Home > Indian History > History of India > Forts of Tipu Sultan
Forts of Tipu Sultan
Forts of Tipu Sultan are the replica of the then social and cultural aspects and the artistry that were predominant during that time period. They display the architectural heritage of India from ancient times, especially the development of rock-cut architecture.

Share this Article:

Forts of Tipu SultanSome of the forts of Tipu Sultan have been renovated and some are lying intact, depicting the evidence of the reign of Tipu Sultan. All the engravings that are etched in the forts are the artistic representation of the adept artisans and the artistic bent of mind of the ruler as well. Among the forts of Tipu Sultan, the Hosur and Rayakottai forts were of maximum strategic importance.

Interior Arts in forts of Tipu Sultan
The artistic creations inside the forts are the representation of the adept artisanship of the then artisans. The monuments are also replicas of the art and culture of the time of Tipu Sultan. The depth and the depiction of objects, especially in terms of detail and the rendering of solidity are remarkable. The aquatints of the forts depict an earthen fort of Tipu Sultan at Hosur, the Rayakottai fort, the Jagadevipalaiyam fort, the Virbhadradur and the Sankaridurg. The paintings bear the art and cultural affluence of the period and reflect both hard work and vigor of the artists. The light and shade effect and the distinctive and characteristic tints employed, bear affinity with the neoclassic tradition of landscape painting. In the aquatints" attempt at capturing a full view of a fort in its natural surroundings, only a little space is left in the composition for the central object. The historical worth of their oriental paintings is immense, since with the passage of time vital changes have occurred in the landscape. Some of the buildings have totally perished, or have been partly destroyed, altered or renovated. Their depiction of monuments is full of dramatic and emotional content.

Hosur Fort
The Hosur Fort was built on the route always taken by the Mysore armies to invade the Carnatic. On this specific route from Bangalore to the Carnatic, there were numerous forts and Lord Cornwallis considered the conquest of these places very important during the Third Mysore War. History says that to conquer Tipu Sultan"s earthen fort at Hosur, which was situated about 28 miles south-east of Bangalore, Cornwallis sent Major Gowdie who got it evacuated by Tipu"s troops on 15 July 1791. The garrison tried to blow up the fort but failed in their attempt due to Gowdie"s sudden advance.

Forts of Tipu SultanRayakottai Fort
The Rayakottai fort was another important outpost used by Tipu Sultan"s forces on their military campaigns. The fort is situated within the town of Rayakottai. It is one of the ancient fortresses in the Krishnagiri district. It is now a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort was built on a granite rock and consisted of two forts connected by a rampart: one at the foot of the rock and the other on top of the rock. During the 18th century, Hyder Ali and Tipu sultan ruled this fort. In 1791, the fort was captured by Major Gowdie. It was during the third Anglo-Mysore War, by the Treaty of Srirangapatna, this fort later came into the hands of the British.

Krishnagiri Fort
Krishnagiri Fort is one of the strongest forts in the Krishnagiri district. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort was built by King Krishnadevarayalu of the Vijayanagar Empire. In the 18th century Hyder Ali captured this fort on the instruction of Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, the then king of Mysore. In 1768 this fort got surrendered to the British after the blockade in the First Anglo-Mysore war. The fort remained in Tipu Sultan"s possession until the Treaty of Srirangapatna in 1792 which transferred it to the British.

Virbhadra Durg
In the depiction of Virbhadra Durg, the appearance of the ascending rugged passage, paved with stone blocks are observed. Approaching the fort is the immediate focus of the painters" view. The fort above is depicted with greatly diminished perspective, and thus once again, the scenery becomes prominent. One might feel that perhaps the distance between the fort and the rugged passage is bit too exaggerated. Here too, the outer walls encircling the citadel have now disappeared. Nevertheless, the main fort is still intact.

Forts of Tipu SultanSankagiri Durg
Sankiri Durg, also known as the Sankagiri fort was built in the 15th century by the Vijayanagar empire. It has 14 fort walls built around a hill. The fort was a British tax storage facility for the region of Kongu Nadu. It was an important military base for Tipu Sultan. This is because only one side of the hill is climbable. All the other sides are too steep to climb. This fort has one death well, granary, two oil godowns, one explosives godown, two masjiths, two Varadharaja Perumal temples and former British Army administrative buildings. In addition to that, the aquatint of Sankari Durg is shown on a flat-topped hill. It is now in a ruined condition, and the rampart encircling the hill top and its summit has totally disappeared.

Srirangapatna Fort
Srirangapatna Fort is a historical fort located in the historical capital city in the South Indian state of Karnataka. The fort came to prominence during the rule of Tipu Sultan. The fort had Lal Mahal and Tipu`s palace, both of which were demolished during the British capture of 1799. The Daria Daulat Bagh, Gumbaj containing tomb of Tipu Sultan, Juma Masjid, Obelisk monuments and the Fort walls, the spot where Tipu Sultan"s body was found, the Sri Ranganatha Svami Temple and Thomas Inman`s Dungeon are maintained as protected monuments under the ASI.

The forts of Tipu Sultan and their depictions by the artists show the evidence of the kingdom ruled by Tipu Sultan. All the evidences depict the political and governing strategies adopted by his kingdom during that time. The forts were also built in a manner that secured the region and Tipu Sultan"s kingdom militarily against invaders.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.