The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
He was called ‘The Tiger of
Mysore’, but it is Srirangapatna that stands a silent witness to his exploits.
The town might be named for the reclining Lord, Sri Ranganatha, but it is Tipu
Sultan, who made this small town his capital and the focal point of his
multiple wars against the British, who is most remembered here. All over the
town are scattered reminders of those momentous years, when the town and its
fort bore the brunt of the British might, and survived, over and over again,
till it finally fell, with its bravest king. Tipu’s life began near Bangalore,
and took him across Southern India in his bid for freedom, and following his
trail is not an easy task. However, a walk through Srirangapatna allows us to
follow his footsteps to a small extent. Join me as I try to follow his trail,
visiting 6 monuments connected to his memory.
1. Ruins
of Srirangapatna Fort and Palace
The first indication that
Srirangapatna is indeed a fort, comes right at the outskirts, when the
crumbling fortifications talk of the time the sound of cannons reverberated
through the now silent countryside. The fort was first built by the Hoysala
kings, and expanded during the reign of the Vijayanagar Empire, but it was
under Tipu that the fort saw the most long-lasting battles.
Tipu’s palace in Srirangapatna
was once an imposing structure, but only ruins remain today, like the rest of
the fort. Tipu Sultan is said to have been an ardent Muslim, devoted to his
religion. However, he is also known to have made massive donations and provided
help to various temples in the region. His palace was built near both, the
Sriranganatha Temple, and the Jama Masjid, so he could hear both, the temple
bells as well as the calls to prayer, at both shrines.
2. Dungeons
Where there are forts, there are
dungeons, and in Srirangapatna are two dungeons that speak to us of two
different wars. Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon, very near the temple, is where the
colonel was imprisoned during the second Mysore War. The chain posts built into
the walls and a sole cannon which fell through the roof are grim reminders of
those terrible times, but fascinating to see as monuments to our interesting
history.
The Thomas Inman’s dungeon, on
the other hand, was used to imprison the Marathas, who then sided with the
British, but at present, this dungeon is not in any condition to enter.
3. Jama
Masjid
The Jama Masjid or the
Masjid-e-Ala, was built by Tipu after he ascended the throne of Mysore. The
towering turrets even today stand tall over the surroundings, the sole
survivors of Tipu’s legacy here.
4. Dariya
Daulat Bagh
14 Km from Srirangapatna, on the
banks of the Kaveri, is Dariya Daulat Bagh, Tipu’s summer palace. A simple,
wooden structure, built in an Indo Saracenic style, in the centre of a
sprawling garden, the most fascinating thing about the palace are its walls,
covered with paintings, showing the battles of Hyder Ali and Tipu. The
paintings are so incredibly detailed, with so many interesting facets, that one
can simply spend hours poring over them. Today, the palace houses a museum,
dedicated to Tipu, filled with his memorabilia.
5. Place
where Tipu’s body was found
Tipu’s final battle was just as
impressive as his entire life. He fought, side by side with his men, against
multiple British soldiers, and he was found, with the rest of his men,
surrounded by the dead bodies of all those he had sent to an early grave. It
was perhaps a fitting end that he died as he lived, firm in his quest for
freedom, killed by a shot by an unknown soldier. A simple stone marks this
spot, installed by Colonel Wellesly, which only goes to show that even his
enemies admired him, even while they fought against him!
6. Gumbaz
– Tipu’s Mausoleum
Tipu lived a tough life, filled
with conflict, forever on the move. However, he lies at rest, in the most
peaceful of places, on the banks of the Kaveri, near his summer palace. This
was the place he chose for his parents’ memorials, and it is here that he lies
too, along with the rest of his family. This structure, like his other
monuments, is built in the Indo Saracenic style, and filled with intricate
details. Verdant lawns surround the structure, irrigated by the waters of the
holy river. All around are scattered other memorials, to his family members,
and even friends and courtiers. On the
inner walls of his mausoleum are painted stripes in the colours of the Tiger.
After all, he was the ‘Tiger of Mysore’!
Srirangapatna is just 19 Km from
Mysore, and worth a whole day to itself. Make sure you visit the Sri Ranganatha
Temple at the centre of the town, and, if you are interested in nature, do
spare a few hours for the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
This post was originally published on the Club Mahindra blog. You can read it here.
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Indeed he was a great man. I like your blog because it has very interesting information and has great pictures. I see you have a lot of love for traveling. Keep up the good work. I have learned many things from you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Marcia!
Delete@Anuradha, India is truly a nation so rich in history and relics that I am quite sure every city has the relics of several Sultans, Maharajas and Chatrapatis to boast of. You have shared some impeccable photographs that leave me awestruck.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Amrita! You are so right! every corner of our country has gems like these! Its up to us to appreciate and preserve them though...
Deleteयह लेख मेरे दिनचर्या में एक बदलाव लाने के लिए मेरे लिए प्रेरणादायक साबित हुआ है। आपके लेखन की गहराई का मैंने सही मायने में अनुभव किया है। मेरा यह लेख भी देखें उडुपी के दार्शनिक स्थल
ReplyDelete