Seringapatam, Mandya, Karnataka

“The reasons why Tipu was reviled are not far to seek. Englishmen were prejudiced against him because they regarded him as their most formidable rival and an inveterate enemy, and because, unlike other Indian rulers, he refused to become a tributary of the English Company. Many of the atrocities of which he has been accused were allegedly fabricated either by persons embittered and angry on account of the defeats which they had sustained at his hands, or by the prisoners of war who had suffered punishments which they thought they did not deserve. He was also misrepresented by those who were anxious to justify the wars of aggression which the Company's Government had waged against him. Moreover, his achievements were deliberately belittled and his character blackened in order that the people of Mysore might forget him and rally round the (Wadiyar) Raja, thus helping in the consolidation of the new regime”

– Mohibbul Hasan, “The History of Tipu Sultan” (1971)

"Welcome to the Historical City of Srirangapatna" - The Delhi Gate

On the 4th of May 1799, in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War fought at Seringapatam (aka Srirangapatnam), fell Badshah Nasib-ud-Daula Fath Ali Khan Tipu Sultan, the legendary “Tiger of Mysore” and the foremost of Indian Sultans who perennially and ferociously opposed the rapacious acquisitive and revenue policies of British East India “trading” Company, and so fierce was the terror he instilled in the hearts of his enemies and the respect he commanded even from them that the British officers who took part in the siege of his fortress were grudgingly compelled to commission a small square, grass-enshrouded garden and within it install a sober, evocative stone memorial indicating the hallowed spot where the formidable Sultan was killed in battle. Symbolically portraying the vanquishing of Tipu’s forces by depicting a British lion trampling upon a tiger, a commemorative medal was also issued by the Company’s Army to be awarded to all officers and soldiers who participated in the battle against the Sultan. His legacy survives in a series of disjointed monuments and relics from his majestic fortress-citadel scattered throughout the capital city Seringapatam which has since become thoroughly overpopulated and come to occupy almost every portion of the grand fortress thereby turning it into a mere indifferent suburb of the beautiful city of Mysore, the erstwhile exclusive capital of the Wadiyar Dynasty (ruled AD 1399-1947) whom the fearless Tipu unceremoniously deposed from power  for a short interregnum – thus while modern-day Seringapatam, consisting of brilliantly multihued block-like houses and apartment buildings with very little to offer in the name of historicity or architectural/artistic heritage, seems lost to the vagaries of human forgetfulness and urbanization, the few edifices that Tipu had designed and constructed, with their identical vibrant orange hues, rise like they were intended to as majestic beacons in a city now shorn of all its grandeur, ferocity and regal presence.

Commemorative - Here breathed his last the legendary "Tiger of Mysore"

Once more for the sake of recounting in a few words the courageous Sultan’s extraordinary history, I replicate the text from one of my earlier articles –

"An innovative genius and unparalleled military tactician who also possessed intimate knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, shooting, horse-riding, Hindi-Urdu writing, poetry and economic systems, Badshah Fath Ali Khan Bahadur Tipu Sultan was instructed in military tactics by French officers in service of his father Nawab Hyder Ali Khan and is credited with creating the first prototype rockets which he used in wars against the annexing armies of British East India “trading” Company whom he continued to oppose and fiercely resist all his short life. Technologically advanced and financially capable, he employed several skilled European weapon makers and mercenaries, was aware of the potent warfare technologies of his time, possessed an extremely strong naval force consisting of numerous war ships and frigates and even went to the extent of suggesting an alliance based on mutual admiration with Napoleon Bonaparte who came as far as Egypt on a conquering spree to unite their forces.. Despite his superb administrative, organizational and warfare capabilities, Tipu is considered (based on unreliable, highly biased early British sources who participated in wars against him) a fanatic bigoted Muslim and an extremely harsh, iconoclast ruler who heinously ordered destruction of numerous temples and shrines and oversaw the forceful conversion or merciless execution of hundreds of non-Muslims, especially Christians, besides following a “scorched earth” policy and pitilessly ravaging and impoverishing captured territories and destroying their economies and agrarian capabilities. His admirers continue to debate that he looked after his subjects irrespective of their religion and personal beliefs, employed Hindus at almost each of the influential court post and provided religious grants and protection against brigands to several Hindu temples, some of which existed in the immediate vicinity of his palace. Yet he remains a much abhorred and very controversial personality in Indian history – a patriot who relentlessly strived against foreign colonial rule, yet himself a foreigner who ruthlessly oppressed his subjects and executed those he considered unbelievers or heretics."

