buchanan to survey South India.

Buchanan visited several places in south India, including the erstwhile Kingdom of Tipu, and wrote the historical work, “A journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar (1807)”.

This book gives an interesting account of horticultural fields which were called tota, as they existed during Tipu’s regime. Buchanan lists 48 types of vegetables grow in Mysore State and also the four types of Thota- tarkari tota or kitchen gardens; tayngana or Tengina tota or coconut gardens, Yele tota or betel-leaf gardens and Huvina tota or flower gardens.

Tipu’s library, when looted by the British, had many books on fruit bearing plants and their management. Interestingly, the library had also a book in which Buchanan had taken notes on horticulture when he attended lectures at the Botanical gardens in Edinberg in 1780 in Scotland.

Buchanan had lost the manuscript and it had come into the possession of Tipu. The book was bound in leather and was discovered in his library in 1799.     
Records indicate that an 80-member mission headed by Mohammed Darwesh Khan was sent by Tipu to France. The mission reached Paris on July 16, 1788, and met the French Emperor and handed over a memorandum given by Tipu.
Among other things, the memorandum sought seeds of flowering plants, vegetables, European fruit plants and trees. The mission was successful in procuring spice plants and camphor seedlings from Molucca.
Tipu next sent a trade mission to Turkey which met Sultan Hameed in Constantinopole on November 5, 1787. It carried large quantities of black pepper, cardamom, sandal wood  and succeeded in identifying an overseas market for this produce.

The mission brought back seeds of many flowers, vegetables and fruits.The famous Ganjam variety of fig was brought from Turkey.
Tipu also wrote to the Darogha at Muscat and instructed him to buy saffron seeds and date palms. The Darogha was also asked to obtain silk worms from Qishm island and send them to Srirangapatna along with a few men knowledgeable about sericulture.
The Mysore Kingdom encouraged farmers to cultivate mulberry in their lands. In several diplomatic and trade missions sent by Tipu Sultan to countries like Muscat, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Penang, export and import of horticultural produce was a major component.
Tipu encouraged Tigalas near Salem to come to Bangalore and Mysore and lend their expertise in cultivation of vegetables. Several families of Tigalas migrated to Bangalore, Hoskote, Kolar, Devanahalli and Sira, and helped the State boost cultivation of vegetables.

Tipu exempted farmers growing vegetable crops and cash crops like cashew, cardamom and cinnamon from payment of land revenue. The famous Devanahalli pomelo was also introduced by Tipu.
He made it mandatory for the village patels to plant avenue trees on either sides of the roads throughout his kingdom. He wanted mango and tamarind trees to be planted.

Hyder Ali, father of Tipu, laid the foundation of Lalbagh in Bangalore. Initially, the Lalbagh was in the style of Char-bagh and it was planned on 40 acres.  
Hyder imported plants form Delhi, Multan, Lahore and Arcot, apart from laying out a garden at Malvalli and another fruit garden at Srirangapatna, also called Lalbagh.
Tipu expanded the Lalbagh in Bangalore by acquiring more land. The garden was earlier known as cypress garden because the roads from the entrance to the garden and inside the garden were lined with cypress trees.

This is evident from a painting of this garden drawn on the spot by R H Colebrooke and published in 1793 at London. Another painting of the Lalbagh by James Hunter published in 1805 and showing many cypress trees is captioned East view of Bangalore with the Cypress garden.
The Lalbagh of Srirangapatna was equally well-known. The Gardens around the Gumbaz where both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan are buried were full of fruit trees, flowers and vegetables of every description. This Lalbagh is also believed to have served as a nursery for the kingdom. Fruits like apples, pears, guava and plantains were successfully grown here.

