Posted on: 8 February 2011

Grand Mosque at Seringapatam (Mysore) - July 1799

Water-colour painting of a mosque at Seringapatam by Colin MacKenzie (1754-1821) in July 1799. Inscribed on the front in ink is: 'Grand Mosque at Seringapatam after the Capture of the Place in May. Drawn in July, 1799.'

Srirangapatnam is an island set into the River Kaveri in the modern-day state of Karnataka in south-west India. The Vijayanagar rulers built a fort here in 1454. In 1616 it became the capital of the Mysore Wadayar Rajas. Later it was the capital of the renowned Rajas of Mysore, Haidar Ali (c. 1722-1782) and Tipu Sultan (1753-1799). Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were responsible for turning the small state of Mysore into a major Muslim power but were opposed by the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the British who engaged with the Rajas in four wars for the control of southern India. On 4 May 1799 the British stormed the Raja’s island fortress at Seringapatam and Tipu Sultan was killed. This painting was executed shortly after that event.

Source : British Library


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it was hanuman temple earlier

...true, the Gopuram was brought down & a pair of minars was erected in its place. Remaining architecture/plan such as pillars, verandas, kalyani, sanctum sanctorum, are retained as it is to give a perfect outlook of a typical Hindu Temple. One can visit (which is open to public everyday) & check the reality.

The granite pillars of t he old Hanuman temple there have carvings of Hindu mythology! It is interesting the painting shows only one minarete where it has now two.

Sadly, the Sri Ranga temple (town got it's name from the temple) iis now run by the ASI and is in a bad state both inside and outside. The priests who once took care of the place for generations now earn Rs 200 per month doled up by the government.

That is the fate of most of the temples in rural parts. Priests, having lost their lands, earn very paltry sum from visitors to the temples. The ASI just puts up a board and with large no of protected monuments spread across India and with very little money at its disposal, even some famous temples are slowly deteriorating in condition.

I visited the mosque last year. Its actually yellow in color not white as shown in the pic. The architecture looks more or less the same, though. It was a very interesting place to visit. Srirangapatnam still has some interesting historic places like Tipu Sultan's garden house, fort etc.