(Read the full post here – Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque)

Dark clouds, dark tidings? - One of Tipu's numerous powder magazines

Though the fortified city is located upon the flood plains of an ethereally beautiful, densely forested island within the Kaveri river in the district of Mandya, its association, both historic, legendary and geographic with the district of Mysore, has obliged many to seek its administrative unification with the latter from which it is located a mere 15 kilometers apart – presently however, it is accessible via the Mysore-Bangalore highway through a narrow, unimpressive branching road passing through the imposing, triple-storied “Delhi Gate” (also often referred to as “Bangalore Gate”), which though now miserably ruined and hideously layered with movie posters and election sloganeering (so much for the political correctness associated with the city and its inspiring history!), once formed the royal thoroughfare over which would have passed the authoritative Sultan regally seated on his elephant and escorted by his handsome cavalry and powerful royal guards. The idyllic, laidback life of the city spontaneously engulfs one as soon as one steps through the gateway and the vast beautiful green fields, glistening with crops and punctuating the line of low-lying residential quarters and remains of ruined palaces and cities crying for attention and conservation, seem like a disappointment against the enormous expectations of observing the splendor of the Sultan’s citadel. For someone from Delhi, used to seeing massive fortresses with towering walls, massive palatial complexes and serrated battlements equipped for defense, Seringapatam, with its fragmented structures, insignificant gateways, ruined palaces and decrepit incoherent defenses, along with the modern-day boxed-in settlements that have become rooted within its peripheries, all ensconced cheek-by-jowl within the fortress’ diminutive (just barely out of reach of an energetic lithe goat!) and thick enclosing walls seems out of place with the flamboyant tales of its erstwhile inhabitants’ martial prowess and battle capabilities.

Celestial - The sluggish waters of river Kaveri

But then of course, the root cause of this desolation is not far from the surface – the repetitive unrelenting attacks by the combined forces of British East India Company, the Marathas of Maharashtra and the Nizam of Hyderabad had very nearly reduced the defenses to rubble; what remained was razed and destroyed by the victorious British, unrepentant and avaricious in their retribution against the fallen Tiger’s territories and possessions; post-independence governments were not very different and unquestionably, one might even say eagerly, gave way to the combined ravenous forces of urbanization and commercialization and failed miserably to safeguard the historic nature of the sites involved against encroachments and vandalism – point in case, Tipu’s residential Lal Mahal (“Red Palace”) that was said to be a simplistic affair externally but possessed several magnificent buildings and colonnades within, the remains of which subdued to mere stubs and boundary walls between 1807-09 on orders of Colonel Arthur Wellesley (later H.H. Lord The Duke of Wellington) to supply building material for the Wadiyar Maharaja’s palace in Mysore (refer Pixelated Memories - Mysore Palace), exist in close vicinity to the Delhi Gate and were unlawfully dug up by the local population once again a few decades ago when excavations revealed the presence of expensive gold and pearl articles – the government’s sole response, not unexpected, was to seal off the entire premises with strong iron railings and cease visitor entry in its entirety, notwithstanding the visitor’s credentials and/or intentions with regards observing the ruins. About the palace contemporary accounts note –

“a kind of colonnade painted green with red ornamental work, forming what is called the tiger stripe…Round the arched compartments of the roof, or ceiling, are disposed a variety of Arabic and Persian verses, applicable to the signs of the Zodiac, and importing the godlike superiority of the Sultan in his princely character.”

History dictates that it was this palace where British officials accepted the surrender of two of Tipu’s sons following the imposition of punitive terms of treaty upon his defeat in the Third Anglo-Mysore War (First Battle of Seringapatam, 1792) and it was here eventually that his body was brought for preparation for burial upon his demise. But then, when have monuments and heritage structures ever been accorded their due dignity in this country?