Betel nuts, coconuts, sandalwood, sugarcane, indigo, cotton, mulberry, cereals and pulses were also grown.
Unfortunately, many of the magnificent Cypress trees in and around Srirangapatna were axed by the British during the Third Mysore War (1792) to provide firewood for British troops. After the war, Tipu restored much of the glory. But in the final war of 1799, British troops breached the fort wall and devastated Lalbagh. Nothing remains of this garden today except a painting of the entrance to Lalbagh at Srirangapatna by James Hunter (1805).
The fruit orchard at Malavalli also no longer exists. Buchanan who visited this garden after Tipu’s death noticed 2,400 trees with mangoes and oranges in abundance.

What is little known is that Tipu’s love for horticulture was so great that he linked this with dispensation of justice. For petty offences, convicts had to plant fast growing plants and for major offences, they had to plant trees like jamun, mango and coconut.

In 1788, Tipu Sultan issued a circular to all Amildars and in 1792 he passed a regulation that the fines of the farmers shall be commuted if the offender plants two trees, waters them and nurtures them till they reach a certain prescribed height.
No wonder, horticulture in the State has taken off. Today, even the farmers of dryland areas of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Gulbarga and Raichur are being encouraged to go in for horticulture cultivation.

About 58,000 hectares has been brought under horticultural crops through the watershed programmes. Horticulture provides higher unit productivity and offers great scope for value addition and this sector is taking inroads throughout the length and breadth of the state.

 Karnataka has the highest acreage under dry farming in the country next only to Rajasthan. At present, there are 1533 licensed processing units in the State with annual production of 2 lakh tons of processed products. The processed fruits are Mango, Grapes, Pineapple, Papaya, Guava and others.  The major vegetables processed are Tomato, Potato, peas, Gherkins and others

The state has emerged as the country's largest exporter of pomegranates.

Farmers in north Karnataka had exported as much as 700 tonnes of pomegranates and had dethroned neighbouring Maharashtra. Maharashtra exported 600 tonnes of pomegranates annually last fiscal. The first two months of the current fiscal saw exports already cross the 200 tonnes mark.

Horticultural crops are grown in an area of 16,300 km² and the annual production is about 9.58 million tons. The income generated from horticulture constitutes over 40 per cent of income generated from agriculture and its is about 17 per cent of the state's GDP.

An offshoot of  horticulture is floriculture. Karnataka occupies the second position in India in terms of production and 700 tons of flowers (worth Rs. 500 million).

A majority of the 3500 crore silk industry in India is headquartered in Karnataka, particularly in the North Bangalore regions of Muddenahalli, Kanivenarayanapura and Doddaballapur and the Ramanagar-Channapatna-Maddur region.

The Srirangapatna that I know

I was born n Mysore and did part of my schooling in the CFRTI school. As a Mysorean, I grew up on the heroic tales of Tipu, the magnificent Dasara procession and the Wodeyars.

Srirangapatna, to me was just a train stop away.

I must have visited Srirangapatna more than a hundred times and each time the small little island on the Cauvery has given me a surprise. I would like to share some of the most memorable moments of the place and also the historical spots in and around the fort town.

Srirangapatna is 26 kms from its district headquarters of Mandya and 14 kms from Mysore. It is surrounded on all sides by Cauvery.

Srirangapatna was also known as Srirangapura, Thiruvaranga Narayana Chaturvedi Mangala, Gautama Kshetra and Ubhaya Kaveri Madhyavarti.

Avinasheshwara, a Sanskrit poet, refers to the town as Karivaradarajapura and the British records call it as Seringapatam.

This Jaladurga or island fort was initially built by Thimanna Hebbar, a Palegar chief of Nagamangala in 1454 A.D.

Raja Wodeyar (1610A.D.) and Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1654 A.D.) built the eastern second round fort wall.  Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar arranged for the cannons to be kept on the bastions near the inner fort, outer fort and the Jeebi entrance doors.

Some of the monuments of Srirangapatna are:

Jamia Masjid

Tipu constructed the masjid to the right of  the Ganjam Gate in 1782 A.D. It is built on the base of a Hanumantha temple and this fact is recorded by the Department of the Archaeology in its report of 1935.

