About Daria Daulat Bagh
Daria Daulat Bagh Palace, meaning “Garden of the Sea of Wealth,” is a palace that remains in good condition within the Srirangapatna Fort. It served as the summer palace of Tipu Sultan and was built by him in 1784. The palace is located at Srirangapatna in Mandya district, Karnataka, India.
A beautiful garden surrounds the palace. The historic and religiously significant Srirangapatna fort and city are encircled by the Kaveri River, forming an island. A railway bridge provides access to this island city, while NH 275 also passes through it. In addition, a parallel road running alongside the railway bridge is still in use and is accessible to small vehicles.
The Srirangapatna Fort houses several important structures, including the Daria Daulat Bagh Palace. It was within this fortified complex that Tipu Sultan was killed. This fortified city was also the site of the Battle of Seringapatam, fought between Tipu Sultan on one side and the combined forces of the Nizam of Hyderabad and the East India Company on the other.
Tipu Sultan, also known as the “Tiger of Mysore,” was killed in this battle. It is believed that he was betrayed by one of his confidants. A memorial now stands at the spot where Tipu Sultan was killed.
Daria Daulat Bagh Palace
Daria Daulat Bagh Palace is built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and is constructed predominantly of teak wood. The palace stands on a raised platform and follows a rectangular plan, with open corridors running along all four sides.
Exquisite Mysore paintings enhance the beauty of its arches, canopies, pillars, and interior walls. The outer walls feature vivid battle scenes and royal portraits. Notably, the western wall displays a painting depicting the victory of Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan over the East India Company at the Battle of Pollilur, fought near Kanchipuram in 1780.
Lal Mahal Palace Ruins
Close to the Daria Daulat Bagh Palace, the ruins of the Lal Mahal Palace can be seen. Lal Mahal Palace served as the principal seat of Tipu Sultan. He ruled the Mysore Kingdom from both Daria Daulat Bagh Palace and Lal Mahal Palace.
Lal Mahal Palace was later destroyed, and its belongings were looted. However, remnants such as steps and sections of walls can still be seen within the Srirangapatna Fort, offering a glimpse into its former grandeur.
Juma Masjid
There is a Juma Masjid inside the Srirangapatna Fort, which is in fairly good condition. Photography has been strictly prohibited inside the mosque for the past few years, although it was permitted until around 2010.
Flag Post
The flag post inside the Srirangapatna Fort is still in good condition. The fort has several entrances, one of which is the Water Gate, which also remains fairly well preserved. It was through this gate that British soldiers are believed to have secretly entered the fort, leading to the death of Tipu Sultan.
Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon Alias Baillie’s Dungeon
Inside the Srirangapatna Fort, there is an underground jail built by Tipu Sultan in the eighteenth century. This prison is known as Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon, also called Baillie’s Dungeon. British officers captured during the Anglo–Mysore Wars were imprisoned here. Colonel Bailey was captured during the Second Anglo–Mysore War and held in this dungeon. The jail is still largely intact, and visitors are allowed to go inside and explore it.
In 1895, another underground jail was discovered by Thomas Inman. This prison is known as Thomas Inman’s Dungeon and is located in the northeastern corner of the fort. It is difficult to spot unless you are very close to the signboard, and entry into this dungeon is not permitted.
Both underground jails are similar in structure and design.
Gumbaz at Srirangapatna (Mausoleum or Tomb of Hyder Ali and Tipu)
The mausoleum, known as the Gumbaz, at Srirangapatna houses the tombs of royal figures such as Tipu Sultan and his father, Hyder Ali. It also contains the grave of Tipu Sultan’s mother, Fakr-Un-Nisa. The mausoleum is located at the centre of a beautifully landscaped garden.