Soaring - The painstakingly ornamented Masjid-i-Ala

Couple of meters from the Delhi Gate is located Tipu’s still functional Jama Masjid, the royal Friday congregational mosque, one of the most prominent edifices in Seringapatam – built in 1782-84 upon the Sultan’s ascension to the throne and christened “Masjid-i-Ala” (“Mosque of the Ruler”), the mosque is a grand double-storied structure flanked on its two front corners by enormous, exquisitely ornamented octagonal minarets sculpted throughout with tiny decorative alcoves, realistic pine cone-like outbursts, slender embellished turrets, rectangular pigeon holes, highly-stylized leaf motifs and floral and geometric patterns. The unsurpassably beautiful yet humble prayer chamber situated on the first floor, painted a subdued pink-white that drastically contrasts against the brilliant saffron-orange of the rest of the structure, is adorned with a rococo of plasterwork designs, ornamental cusped arches, concave domed roofs transforming into massive stucco explosions of floral arrangements and calligraphy inscriptions pertaining to the 99 names of Allah. It possesses a colonnade against its front facade that is supported on unusually simplistically chiseled pillars and bear once more the ubiquitous lavishness of embellishments – decorative floral motifs, fascinating pilasters (fake, thin pillars) ornamented with densely detailed floral medallions supported on thin, equally well-described stalks and unbelievably beautiful cusped arches – that seem to have been a landmark of all buildings that Tipu conceived and commissioned. The ground floor boasts of shaded passageways accessible by arched entrances flanked by an overabundance of miniaturized alcoves which might have once been used to house earthen oil lamps to endow the entire building with an unearthly trance glow; a moderately-sized courtyard inset with a deep rectangular water tank along one corner and punctuated along its sides by finely plastered over graves (undeniably well-kept and also painted in the all-encompassing bright orange) exists around the mosque building – sadly however, the limited expanse of space envisioned within the mosque’s enclosing walls render photographing its enormity in its entirety inconceivable and one is denied the possibility of photographing both the floors, the expansiveness of the handsome minaret towers and the geographic spatial expanse of the structure in a single click – stepping back and clicking from afar is equally fruitless since now even though the minarets can be well-framed, the lower floors very nearly disappear behind the residential settlements that have mushroomed around the structure and the low buttresses of wilderness-covered rock that project from the ground in its near vicinity.

The physiognomy of a Sultan's mosque

Outside the mosque, we hired a local guide who promised to show us around the colossal fortress complex’s remains within three hours in his auto-rickshaw for a negotiable sum of Rs 300 depending on whether or not we liked his services and command over his beloved city’s history – admiringly, we ended up paying him Rs 350 following the passage of the whirlwind tour via which we explored almost every monument that the historic township has to offer and grudgingly conceded that dust covered, sweat drenched and tired, we would have been roaming the indiscernible streets were it not for the polite and talkative guide and his swift auto-rickshaw. The wide street immediately opposite the mosque, flanked on both sides by wilderness and small rock faces abutting from earth, leads first to the aforementioned memorialized spot where Tipu, who styled himself “Asad Allah ul-Ghalib” (“The Conquering Lion of God”), was killed fighting and his body was found at the conclusion of the day’s battle (he was supposedly killed by a British soldier who failed to recognize him but thrusted his sword through him nonetheless after being spellbound by his expensive robe and jewel-studded ornaments!), and eventually to the wretchedly ruined, tree and foliage reclaimed, “Water Gate”, one of the fortress’ secret gateways that were accessible to only a select few for swiftly reaching the Kaveri riverfront – upon the commencement of battle, it was through a significant breach adjacent this gateway which the Sultan, betrayed by his own minister Mir Sadiq, was trying to have mended that the British soldiers poured in the fortress to mercilessly annihilate over 10,000 of the brave soldiers of Mysore and cause the ensuing proceedings that in hindsight cannot but be regarded as a singularly landmark event in the subcontinent’s colonial history. Noted the Urdu poet-politician Allamah Muhammad Iqbal –

“Jafar az Bengal va Sadiq az Deccan,

Nang-e-Adam, Nang-e-Deen, Nang-e-Watan”

(“Mir Jafar of Bengal and Mir Sadiq of Deccan are a disgrace to all mankind, their religion and their country.”)

Ruined!

A massive, gnarled Banyan tree grows next to the gate and vermillion-drenched stone sculptures placed within the hollows of its thick roots provide testimony to the worship of serpent deities (“Naga”) considered capable of bestowing fertility and child birth. Notwithstanding the gateway’s crumbling and abandoned condition with its walls tumbling down along its sides and its plasterwork peeling away to reveal the brick and stone layers underneath, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) green board appears next to it, ironically and perhaps with a touch of sarcasm, declaring it a “Protected Ancient Monument”.