The Masjid’s Mehrab is artistic and towards the top, it turns westwards. After crossing the pond and climbing the steps, one finds the decorated artistic wall of the spacious upper storied hall.  It contains selected verses of Quran as well as 99 names of Allah written in beautiful calligraphy.

Nearby is the water gate and a plaque indicating the place where the body of Tipu was found on May 4, 1799.

Gangadhareshwara Temple

Next to this is the Gangadhareshwara temple facing east, a Hoysala structure with many additions during Vijayanagar- Mysore regime. The Dalvays- ministers of the Wodeyars- also contributed to the temple. The main garbhagriha houses a Shivalinga referred to as Gangadhareshwara. Just behind this temple is the Prasanna Parvathi temple.

There are five inscriptions regarding this temple. Three of them refer to land grants and the other two refer to the services by Kalale Nanjarajaiah who established the Panchaloha Dakshina Murthy sculpture in the temple as well as a certain Shivarama Pandita who consecrated the deity of Tandaveshwara.

The temple has beautiful sculptures of Shanmukha, Saptamatrika, Narayana, Mahishamardini, Surya, Aditya Bhairava,

Veerabhadra, Panchamukhi Gayathri and other idols.

In the small shrines of this temple complex are Shivalingas like Omkareshwara, Avamukteshwara, Samvartakeshwara as well as idols of  15 devotees among the 63 Shiva devotees of Tamil nadu.

A record dated 1610 A.D. from Kilagere (Chamarajanagar

taluk) refers to a Veerashaiva Matha that existed in this temple.
Lal Mahal

The site to the right and in front of the Gangadhareshwara temple is the location of  Lal Mahal, the palace of Hyder and Tipu of which only the basement remains.

Once a grand palace that flourished with decorations during the Tipu’s regime, it later became a godown for sandalwood collection for some time.

Ranganatha temple

This is the most imposing structure of Srirangapatna. A legend says that this place was named Gautama Kshetra because saint Gautama and his wife Ahalya who came from the north, settled here in an hermit (ashram) and worshipped Ranganatha which was situated in a Tulasi garden.

The Ranganatha temple faces east and it is built in Dravidian style. It is one of the biggest temples in the State. It houses a crowned and richly ornamented Ranganatha sculpture in sleeping posture on a big serpent (Adishesha), resting his head on his right hand, and turning to his right flanks.

A local legend states that the world will come to an end when the deity wakes up and stars to measure with the help of  “seer” being used as his pillow.

The deity is about ten feet in its length, placed across in the north and south directions in the garbhagriha is a beautiful single stone sculpture.

At the feet of the deity are sculptures of Cauvery and the saint Gautama in worshipping postures. The doorframe of the garbhagriha is attractive with Gajalakshmi on its lintel, as well as doorkeepers on either side.

The six hexagonal ceilings has lotus decorations. The temple was expanded during the reign of the Nagamangala chief Samanta Thimmanna Dandanayaka (1458 A.D.) and then it became more popular.

A record dated 1528 A.D., from Srirangapatna refers for the first time the addition of the Ranganayaki temple in the complex during

the Vijayanagar regime. It is believed that Alamelamma wife of Thirumalaraya, the representative of the Vijayanagar regime used to lend her ornaments for decorations to the goddess  every Tuesdays and Fridays.

It is also believed that the present nose ring now on the deity belongs to Alamelamma.

On the outer Prakara of the temple are separate temples housing beautiful sculptures of Garuda, Suryanarayana, Lakshminarasimha, Kodandarama, Gajendra Varaprasada, Prasanna Venkataramana, Hanumantha and others.

Hydernama refers to the repairs undertaken by Hyder Ali in 1774 A.D. when a portion of the temple caught fire. The repaired portion was the Patalankana of the temple.

Hanging bridge

In 1808 A.D., Col. D. Haviland, a French Engineer who specilised in Arch structure, constructed a 112-feet long hanging arch bridge made out of bricks and stucco.

