Situated on an island in the Kaveri river, Srirangapatna in Karnataka is an important Vaishnavite centre and was once the capital of Tipu Sultan’s short-lived Khudadad State. Just 20 km from Mysore, the town is surrounded by the Kaveri river to form an island. The main river flows to the east of the island while the branch of the river that flows to the west is called Paschima Vaahini.
The town takes its name from the Ranganathaswamy temple. Ranganatha, a manifestation of Vishnu, is one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams. The temple is one of a set of three major temples that are built on three different islands on the Kaveri and are dedicated to Lord Ranganatha — Adi Ranga — at Srirangapattana, Madhya Ranga — at Shivanasamudra, and Antya Ranga — at Srirangam. The temple was built in the 9th century by the Ganga dynasty. Hoysalas and later the Vijayanagar emperors added to the building. Thus, the temple reflects a blend of Hoysala and Vijayanagar architecture.
It is also believed that Lord Buddha visited and stayed in one of the islands close to Srirangapatna. Hindus come from far and wide to Srirangapatna to immerse the ashes of their dead relatives.Srirangapatna was the seat of the viceroys during the Vijayanagar Empire till their defeat. Then, after the central control weakened, the Wodeyars of Mysore declared independence. The Srirangapatna fort continued to be the seat of the Mysore rulers and it was believed that whoever had control of the fort , would conduct the 10-day Navratri festival, and consequently rule over Mysore. When Hyder Ali usurped control of Mysore and later, when his son Tipu Sultan declared himself king, the fort continued to be the seat of power.
The town of Srirangapatna was attacked by the Marathas in the 18th century when it was the capital of Hyder Ali. Hyder warded off the Maratha warriors and saved his kingdom but in 1799, his son Tipu Sultan engaged the British in a furious battle known as the Battle of Serinagapatnam which led to the downfall of his empire after his death. A memorial stands at the place where his body was found.
The fort architecture was a pioneer of its time with dual wall defenses. The architecture of the fort is made in Indo-Islamic style. Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali defeated the Woodeyar King and made Srirangapatna their capital for a brief period. In the Battle of Seringapatnam in 1799, Tipu Sultan was killed inside the fort by the combined armies of Nizam of Hyderabad and the British.
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN SRIRANGAPATNA
There are lots of resorts and lodges that make for budget accommodation in the town on the Mysore-Bengaluru highway. Mid-range hotels are aplenty that offer good and clean rooms and are mostly located along the Mysore-Bengaluru highway.
BEST PLACES TO EAT IN SRIRANGAPATNA
The best places to eat in Srirangapatna are near the main bus stand where you can find vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. South Indian, North Indian and Chinese cuisine are served here.
BEST TIME TO VISIT SRIRANGAPATNA
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Srirangapatna is as given below. The best time to visit Srirangapatna is also specified.
