| Fourteen
km north-east of Mysore, on the Bangalore-Mysore highway, is Srirangapatnam, the
erstwhile capital of Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, famed as the Tiger of Mysore.
Located picturesquely on the banks of river Cauvery, the place has the fortress
which withstood the attacks of the enemy. Tipu's Summer Palace,
Daria Daulat Bagh, built in 1784, is made of teak and has beautifully painted
and gilded interiors. The structure is now a museum and tells eloquently of Tipu's
valor and his long battle against the British. The fort holds within it, a mosque
and the Ranganathaswamy Temple. Outside the fort is the Gumbaz, Tipu's tomb with
splendid doors inlaid with ivory. This year, the Karnataka government
celebrates the Bicentenary of Tipu Sultan. The year-long celebration begins on
May 4 in Mysore. A booklet on Tipu Sultan's life would be published on the occasion.
Besides, an International Centre for Historical Research and a Centre for
Crafts and Police Training will be set up in Srirangapatnam. Functions will also
be held in Bangalore, Mysore, Gulbarga and Delhi. On May 4, Tipu's 200th
death anniversary, a function will be held in Srirangapatnam. A delegation from
France, a country which Tipu had close ties with, is expected. |