Saturday 1 April 2023

Serangapatem Fortress

Thursday saw us head south to Serengapatem and Mysore. Just over two hours by car on a very good road/motorway. Much warmer in Mysore than Bangalore but not unbearably so - mid to high 30sC so very pleasant if somewhat airless and humid. The fortress was stormed in 1799 by the British and their allies from Hyderabad after a siege lasting from 4 April to 5 May, which is one of the hottest times of the year. Tipu was killed and that marked the end of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. The fortress was pretty much demolished during the siege and the central area now houses a small town along with local police married quarters. Enough is still standing to get an excellent idea of what it must have looked like. 



Dungeons where Tipu kept his captive English officers.









A depiction of the death of Tipu Sultan during the storming of Serengapatem.
The Water Gate where Tipu was killed. ( see photo above)



We also visited Tipu’s palace across the road from the fortress, which will be the subject of another post, as will the visit to the Madras Palace in all its pure Victoriana finery. I have a few good ideas for terrain items, such as paddy fields and sugar cane fields. How I’ll do the latter I just don’t know yet. 

8 comments:

  1. Mysore and Seringapatam were our first visit to "real" India (as opposed to the India "Lite" of Goa). Set us on a path of 20+ years of visiting that fascinating country (back from the most recent trip 3 weeks ago). It's well worth visiting "Wellington's" battlefields in India as, for the most, they are remarkably undisturbed.

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    1. Next year we might take in some battlefields when we come back.

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  2. An interesting post for us folks back in Pendawar.

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  3. Really interesting Indian photos Colin . I have been enjoying your grand tour very much.
    Alan Tradgardland

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  4. Very interesting Colin……my first encounter was via the Sharpe books of course 👍

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  5. What a great trip - I would love to "do" India for a 4-6 week trip (doubt that will ever happen but who knows?) Its well time as I am nearing completion of reading William Dalrymple's excellent "The Anarchy. The Relentless Rise of the East India Company" ....Tipoo Sultan has just made an appearance, and, so far, is giving the Brits a good pasting! It is all going to end in tears, of course, thanks to a couple of Anglo Irish brothers....!

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  6. Thanks very much for such an interesting set of photos. Likewise I was introduced to it by Sharpe!

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