It is said that the bridge was actually swinging up and down for about one and half inch like a spring. Nevertheless, it collapsed in 1939 A.D.

Now, only some remnants of the bridge remains are seen. This structure, which is in ruins, is close to the Ranganatha temple

Wellesley Bridge

Welleslley Bridge, also known as Kirangur bridge, was built across the north Cauvery by Diwan Purnaiah during 1807 and named after the then Governor General  Lord Welleslley.

There is the ruined structure of the Palace that was a residence for the representatives of the Vijayanagar regime and the Mysore kings in front of the Ranganatha temple. It is known that during Tipu’s reign, the family of Mysore kings had their refuge in this palace.

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

A little away from the palace, is a spacious Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple. Its outer Prakara is lost.

This temple built during the reign of Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar has sculptures of Narasimha sitting in the posture of embracing Lakshmi, on an elevated pedestal as well as Ambegalu Krishna.

In a garbhagriha to the left of the rangamantapa of the shrine, is a three and a half feet high sculpture of Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar with a record on its base.

The Lakshminarasimha sculpture was brought from Thiruchinapalli by the Narasaraja Wodeyar.

During the reign of the king Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar, the

temple was expanded. Tipu destroyed the shikhara and the mukhamantapa of this temple. He had converted this as a mint. After the death of Tipu, it was Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar who renovated this temple.

Krishnaraja Mandira

A little distance away, at the place of birth of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, a building called Krishnaraja Mandira was constructed. Now it houses the State Archaeological Museum.

Pete Rama Temple

The barber community administers the Pete Rama temple located in the market street near the Fort. A record dated 1537 A.D. refers to the exemption of some taxes given to the barbers of Srirangapatna area by Mahamandaleshwara Rama Rajayya Maha Arasu.

Recently an idol of Tyagaraja, the musical giant was established. Sacred mud from the Tyagaraja tomb at Thiruvayyar

was brought to this place while establishing this tomb.

Every year a music festival is held worshipping Tyagaraja and Purandaradasa, with pomp and gaiety.

The Jyotirmayi temple in the same road is also a spacious temple. Three records dated between 1852 and 1864 A.D. refer to the grants given to the Kalamma temple.

Adinath Temple

The Adinatha temple, a temple dedicated to the first Jain

Theerthankara Vrishabhanatha has been completely renovated. Sculptures of Dharanedra Yaksha and Padmavathi Yakshi the main deities of the Ganga period in the garbhagriha are noteworthy.

A record dated 1666 A.D. on the left wall of the mukhamantapa of the Basadi refers to the grant given to the treasury of Adishesha at Srirangapatna by a certain Payanna and Rajayya, the disciples of

Charukeerti Panditacharya.

Flag mast

The National flag is being hoisted during the Independence Day celebrations on the flag bastion located at the southeast corner of the fort.

This place supposed to be the place of sky-high flag hoist

during the Vijayanagar, Mysore, Tipu and British regimes.

Nearby is a ruined Gun Powder Chamber of Tipu’s regime. In addition, there are Ankalamma, Lakshminarayana, Santana Gopalakrishna, Nagareshwara, Janardhana, Anjaneya and other old temples as well as temples of Ayyappa, Subramanya, and

Shatakoti Rama Mandira.

The place also has Uttaradi Matha, Raghavendra Matha, Yathiraja Matha and a sacred temple of  Madhwaswamy near the water gate.

Daria Daulat

Outside the fortified area to the east, on the road to Sangam, lies the attractive garden and the summer palace of Tipu, called Daria Daulat (a sea of wealth).

This was also Tipu’s  rest house and an amusement centre.

Reese, a foreign traveler, has stated that there is no other place like this in India except for the Palace at Esphan in its decorations of color paintings spread throughout the walls.

