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Location:
Srirangapattana renowned for its seemingly impregnable fort, associated with the great ruler Tipu Sultan, is situated at the western end of an oval shaped island formed by the two branches of the Cauvery, in Mandya district of Karnataka. It is 15km North-east of Mysore and 120 km to the south-west of Bangalore.
Historical
Introduction:
The history of Srirangapatana commences from the 9th century A.D. as revealed in an inscription of a Ganga chieftain by name Tirumalaiah, the founder of the temple of Sriramganatha. Later on Hoysala king Vishnuvardana (1108-1152) conferred on Ramanuja, and his disciples. “Astagramas” or eight villages of including the tract of land on either side of the river Cauvery at Srirangapatana. Timmanna one once of the descendants of Hebbars, built o fort at sriranhgapatana with the permission of Devaraya, the Vijayanagar king in early fifteenth century. The town and the fort assumed such strategic importance that Sauva Narasa, father of krishnadevaraya, took possession of Srirangapatna and afterwards it was ruled by the Viceroys of Vijayanagar kings, With the downfall of Vijayanagar in 1565 A. D. the powers of the Viceroys dwindled and the Wodeyars of Mysore, though acknowledging the nominal suzerainty of Vijayanagar, obtained possession of Srirangapatna in 1610 A. D.
The political situation in the second half of the eighteenth century is marked by a period when the Mugahals were on the decline, the Marathas were rising into prominence and the Europeans were transforming themselves into a political power. It was during this service of Nawab of Sira, accompanied Nanjaraja, Minister of Mysore Wodeyars, on his Trichunapalli campaigns in 1751 and, in 1755 and, in 1766 he assumed the entire control of the state. From then onwards the history of Srirangapatna as that of South India revolves round Hider and his son Tipu, who ere to revive Srirangapatna from doldrums to a powerful unified state bounded by the river Krisha in the north, Travancore in the south, the Easteren ghats and the Arabian sea in the east and west respectively.
After establishing himself in power Haider extended the boundaries in all directions. He was a great soldier, conqueror and administrators. He along with his son Tipu fought four wars against the English, Known as Mysore wars. The first two battles were won by Haider and Tipu with the help of the French. Haider died on 7th December 171782 at Narasingarayanapet near Chitor and was buried in an impressive mausoleum on the outskirts of Srirangapatna.
After the death of Haider, Tipu (1750-1799) was enthroned as the ruler on 4th May 1783 in a simle ceremony at Bednur. Tipu was a man of sound moral character, active and patriotic. Well educated, able to speak Arabic, Kannada, Persian and Urdu, a valiant soldier and a tactful general. In 1792 A.D. at the end of the Third Mysore War Tipu was forced to sign a treaty conceding nearly half his territories and agreeing to pay three crores of rupees as a war indemnity, pending payment of which, two of his sons where taken away as hostages by the English.
In the Fourth Mysore War Tipu died fighting on 4th May 1799 after the fall of Srirangapatna, the English installed Krishnaraja Wodeyar III a body of five years as the ruler and the capital was shifted to Mysore, since then Srirangapatna has lost its importance its ruined fort. Temples, palaces and mosques stand as eloquent testimony to its glorious past.
Daria
Daulat Palace:
 The palace located amidst the Daria Daulat Bagh houses the Tipu Sultan Museum. Built in the year 1784 the structure is in Indo-Islamic style. Constructed mostly of teakwood. The building is rectangular in plan and stands on a raised platform. Open corridors run along its four sides with wooden pillars at the edges of the Plinth. While the western and eastern wings have walls the other tow wings have recessed bays with pillars supporting the roof so that the upper two fairly large audience halls. There are four stair-cases which are inconspicuous, built in the four partition walls that divide the audience hall into four rooms at four corners with a central hall connecting the eastern and western corridors. The most striking feature of this building is that every inch if space on the walls, pillars, canopies and arches is painted colorfully and artistically, while the outer walls of the palace confine to battle scenes and portrait paintings, the interior walls are decorated with scrolls of thin foliage and floral pattern. The wooden ceilings are pasted with canvas painted over with floral designs.
 The paintings on the western wall emphasize the glorious victory achieved by Haider and Tipu over the English contingent led by Col Bailee in the battle at Pollilur near Kanchipuram in 1780. The panelson the left wing show the procession of the armies led by Haider and Tipu to the battlefield and on the right wing Col. Vailee is shown seated in at palanquin in dismay with the English army forming a square around him besieged by the Mysoreans. The French soldiers led by Lally, who is seen looking through a telescope, are at the extreme top right.