The city was christened after Sri Ranganatha, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of life and nourishment, who is still worshipped in a gigantic Dravidian temple complex in the heart of the fortress which Tipu, despite his oft-quoted barbaric iconoclastic character, not only allowed to uninterruptedly survive but also patronized. The bewilderingly majestic temple complex, an eye-opening epitome of medieval Hindu temple architecture that grandly endures throughout south India, is dated to have been commissioned in AD 984 by Tirumalaiah, a local vassal of the Ganga Dynasty (reign AD 350-1000), and was expanded and ornamented with additional features and sculptures by Emperors belonging to the Hoysala Dynasty (reign AD 1026-1343), Vijaynagara Kingdom (reign AD 1336-1646) and the Wadiyars/Wodeyars. Presently classified as a monument of immense national importance and a well-renowned Hindu pilgrimage site, the temple complex, surmounted by a lofty layered pyramidal tower sculpted with representations of deities and religious iconography, is accessible through a soaring “Gopuram” (pyramidal entrance gateway), the only feature that we witnessed (and photographed) given that the exceedingly long slithering queues of devotees lining up for offering devotions (and worries) to the deity would have claimed over an hour and a half to negotiate! Such is the belief that people, not just from the surrounding localities but from all over southern India, have in the deity whom they know as “Adi Rangaswamy” (literally, “the First Lord Ranga”) since the temple is the first of the five dedicated to Sri Ranganathaswamy located upon the meandering banks of the sacred river Kaveri.

Immensity visualized - The ancient shrine of Sri Ranganathswamy

The river can be spotted in all its illustriousness by following a narrow dusty path towards the right side of the temple gateway that couple of hundred meters later leads straightaway to a sharp cliff face veiled by numerous jackfruit trees weighed down further by extremely large (and unsettling!) beehives. The river bargains its way across rocky banks teeming with lush foliage and a superficial absence of all wildlife (although it is swarming with crocodiles) and overlooking it are some of Tipu’s orange-sopping armories, arsenals, powder magazines (one of which is said to have blown itself during one of the Battles of Seringapatam thereby rendering offense unviable along this face of the fortress) and a featureless white dungeon redolent of death and torture which the ferocious Sultan employed on numerous occasions with mind-numbing impunity to chastise his prisoners, especially captured British commanders and generals. For some indiscernible reason of its own understanding, ASI has christened the dreadful dungeon as “Bailey’s Prison” after Colonel Bailey who perished here as a consequence of his wounds and the ill-treatment forced upon him as a captive in the penitentiary. Bailey had commanded the British forces against the might of Mysore under Hyder Ali (reign AD 1772-82) in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (Battle of Pollilur, 1780) in which the former were crushingly defeated following the explosion of their gunpowder tumbrils upon being set afire by a bombardment of Tipu’s highly effective incendiary rockets. That the British took lessons from the defeat and soon thereafter adopted highly-sophisticated and lethal rocket technology in their military arsenal reminds one of the following lines from the book “Can You Hear the Nightbird Call?” by Anita Rau Badami –

“(Bibi-ji) had a sneaking admiration for these fair-skinned people who had infiltrated every part of the world with their manners and customs and languages, who had managed to make even a refrigerator of a country like Canada a place of comfort and plenty. Unlike the Panjauri villagers who assigned everything to Fate, the goras, Bibi-ji noticed with admiration, wanted to know why and what and when. It was not boats or horses that had transported them to all corners of the world, but their long noses, which quivered with a desire to poke into everything. Their sky-colored eyes watered with the need to peer under every stone, their white fingers itched to take everything apart until they understood it, learnt how it worked, found what they needed to make their own lives better.”

Haunted? Terrifying at least! - Tipu's dungeons

The punitive structure, comprising of a series of long, low-roofed vaulted cells supported upon thick pillars and bearing resilient stone rings through which were bound the chains shackling the inmates, possesses minimalistic openings in the center of the roof to allow sunlight and air to filter through and is located on a considerably lower terrain, a sort of dugout that vindictively exposes it to the elements, than its immediate surroundings. Conjecture is that the prisoners were chained facing the wall so as to torturously remain standing upright throughout their captivity and were forced to eat disgracefully like horses off the stone ledges protruding from the further walls.

The penultimate landmark we visited in the fortified city was the graceful summer residence “Daria Daulat Bagh” (“The Sea of Wealth Garden”) of Tipu Sultan, conceived and constructed in AD 1784 – set within a large Persian-style “Charbagh” garden (whereby a larger compound is divided into smaller squares by means of tree-lined walkways, ornamental water channels and fountains), the teakwood-built square residence seated upon a high stone platform is surrounded by wide colonnades and supported on numerous arches open to wind from all four directions with every conceivable surface of its exterior walls, prominent protruding windows (“jharokhas”) and roof extravagantly gilded and mesmerizingly painted into numerous vibrant, multihued panels depicting stylized motifs, vases possessing evocative and realistic flowers and foliage, and huge frescoes portraying elaborate battle scenes and regal processions including the aforementioned ignonimous defeat of the British Army at the Battle of Pollilur.

