JOIN US Located in the heart of old Bangalore city in Kalasipalya is Tipu’s summer palace. It lies hidden amidst the urban chaos.
Tipu used this as his summer home from 1791 onwards till his death. It truly is a ‘summer’ palace – as soon as I stepped into the palace, I was greeted by a soothing breeze. The palace was begun in 1781 by Haider Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan in 1791.
At first glance, the palace looks nothing like it’s supposed to. It has no magnificent façades or intimidating domes. Anyone expecting it to look like the Mysore Palace or even the Dariya Daulat Bagh, will be disappointed.
Most of the palace is built with teak wood and has beautiful Islamic arches similar to those in Dariya Daulat Bagh. It is two storeyed and adorned with a number of pillars, columns and balconies. The palace has a very spacious feel to it. There are huge halls which open out to well-maintained gardens and have balconies overlooking them. There is ample natural light throughout and has an airy atmosphere.
The ground floor has been converted into a museum. Many copies of pictures adorn the walls. The picture of Tipu’s hexagonal throne caught my attention. Tipu himself designed the throne which was supposedly coated with gold and studded with the navaratnas. But Tipu vowed to never ascend it till he defeated the British. After the death of Tipu, the British administration dismantled the throne and auctioned it in parts as the entire artefact was too expensive for a single person to afford! Another attraction is the replica of Tipu’s toy tiger. The original one is presently in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The mechanical toy represents a tiger assaulting a British man which was a symbol of Tipu’s hatred for the British. There are small niches throughout the palace, decorated with beautiful floral motifs. The wallpaper-like geometrical designs on the walls are beautiful. The upper floor is empty and you can just walk around filling in the empty spaces with your imagination.
The simplicity of the palace struck me. There was no show of wealth and no unnecessary waste of resources. We may call it a ‘palace’ but it was just Tipu’s summer residence. While most palaces intimidate me, this one felt homely, after all it was someone’s home!
Tipu’s palace is located in the centre of Old Bangalore near Kalasipalya bus stand.
Photography is prohibited.