The top panel shows the Nizam of Hyderabad with his horsemen and elephants arriving near the battlefield too late to be of any help to their allies, the English.
The eastern wall contains many portrait paintings in five rows representing the scenes of Darbars of various contemporary rulers of Tipu and among them mention may be made of the Hindu Rani of Chitor, the Raja of Tanjore, the Raja of Benares, Balaji Rao II Peshwa, Magadi Kempegowda and Madakari Nayaka of Chitradurg and of Krishna Raja Wodeyar II.
The Exhibits:
The Museum exhibits, confined to the ground floor of the palace, mostly pertaining to Tipu Sultan, consist of oil paintings, pencil sketches, aquatints and engravings, coins and medals, costumes, furniture, arms etc.
Oli-paintings
depicting various events during Tipu's time
Oil paintings:
The “Storming of Srirangapattanam”, an oil painting by Sir Robert Ker Porter in 1800 is one of the great historical paintings depicting the final capture of Srirangapattana on 4th May 1799. Many English officers like General Baird, Sgt. Graham, and Col. Dunlop are featured in it. Tipu’s men are on the bridge offering stiff residence. In the background behind the fort walls are part of Tipu’s palace and the minarets of the mosque.
How to go there: Buses ply frequently from Srirangapattana and the auto fare is Rs.10/-
Entry Fees: Rs.5/- and for foreigners 5 US dollars.
Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM.
Masjid E
Ala:
Situated near the Bangalore Gate is the Maszid standing on a high basement with an open court in the front and covered verandah with a spacious prayer hall with the “Mihrab” on the west. There is an inscription mentioning the ninety-nine names of Allah and another records the date of its construction by Tipu in 1787 A.D. The lofty double storied octagonal shaped minarets with pigeonholes surmounted by domes are an added grandeur to the structure.
Gumbaz:
Built by Tipu Sultan between 1782-84, the Gumbaz, an imposing structure in the midst of the Lalbagh garden, stands on a high and wide platform with an open verandah of polished pillars all around. The importance of Gumbaz lies in its well-shaped large dome, ivory inlaid doors, carved stone windows of fine workmanship and inscriptions. Inside are the tombs of Hyder in the center, his wife and his son Tipu on either side. In the verandah and on the platform are the other tombs of Hyder’s family members.
How to go there: City buses ply frequently from Srirangapattana and the auto fare is Rs.25/-
Timings: 8 AM-6.30 PM.
 Sangam:
River Lokapavani joins Cauvery here. It is a picnic spot. From here the river flows towards Tamil Nadu’s Mettur Dam. Private vehicles ply frequently to this place from Srirangapattana and it costs about Rs.30/- by auto if you travel from Srirangapattana.
Gosayi Ghat:
Here there is an ancient temple. A lot of films are being shot here because of its picturesque beauty. This is a very good picnic spot. It is one of the hot favorite spot of lovers!!!
 Sri-Ranganatha
Swami Temple:
The main deity of the temple is Sriranganathaswamy, who is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Different parts of this temple are built in different centuries. The carvings on the pillars of this temple belong to the Hoysala architecture. There are many idols of different “avatharas” of Lord Vishnu. This temple was built during the times of Vijayanagara emperors. The lower “mandap” is supposed to be built during Hyder Ali’s regime. The annual “jaatra” is held in the month of January.
Timings for Darshan: 7.30 AM to 1 PM and 4 pm to 8 PM.
 Nimishamba
Temple:
This temple is on the banks of river Cauvery, about 2 kms from Srirangapattana on the road leading to Sangam. Nimishamba is considered as the incarnation of Parvathi, the goddess wife of Lord Shiva. This is a place where a king by name Muktaraja belonging to “suryavamsha” had performed his penance (tapas). This is considered as a holy place.
In fact Muktaraja had got carved “shrichakra” on a stone and started performing poojas. It has been kept in front of Nimishamba deity inside the temple, which we can see even today. There is a belief that Parvathi is going to clear off all the problems and trouble of her devotees within a minute. That is why she is called as “Nimishamba”. “Nimisha” means a minute.
Muktaraja blessed with “moksha” by Lord Shiva that is why there is a deity by name Moukthikeshwara. This was installed at the time of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar about 300-400 years back.
