Srirangapatana deteriorates due to bad maintenance

Mysore, Sep 15: The historic little town of Srirangpatana, once the capital of emperor Tipu Sultan, son of the great warrior Hyder Ali, has not been maintained properly of late, as preserving the monuments and sustaining its economic growth had become a daunting and arduous task for the authorities concerned.

Srirangpatana, situated 16 km from Mysore, was known as a spiritual town and a bustling township. It was once the capital of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, before the headquaters shifted to the new city.

The Karnataka Tourism Department sources told UNI that despite the historical importance of Srirangpatana, the town was not given its importance by the successive governments in the state.

The historic and archaeological significance of Tipu Sultan's Palace was in a dilapidated condition and pales into insignificance, compared to its renovation during his hey days. The palace was said to have surpassed the splendour of the Vijyanagara period.

Tipu's penchant for gathering news and curiosity for informations from intellectuals was reflected from the journals in the library of the palace. The library was subsequently taken to Great Britain, following the death of Tipu. The palace was also dismantled in 1807 and what remains today does not evoke the curiosity of the visitors.

Jamia Masjid built by Tipu in 1787 was the centre of attraction in Srirangpatana. But the people in the town ventilate their grievances that today telephone lines criss-cross the front portion and dilutes the aesthetic beauty of the mosque.

On the other hand, the other majestic structure the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, which is close to the banks of the Cauvery and within the ramparts of its river and the fort is in ruins. But the stone temple was intact and was reckoned to be among the largest in the state. The temple reflects various styles of architecture that ruled the region and was closly associated with the legendary sage Gautama, the sources added.

UNI