Deterioration - Daria Daulat Palace

Photography is sadly prohibited within the building and it is really, really tiresome and time consuming to convince the guards posted around to allow one to click a few photographs of at least the excellently painted exterior surfaces. The limited dimly-lit interiors have been converted into a small museum depicting fierce battle scenes, outstanding maps, antique weapons, old paintings, mediocre furniture, a huge, rather too flappy dress said to have been Tipu’s own garment and the aforementioned commemorative medallions issued by the British East India Co. following the 1799 Battle of Seringapatam. Following the battle of course, the graceful little residence was overtaken by the British forces and served as the official residence of Lord Wellesley. One cannot fail to notice the brilliantly (and quite recently) painted orange dove coats, strongly conflicting against the subdued brown-greens of the residence and surrounding expansive gardens, that are located immediately along the garden’s periphery walls on either side of the entrance gateway and appear like smaller, more rotund versions of the Jama Masjid’s twin minarets. This is the only monument on the trail that is thankfully properly maintained, efficiently restored and ticketed by the ASI (Entrance fees: Indians and citizens of SAARC countries: Rs 5; others: Rs 100).

Colors of Mysore

Said to have been built in AD 1719, the principal gateway of the fortress – “Elephant Gate” – located somewhere midway between the Daria Daulat Bagh and Tipu’s multi-tiered, utterly despoiled Flagstaff Tower (“Bateri”) from which one can have a bird’s eye view of the entire city, has recently been spruced up as part of an ASI-driven conservation effort (among other consequences of which is indeed the impeccably glaring coats of bright orange paint that were dowsed upon most of the monuments and bastions within the fortress complex) – opposite the gateway has been created an artificial mound over which are mounted miniscule replicas of the grand Sri Ranganathswamy temple, the magnificent Masjid-i-Ala and the simplistic summer residence flanked by childish-looking bastions and cannons.

Stunningly beautiful and delicately designed, Sultan Tipu’s family mausoleum, located near the Daria Daulat Bagh, is referred to as “Gumbaz” ("Domed structure") and was commissioned by him upon the uneventful demise of his father. The painstakingly sculpted structure, composed of a massive rectangular chamber surrounded by wide pillared colonnades and surmounted in its entirety by a high-necked, spellbinding onion dome crafted into such a kaleidoscope of geometric and floral motifs that one cannot but help gape at it awestruck and afterwards, when the initial bewilderment at its magnificence has tided over, continue photographing it from indescribably numerous angles and perspectives. Also noteworthy is the adaptation of highly polished, dark coffee brown Amphibolite rock to carve the stately pillars that delineate the colonnades. The moderately-proportioned and yet impressively exquisite mausoleum can be considered as the family funerary zone of Tipu’s family the same way that Humayun’s superlative mausoleum in Delhi is the resting place of several generations of Mughal Emperors, princes and princesses (refer Pixelated Memories - Humayun's Tomb complex).

Exquisite!

The spectacularly flamboyant interiors, painted opulently in lively, unbelievably strong shades of reds, orange and green, bear Tipu’s favorite “Bubri” or stylized tiger-stripe motif with which he passionately adorned every entity, living or not, associated with his being, including his soldier’s uniforms, his residences, weapons and cannons and even his father’s mausoleum! Within a wooden enclosure lie three massive graves within which respectively lie in eternal slumber the impressive Nawab Hyder Ali, his wife Fakhr un-nisa Fatima Saydani Begum Sahiba (daughter of Mir Muinuddin Sahib, Governor of Kurumgunda and Cudappa) and their son Sultan Fath Ali Khan Tipu Sahib – all three draped with enormous cloth sheets, the last obviously immense and glittering tiger-striped. Visitors treat the mausoleum like a dargah (sacred tomb of a holy man), referring to the enigmatic Sultan as “Hazrat Shaheed” (“Martyred Saint”) and celebrating his “urs” (death celebrations) the way one would do at a Sufi mausoleum with great festivities and decorations – the caretakers too, referring to themselves as poor men employed by the surviving descendants of Sultan Tipu, provide everyone with fragrant flower petals to drape the sarcophagus with – this of course entails an immense crowd around the enclosure at nearly, well, every single moment that the mausoleum is open for visitor entry and consequentially clicking an uncrowded, isolated photograph (the way I prefer it) is very nearly impossible – I did click three but had to spend slightly over half an hour standing in a corner of the chamber attempting to not touch the walls in any manner lest I spoil their ethereally beautiful painted surface. It is said that when the mortal remains of the martyred Tipu were found amidst the bloodied corpses and other ghastly residues of the fearsome battle, he was discovered to be smiling in death with his sabre clasped tightly in his hands, numerous sword, bayonet and bullet wounds on his head and body and not a single defensive weapon upon him. Fifteen years later, Scottish novelist-poet-playwright Sir Walter Scott (lived 1771-1832) could not help admonishing Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France and Italy (reign AD 1804-14), by comparing him to the noteworthy Tipu and his lesser-known father thus –

“Although I never supposed that he (Napoleon) possessed, allowing for some difference of education, the liberality of conduct and political views which were sometimes exhibited by old Hyder Ali, yet I did think he might have shown the same resolved and dogged spirit of resolution which induced Tipu Sahib to die manfully upon the breach of his capital city with his sabre clenched in his hand."

