'Sound and light' yet to see light of the day

The ‘sound and light’ show proposed to be held in 2008 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the First Uprising (1857) and in memory of Tipu Sultan in the town is yet to see the light of the day.

The site has been identified near the checkpost adjoining the Anekote (elephant fort), the script is ready and funds have been released, but the tourism department officials have not been able to fix a date for the launch, for the past four years.

The town receives good response from tourists. Most of the tourists visiting Mysore make it a point to visit Srirangapatna and surrounding areas.

No publicity

Even though not much publicity is given to the history of the island under the Ganga dynasty, Vijayanagara rulers and the Wadiyars, Srirangapatna is famous for Tipu Sultan, who fought with the British armies.

Even though the old capital of the Mysore state gets huge influx of tourists, the tourism department has failed to provide facilities. It had got a good opportunity to depict the history and significance of the place through the show.

The department has got two acres and 20 guntas of land and Rs 3.44 crore for the purpose. But, there has been no progress except that some boulders have been cleared on the site and arranged in one place.

Awaiting permission

Tourism officials said letters have been written to the district and taluk administration and the show would be launched as soon as the permission is granted by the authorities concerned.

Negligence

Writers Sa Ve Ra Swamy and Anarkali Salim said the 150th anniversary of the First Uprising should have been held in 2007 itself. “We were happy that it would be held at least in 2008.

But till date there is no hint that it will be held anytime. It is high time the officials act,” they said.