When Tipu Sultan was killed on 4 May 1799, his death initially went unnoticed amid the chaos of battle. A search was later conducted inside the fort, during which his body was identified among the fallen soldiers. Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) marked the spot where Tipu Sultan’s body was found with a stone. A tomb was subsequently built at this location.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, also known as Ranganathaswamy Temple, is a world-famous temple dating back to the ninth century and is located within the island fort city of Srirangapatna. It is an important Vaishnavite pilgrimage centre.
The temple has a ceremonial temple car (ratha), which is kept near the temple entrance in a separate structure specially built for this purpose.
Narasimha Temple
The Narasimha Temple is another important temple located within the fort city of Srirangapatna.
Looting of Tipu Sultan’s Wealth and Other Items
After the death of Tipu Sultan, much of his wealth and even his personal belongings were looted, with many items eventually finding their way to Britain. Prestigious institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Royal Collection are known to house several of these artefacts.
Some of Tipu Sultan’s looted royal possessions have since returned to India, either after prolonged legal battles or through purchases at auctions. One of the most famous of these items, Tipu Sultan’s sword, was acquired at an auction by Vijay Mallya about a decade ago. The current location of this sword has not been publicly disclosed.
In a UK court, it was stated that Vijay Mallya later gave away Tipu Sultan’s sword, reportedly believing that it was bringing him bad luck.
Sahebzada Mansoor Ali Tipu, the seventh-generation successor of Tipu Sultan, has claimed that the family had attempted to purchase the sword from Mallya.
Tipu Sultan Museum
A small museum known as the Tipu Sultan Museum is located on the top floor of the Daria Daulat Bagh Palace. The museum houses a reasonably good collection of Tipu Sultan’s memorabilia, paintings, and Persian manuscripts.
One of the most notable exhibits in the museum is Storming of Seringapatam, which depicts the final fall of Tipu Sultan on 4 May 1799. This oil painting was created in 1800 by Sir Robert Ker Porter.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Application
Many of the historic monuments within the city of Srirangapatna have been nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the application is currently pending.
How to Reach Daria Daulat Bagh?
Daria Daulat Bagh Palace is located in Srirangapatna, an island town situated about 14 kilometres from Mysuru (also known as Mysore). Srirangapatna lies in the Mandya district of Karnataka and is located on NH 275, which connects Bengaluru, Mysuru, Madikeri, and Bantwal.
Srirangapatna Railway Station (station code: S) serves this island town and has frequent train connections. Notably, it is the only railway station in India through which the railway line passes directly through a fort.
The nearest airport to Srirangapatna is Mysore Airport, located at a distance of approximately 15 kilometres.
Srirangapatna and Mysore Princely State
Srirangapatna was the capital of the erstwhile Mysore princely state for a few decades (1760 to 1799), in the second half of the 18th century, under Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. Haider Ali was the commanders-in-chief of Wodeyars. Haider Ali made himself the de facto ruler of Mysore. Wodeyars, the then Kings of Mysore, were unable to do anything much against this. Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan fought many wars with other neighboring kingdoms and were successful in adding new areas to their kingdom.
The Kingdom of Mysore was one of the largest kingdoms in India, even after the death of the Tipu Sultan. Wodeyars took back control of their lost kingdom and ruled the kingdom till the middle of the last century when it became part of India.
Balmuri and Edmuri Waterfalls (Check Dams)
Balmuri and Edmuri Falls are two artificial falls. They are Check dams over the River Kaveri.
Water falls from a height of 6 feet at Balmuri. You may walk over the ankle-deep water on the check dam if you are adventurous. Many song sequences in Kannada and Hindi movies were shot here. Balmuri means ‘to curve right’ in the local language, Kannada. The River Kaveri turns right here.
Edmuri Waterfall is a distance of around 500 feet from Balmuri Falls.
These falls are famous for bathing, bird watching, etc. It is also suitable for photography, wading through the waters here. They are located near the Palace, on the Krishna Raja Sagara main road.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is at Shrirangapattana or Shirangapattana Srirangapatna. It is approximately three kilometers from the Daria Daulat Bagh Palace.