Such vibrance! Such patterns!

The colonnades and the large plinth surrounding the tomb chamber too are lined with numerous graves, some ordinarily plastered over, others faced with marble slabs, belonging to numerous of Tipu’s family, relatives and associates including his foster mother Madeena Begum – to one’s utter surprise, there must literally be at least two or three score graves here, with several even lining the grassy lawns that surround the structure! Originally, the gardens surrounding the mausoleum were planted with rose apples, pomegranates, custard apples, citrus, peaches, mangoes, mulberries and oranges besides ornamental flowering trees and cypresses! A gorgeous mosque, possessing slender ornamental minarets along its sides, and a complimentary building that functioned as a hospital financed by the Tiger from his personal wealth exist on either side of the mausoleum. Realizing that it shall comprehensibly prove to be a daunting challenge to describe the mausoleum and the mosque’s numerous excellent ornamental features, I have to concede that for a change it is advisable to let the photographs speak for themselves.

Leaving the city behind, one cannot help admire the courageous Sultan for his architectural and artistic contributions to Mysore/Mandya’s heritage scene as much as for his military ingeniousness and command. One’s grief at the wanton destruction of the legendary city finds release in the words of the writer-musician Grant Gordon in his book “Cobras in the Rough” –

“Tipu Sultan’s city is long destroyed. After the British and their allies finally seized it after a siege of several months, they razed it almost to the ground. As a symbol of the military ruthlessness of the East India Company, it did the job. As an act of British imperial cultural barbarism, it was not atypical.”

Details!

The lingering feeling is that of disappointment, of witnessing visual and religious compositions that failed to live up to the anticipations, of knowing that while the entire city has been unambiguously declared a “historical township”, it offers little by way of documentation or architectural heritage, properly conserved and presented, to hold a visitor spellbound and rapt with attention. If only!


Location: District Mandya, approximately 15 kilometers from Mysore
How to reach: Buses/autos are available from Mysore. Any bus plying on Bangalore-Mysore highway will also stop at Seringapatam if asked to.
Entrance fees: Nil for most of the monuments. For Daria Daulat Bagh: Indians and citizens of SAARC countries: Rs 5; others: Rs 100
Photography/video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 3 hrs. It is advisable to hire a guide with an auto-rickshaw from near the mosque who'll show one around the entire city for Rs 300 (of course, one will have to bargain down from the quoted price which can be as much as Rs 700-800).
Other palaces constructed by Tipu Sultan in Karnataka -

1. Pixelated Memories - Nandi Hills (Nandidurga fortress and Tipu Sultan's palace), Chikkaballapur
2. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan's Palace and Kote Venkataramana Temple, Bangalore

Relevant Links -
The mosque in Calcutta associated with Tipu Sultan's family - Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque
Another palace located in nearby Mysore - Pixelated Memories - Mysore Palace
Suggested reading - 

1. Blogs.ucl.ac.uk - Casket Case Study: Material Culture from Seringapatam
2. Grandpoohbah.blogspot.in - Srirangapatnam
3. Llewelynmorgan.wordpress.com - Big Cat Hunting at Seringapatam 
4. Mq.edu.au - Francis Buchanan: Description of Tipu's Palaces and Apartments at Seringapatam
5. Royalark.net - The Family of Tipu Sultan 
6. Thehindu.com - Article "There is life at the cemetery" (dated March 09, 2013) by M.T. Shiva Kumar 
7. Thehindu.com - Article "This day that year in ‘Seringapatam’" (dated May 04, 2014) 
8. Tigerandthistle.net (Fascinating insight into the life and times of Tipu Sultan and Scottish soldiers of British East India Co.)
9. Toshkhana.wordpress.com (Fascinating insight into the life and times of Tipu Sultan)
10. Voiceofdharma.org - Tipu Sultan: As known in Kerala
11. Wikipedia.org - Tipu Sultan