The palace is in Indo Sarcenic style. Originally, the east and west walls of the building had scenes of the battle of Kanchipura (1780 A.D.), pictures of Hyder-Tipu, different Palegar Chiefs and Kings in varieties of  colours. However, Tipu defaced these paintings before the invasion of Srirangapatna by the British in 1799 A.D.

After the fall of Srirangapatna, this palace became the residence of Col.Wellessly and the wall paintings in color were repainted and reconstructed. Lord Dalhousie in 1855 A.D., once again ordered the paintings to be redone with the help of local artists. Even though these color paintings are repainted twice, the original forms have been retained.

The paintings are important as they give us minute details of the soldiers and their dresses belonging to British, French, Maratha, Nizam and local Palegar chiefs.

Tipu built this palace in 1784 A.D., on the model of a palace built by the Moghul Governor Dilawar Khan at Sira in Tumkur district.

Tipu used to call upon the Ambassadors at this palace and then  return back to the residential place inside the fort. It is said that initially there was a Mahanavami Mantapa in the place and the Mysore kings were celebrating Dasara festival from it. Afterwards in 1711 A.D., Hyder had converted the place as an army camp.

Shahar Ganjam

Situated to the left of the Summer palace this was the market place. Tipu established this city as a residence for the family of artistes he brought from Sira for manufacturing paper and silver-wired headgears.

A record refers to a jam-packed Sira Bazar and after the attack of the Plague in 1799 A.D. , it was neglected.

Church

Near the Daria Daulat is the Church of Abbe Dube. The church is named after the French priest who constructed the structure. A record dated 1880 A.D on the bell tower of the church refers to it.

The Church is a simple structure in Indo French style. Inside the Church, articles such as French water pot, artistic cross, the

sculpture of the Christ as well as the picture of a priest, his clothing, his chairtable and others are still preserved.

The tower bell made out of brass weighs 200 kilograms.

Nimishamba Temple

The Nimishamba-Mukteshwara temple on the northern banks of  Cauvery  is near Ganjam. It has a Puranic legend attached to its structure.

The legend says that the goddess Adishakti, at the request of saint Mukthamuni, bore different forms in a fraction of a minute or Nimisha to kill demon Janumandala who had the power to bore different forms in a minute. Hence, the name Nimishamba

Boating facilities are available here.

A large number of devotees visit this place during Tuesdays and Fridays.

Gosai Ghat

This Ghat is about one km away on the southern bank of  Cauvery. It is to the right of the road to Gumbaz. Between the two Ghats, the smaller ghat has a small temple and a bathing ghat.

The bigger ghat is called Gosai ghat. It has a temple complex on the banks of the river dedicated to deities such as Ishwara, Hanumantha, and Kashi Vishwanatha.

The spacious Kashi Vishwanatha temple is the main shrine and the flow of Cauvery in front of the temple should be seen to be believed.

Bailey tomb

A record of 1816 A.D.,  at the memorial tomb of Col. Baily states that it was constructed by his half brother. Col. John Beli.

By the side of this, is the site of the Lalbagh Palace.

Hyder started construction of the [palace which was completed by Tipu. The structure had two floors, whose rooms and the corridors were attractive.

During the invasion of  Srirangapattana in 1792 A.D., Lord Cornwallis stayed in this palace. The dead bodies of British soldiers were also cremated here.

The palace was repaired in 1799 A.D., and Col. Barry Best bena staying here. Afterwards the structure was neglected and it became dilapidated.

The structure was in a ruined state during the visit of Rev Hoole in 1822 A.D. itself. British records say the building was destroyed and the teak wood furnishings reused to build a new structure of the Saint Stephen Church as well as restructuring the Trinity Church at Ooty.

Gumbaz

On the right side of the road to Sangam from Gosai Ghat are the tombs of Hyder, Tipu and their family members. This is the Gumbaz.

Tipu had built the Gumbaz in 1784 A.D., as a tomb for his

father Hyder. British records refer to Gumbaz as a garden full of fruit – flower-bearing plants brought from Kabul and Kandahar. Fruit plants like Mango, Apple, Orange, Lime, Seethaphala, Dalimbe, Rose apple and Hippu Nerale were planted in the garden.