There would be a fair on “Vasavamba jayanthi”, which is also known as “Nimishamba jayanthi”. On every full moon day there will be special poojas. Everyday from morning 6 to evening 8.30, one can have the “darshan” of goddess.
There is a bus service from the Mysore city to this place. Commuters can also take an auto from Srirangapattana for a rent of Rs.20/-
Ranganathittu
Bird Sanctuary:
4 kms away from Srirangapattana is Ranganathittu, a bird
sanctuary developed around rocky islets on the river
Cauvery. It is covered with ancient mammoth trees. The best
season to visit this bird sanctuary is between May and
November. Birds from as far away as Siberia and even North
America make their home here. Crocodiles basking in the sun
are also a familiar sight here. This is a good place for
nature lovers. Even though private buses ply to
Ranganathittu it is better to have one’s own
vehicle.
Karighatta:
This is a place, which is very near to the city of Mysore at a distance of about 20 kms. A branch of river Cauvery flows down to join the other branch near “Sangam”. Here the river Lokapavani, a tributary to Cauvery joins Cauvery near this hill. On the opposite bank of the river there is also a famous temple of Nimishamba. The deity of the temple, which is on the hill “Karighatta”, is Lord Shrinivasa.
It is believed that the great sage Bhrugu has done the “Prathishthapana” of the deity. It seems that Bhrugu had some curse and got rid off it when he came to this place. This is a place, which has its roots even in Puranas. There is also another belief that all the ill effects, which one is suffering, can be got rid off by performing some aesthetic poojas in this place. There are thousands of devotees, who believe in this God Shrinivasa.
This pilgrimage center is next only to Tirupati, the famous pilgrimage center of the same deity situated in Andra Pradesh. There are lots of long and sharp grasses known as “Dharbe” around the temple. There is a story behind this. When Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of “Varaha”, which means, “pig” he actually shook his body then some of the hairs from the body of Varaha fell on the ground near here. It is those hairs, which have taken the shape of dharbe. Even in “Varaha Purana” we come across this story. In Varaha Purana, Karighatta has been mentioned as “Neelachala”, a Sanskrit word, which means, Blue Mountain.
There is a small plant above the temple, the photo of which have furnished for the readers to see. It is believed that Bhrugu is staying in that plant and even believed that he himself is performing the poojas everyday.
Having such a vast background a place in the puranas having followers in thousands the place is a neglected one by the Government of Karnataka. Even if one is an atheist one can really enjoy oneself by having a look at the natural sceneries and the confluence of Cauvery and Lokapavani.
Every year there is a big fair and thousands of people will come and after having a dip in the river Cauvery will take a darshan of the deity offering their heart felt poojas. The thousands of people who assemble on that day will be fed there on the hill by different groups of devotees. The devotees will prepare food on their own and feed anybody who comes across to the notice of these devotees.
One can reach this place either by bus (Arkere-Bannoor) root or by own vehicle.
Private vehicle fare:
For your convenience we got the fare for different places.
Srirangapattana, Nimishamba, Ganjam, Dariya Daulat, Sangam and Ranganathittu:
Car: Rs. 300/-
Tata Sumo: Rs. 500/-
Accommodation at Srirangapattana:
Amblee Holiday
Resort
Srirangapattana.
Ph: 52358
Rooms: 24
Tariff: Rs.900 for single and
Rs.1200 for double.
Balaji Garden
Resort
Paschimavahini,
Mysore-Bangalore Road,
Srirangapattana.
Ph: 53297 & 53298
Rooms: 40
Tariff:
Double: Rs.260 and for AC Rs.680
Family: Rs.520
Suite: Rs.550
Sri Venkateshwara
Lodge
Mysore-Bangalore Road,
Srirangapattana.
Ph: 52171
Rooms: 26
Tariff:
Double: Rs.120 |
Fort View
Resorts
Bangalore-Mysore Road,
Near Check Post,
Srirangapattana.
Ph: 53177 & 52777
Rooms: 20
Tariff: Regular Rs.850 & Rs.950 for Standard.
Conference Hall Capacity: 50 Max.
Samyuktha
Boarding and Lodging
Mysore-KRS Road
Pump house, Belgula Post,
Srirangapattana.
Ph: 57488 & 57409
Rooms: 20
Tariff:
Economy: Rs.148
Semi: Rs.250
Family: Rs.300
Conference Hall Capacity: 200 Max
Conference Hall Charge: Rs.4000 |
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