Nandi Hills & Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore

Reminiscences – This post is dedicated to Mubashshir, Kulwinder, Harish, Snehal and Pravin – dearest friends, until recently posted at IBM Bangalore, who made the stay here interesting and enriching through their company, laughter-filled discussions, meaningless debates and everlasting memories. Thank you guys, simply for being your affable selves!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rare would be the Bangalorean who hasn't heard of Nandi Hills, that surprisingly famed, naturally landscaped, unbelievably crowded and yet magnificently spectacular mountain getaway located three score kilometers away from the city outskirts where we at present reside, but very few would have ever ventured to or even heard of the numerous exquisite medieval temples that exist on the summit and in the vicinity of the enchanting hill cluster. And it was these little known, nondescript gems of ancient ruined temples that made my day when we, i.e thirteen sleep-deprived, grumbling but cheerful friends from IBM and me, journeyed early morning few weeks back from our dreary existence to the laid back, fog-enshrouded, serene hill town. We had booked a Traveller to pick us at 4 am from outside the office campus and the ride to the hill base was an uneventful one, not because we were all sleepy (on the contrary, we travelled laughing, gossiping and listening to music on FM radio), but because the sheer blinding darkness outside the windows numbed us to the indescribably enjoyable pleasures of road trip that are experienced when the sun is up and about. A hour and a half later, refreshed by steaming cups of (poor quality) coffee and cigarettes at one of the several roadside eateries lining the base of the hill route, we still stood in complete darkness that was punctured only by the headlights of hundreds of cars moving in long slithering queues and waited for the gates leading further upward to the parking arena to be thrown open, while the unspoken tension to reach the summit before sunrise, for which it is so highly renowned, had begun to become palpable.

In the vicinity of Nandi village - A countryside framed

From the parking area, after purchasing the tickets, the pace at which we climbed the nearly 4-kilometer long slithering route, punctuated only by momentary breaks to click selfies and admire the unbelievably thick fog that nearly obscured everything beyond a couple of meters, would have been reminiscent of forced marches with which armies move during emergencies! The photos, of course, came amazingly well thanks to the unparalleled walls of fog that removed any and every background disturbance and left us with beautiful white backgrounds, though yes, our hair were left wet and clinging and the spectacles rendered fogged and wet because of the dew accumulating all over them. The rapid climb upwards combined with the solid walls of fog left little time or opportunity to appreciate the landscape, flora or the numerous viewing shelters and gently rising staircases built in the beautified hill sides; the granite walls and the cusped-arched gateway of the fortress "Nandidurg", raised atop the hill and enclosed within thick curtain walls interspersed by bastions and viewing towers, appeared beckoning, and so did the small ruined and ignored summer palace of Emperor Fath Ali Khan Tipu Sultan (ruled AD 1782-99) that is nestled in the bounty of thickly forested hilly area said to be the source of several streams – but we had to leave these for the return journey – anyway the fog would have rendered landscape/architecture photography nearly impossible! Signboards all along the slithering route also direct visitors to a small landscaped area near the hill's summit that is cultivated around a beautiful guest house now christened as "Nehru Nilaya" ("Nehru's abode") after Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru who once stayed in it but originally conceived and commissioned as a summer house by Mark Cubbon, the British army officer and administrator (in service of the British East India "trading" Company from 1801-61), while he was posted as the Commissioner of Mysore.

A palace spoiled - Tipu Sultan's summer residence

Eventually, drenched and slightly overcome by fatigue and cold, walking along the winding, spiraling pathway flanked on one side by the deep cliff face and on the other by bountiful, gently sloping, grass-shrouded hills, eventually we reached the summit only to realize that the journey wouldn't fruit as desired – the heavy fog ensured that the sun couldn't be spotted till it was nearly 10 am – but, as the saying goes, the journey is as essential as the end, and the trip proved uniquely refreshing and exhilarating. Running around, clicking group photos and sipping hot coffee at the small eateries at the summit, time for us flew quickly; the fog's impenetrability could only be gauged from the fact that I got separated from the group while we were having coffee and I ventured to clean some of it that had spilled on my shirt and then couldn't find them again for over two hours – there is no mobile phone signal, except of BSNL, anywhere beyond the base and hence I had no way to contact my colleagues nor did they – only after walking down four kilometers to the base and making a frantic phone call from there could I locate them and walk back to the summit to regroup! By then the sun was high in sky and the mist had very nearly disappeared – on the way back, I could observe the fortress' bastions built along the hill way which permitted strategic lookout over the entire valley for signs of approaching armies and were equipped with spaces for soldiers to mount guard and shoot. The fortress is said to have been commissioned by local chieftains, whose names have long disappeared from the biased pages of history, and was strengthened by Tipu Sultan.

