Travel And Leisure
| By : Ajit Hari Sahu | Previous | Next |
| Posted on : 31 Aug, 2005 | Total Views : 278 |
Srirangapatna
Srirangapatna, City of Lord Ranganath, Island was the capital of Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan, Tiger of Mysore...
Set between the two arms of the Cauvery River just 16 kilometers (ten miles) north of Mysore is the imposing temple of another great Hindu deity, Ranganath, and aspect of Vishnu. The island town of Srirangapatna (City of Lord Ranganath) dates back to the early 13th century. Two centuries ago the island was the capital of Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan, the 'Tiger of Mysore'. Both waged constant war against the British and Tippu Sultan was defeated and killed by them at Srirangapatna in 1799. His remains now lie in a magnificent Mausoleum, the Gumbaz, near those of his father. Father and son both left many fine buildings; Hyder Ali, a devout Muslim, even built an addition to the Hindu temple. The splendour of Tippu Sultan's summer palace, the Dariya Daulat, must have provided him with a peaceful refuse even though the murals depict his battles with the British. A less restful building, enclosed by stone walls and a moat, is the fort, with dungeons used to imprison captured British officers. Situated within the fort is a mosque from whose high walls Mysore can be seen.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
A few kilometers from Srirangapatna is the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, which spreads across a series of small islets in the River Cauvery. Although a wide variety of birds - including some migrants from faraway Siberia - can be seen, it is the vast numbers of spoonbills, herons and egrets which breed here that make it famous. Their chicks usually hatch between July and August and the season is from May to November.
