Srirangapattnam once the capital of Mysore Kingdom under Hyder Ali and Tippoo Sultaun needs attention from the ASI as the walls of this great impregnable fort are falling down. It is believed that Tippoo had a fantastic collection of books in his library which was burt down by the British Sepoys. But some of the remaining books were shifted to London- the treasure can be accessed in IOL London. Hyder Ali is usually noted in history as a"usurper" of Mysore Kingdom- the fact is otherwise. Historians of the day; particularly the British wrote all wrong things about him and Tippoo who was a terror even in the streets of London. The Fort presently is a living community and needs immediate attention of the ASI, Government of Karnataka and interested citizens to preserve this fort. The walls are dwindling down and the culture vandalism is rampant. Organisations like INTACH and WMF (World Monument Fund) should include this fort in the endangered list so that this piece of history is preserved. The location of the fort is unique in the sense that it is almost an island formed by the tributaries of river Cauvery. Museum of Muslim Art India would be interested in documentation of the entire project which is the first first step towards conservation.
No comments:
Post a Comment