Dalhousie installed the beautiful gates etched in ivory in 1855 A.D. The Gumbaz houses the tombs of Hyder at the centre, his wife Fakrunnisa Seydani Begum to the east, and the tomb of Tipu towards the west.

Their coffins are buried in the cellar. The tombs are covered with shawls of different colours and worshipped daily. Tipu’s eighth son Ghulam Mohammed has given gold lined clothing as an offering to be used on special occasions.

The special festival referred as Tipu Urs is held. Along with the tombs of Hyder Ali (1782 A.D.), and Tipu (1799 A.D.), there are tombs of other army chiefs like Benki Nawab (1799), Imam Saab, Syed Aameed as well as that of Kamaruddin (half brother of Tipu) and his wife (Tipu’s foster mother).

The tomb houses a good library. The structure is surrounded by a pillared corridor.

There is a Masjid adjacent to tomb’s platform. Among the seven Persian records in the Gumbaz, one on the western wall has eight verses in Persian and describes in glittering words, the tomb of Hyder built by Tipu.

The record dated 1799 A.D., on Tipu’s tomb describes profusely in seven Persian and two Arabic verses, the character of Tipu who fought and died while protecting Srirangapatna.

Sangam

Going towards the east from Gumbaz, one can see the beautiful confluence of the northern and southern branches of Cauvery as well as Lokapavani.

There is a PWD travelers Bungalow which originally belonged to Dewan Purnaiah. IT also housed Harris, a British Officer.

The nearby Scott Bungalow is a structure of the Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar regime and was the residence of Col. Scott, an Officer in the British Canon Regiment.

A record dated 1807 A.D. refers to the death of the Col., who became mentally ill, because of the death of his wife and daughter. There is an ancient Sriranganatha temple in the same area which requires publicity.

Pachima Vahini

This is a branch of the southern Cauvery, where the river flows a little bit to the west and then to the east forming a small island in the southwest corner of Srirangapatna. The name Paschima vahini applies to both the river as well as the place. It is a holy place. A bath during Sankranti here has become famous.

The King’s ghat, the bathing ghat, mantapas, aravattiges, temples and feeding houses established by the Mysore kings in this place provides centres for people to perform the yearly ceremonies, immersing the bones and ashes as well as the pindas of their deceased elders.

A ceremony here is believed to provide moksha to the deceased. Now a days even marriages are also held here. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed here.

The statue of Hanumantha here was installed by the Madhwa saint Vyasa Raja. The feeding houses of Wodeyar family, Nandi Basappa, Gadi Chaluvaraya Shetty, Chowdayya, Rangacharya of Andapura are in ruins.

The beautiful tomb of Kempananjammanni, the Queen of Khasa Chamaraja Wodeyar, is situated by the side of the Railway line.

Chandravana

This place is one km away from Paschima Vahini. A record here refers to the stone bund built across the river Cauvery during the reign of Hoysala Narasimha and other records refer to the beautiful Stucco sculptures of Narayana, Cheluvaraya and Keshava in the temple of Cheluvarayaswamy.

Between the two temples is the Chamarajeshwara temple built in 1898 A.D. It was built by Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in the name of his father Chamaraja Wodeyar.

The Cheluvarayaswamy temple is also a structure of the

Mysore kings with beautiful stucco sculptures. The mantapa at a nearby place where the river Cauvery branches, is referred as Gautama Mantapa.

Gautama Kshetra

This is on the other side of the Cauvery and it is believed to be the residence of Gautama and his wife when they stayed here. Therefore, it is called Gautama Kshetra.

Gautama worshipped Ranganatha and Thirumalaraya.

To reach this place one has to cross the branches of Cauvery on old bridge, as well as through the road to Rampur. The bird sanctuary of Ranganatithu is very near to Paschima vahini.