SHRIRANGAPATTANA

SHRIRANGAPATTANA

Shrirangapattana (shrIrangapaTTaNa) (ಶ್ರೀರಂಗಪಟ್ಟಣ), a talluk headquarters in Mandya district, situated at a distance of about 15 kilometers from Mysore city is famous for the historically well known Ranganatha temple and the impressive architectural and artistic monuments built during the regime of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. The town nestles in an island like space created by the branching out and reuniting of Kaveri river. (Sangam) Of course it is no more an island because of the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

As usual, the legends associate this place with the sage Gautama. Some inscriptions have documented the fact that the Ranganathaswamy temple was built by Tirumalaiah, a feudatory of the Ganga kings in 849 A.D. However, udayAditya, a younger brother of Vishnuvarhana, the Hoysala monarch is credited with the building of the town in 1120 A.D. The emperors of the Vijayanagara dynasty created an administrative region of their empire with Srirangapattana as its head quarters. It was ruled by the kings of the ODeyar dynasty after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire. Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan became very powerful by late eighteenth century and they were instrumental in the development of the city.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple is one among a few important temples built on the banks of the Kaveri River. It is built in a style that combines many features of the Dravidian, Hoysala and Vijayanagara architectural styles. One finds bell shaped pillars which are the hall marks of the Vijayanagara style in the ‘navaranga’. The towers and mukhamantapa also have adopted the same style. It has an exquisite idol of Ranganathaswamy laying on AdishESa the seven headed cobra. A statue of Lakshmi is found by his feet. Tipu Sultan has donated some silver ware to the temple. Gangadhareshvara and Narasimha temples were built later during the regime of the ODeyar dynasty.

Ruins of a strong fort are still found in the town. Tipu Sulatn had built the Summer Palace called the Dariya Daulat ('Splendour of the Sea'), near the Srirangapatnam fort, in 1784 and it now houses the Tipu Sultan Museum. This structure is in Indo-Islamic style. Laid out in a vast, formal garden, the palace, a neat charming structure, stands in the centre. The Museum exhibits oil paintings, pencil sketches, aquatints and engravings, coins and medals, costumes, furniture, arms etc. It has lotus shaped wooden pillars and semi spherical arches. The murals on the walls have documented many contemporary events and personalities. Dariya Daulat is declared as a National monument.

The gumbaj contains the tombs of Hyder Ali, Fakhrunnisa and Tipu Sultan. Its importance lies in its well-shaped large dome, ivory inlaid doors and carved stone windows. The Daria daulath and the Gumbaj were built in the eighteenth century.