Bird's eye view

With the sun shining bright, also came out numerous monkeys, many of them little suckling babies, others snapping for food and ice creams but almost all of them posing handsomely for the numerous cameras pointed at them by tourists – they were also intelligent enough to remove layers of chocolate from the ice creams and bite only at the vanilla core! Numerous bridal and model photo shoots were also in progress against the mesmerizing background of deep cliffs and remnants of flowing dew-laden mist clouds.

Soon after reuniting, we headed to the beautifully simplistic medieval Hindu shrine, referred to as Yoga Narasimha temple, built immediately next to the summit but ignored by almost all visitors except few devotees aware of its forgotten existence. The concept of twin temples is prevalent in south India where one temple dedicated to the enjoyment ("bhoga") phase of a deity exists at the base of a hill and another dedicated to the meditative ("yoga") phase exists in isolation atop the summit (more on the former later).

Unshakably solid - The granite entrance to Yoga Narasimha temple complex

Representing the renunciation form of Lord Shiva and entered via a simplistic gateway supported on mighty granite walls and pillars, the formidable structure of the Yoga Narasimha complex consists of a large central chamber constructed from granite blocks and surmounted by pyramidal spires plastered over and adorned with stucco figurines of mythological deities, Kirtimukha (refer the previous post for description – Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort) and Nandi, the bull steed of Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death and destruction to whom these temples are dedicated. Colonnades composed of simplistically carved, rough granite pillars encircle the temple courtyard and function as circumambulation passages around the shrine – occasionally here too one can spot idols embedded within plain whitewashed walls. A small shrine has also been reverentially set aside for the worship of "Nagas", serpent deities usually depicted singularly or entwined around each other and worshiped, especially fervently in south India, for their ability to grant blessings of life and fertility.

Sunshine yellow! - A relatively simplistic spire surmounting one of the shrines within the temple

Heading towards the central shrine which is composed of two interconnected chambers and whose exterior granite walls and doorway flanks are also sparingly ornamented respectively with small sculptures of deities and vegetative flourishes, symbolic of prosperity and fertility, emerging from sacred pots. Stepping into the first of the two interconnected shrines, one is for an instance dazzled by the exquisiteness of the sanctum and the idols gracing the chamber – the sanctum, entered via a doorway ensconced within gold framework extremely intricately carved into numerous patterns and designs, houses a single "Shiva linga" (Lord Shiva's phallic representation) enshrined within a silver throne sculpted with more depictions of mythological deities and serpent Gods, while outside, facing the sanctum, sits a sculpture of the bull-demigod Nandi; two brass sculptures of armed deities stand guard on either side of the doorway; several smaller stone sculptures remain strewn around the chamber, especially in the corners, as if they were simply stacked there with the intention of adding further holiness to the already divine chamber by the royals who originally commissioned the temple.

Ancient elegance - Yoga Narasimha temple sanctum

The second chamber sends shivers of discovery down a visitor's spine – it literally feels as if one has suddenly stepped into a realm still ensconced in the time when primordial deities reigned the Earth and were worshiped in the form of nature, animals and unique mythical creatures. The dark chamber, lit only by the sunlight seeping through the exit doorway, is supported upon pillars sculpted with panels depicting different forms of prominent Hindu deities like Shiva and his consorts, Vishnu (Hindu God of life and nourishment), Ganesha (the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness and learning), Nandi and other Goddesses being showered with milk and nectar by elephants – even the lintels surmounted on the pillars are carved with these simplistic, but nonetheless eye catching, sculptures. A stone platform, mounted upon which are more idols of the divine deities, sits flanked between two pillars on one side while facing it on the other side are unique, glossy and oily-looking sculptures, crafted not from stone but perhaps from polished wood, of human figurines, multi-limbed insects, strange creatures like elephant-headed humans, big lizards, crocodiles and what can only be considered dinosaurs (probably Spinosaurs!) – what are these creatures, what worship are they used for, are these village deities or primordial entities?! I still cannot fathom. Following the exit from the shrine and exploring and photographing the colonnades around, it is worthwhile to walk past the mammoth jagged rock face to the wall overlooking the cliff face – it is fun to run uninhibited like a juggernaut across the sloping rocks and then gaze down the deep valley – the area is referred to as "Tipu's Drop" and it is contended that the cruel and atrocious ruler used to have his condemned political and military prisoners thrown to their death from this point. Horrific!

Jurassic Park?!

Returning back, we finally did stop at the aforementioned summer residence of Tipu Sultan, a double-storied, rundown, decrepit structure most of whose chambers were locked for visitor entry and whatever remaining is accessible is in such poorly maintained condition that one feels appalled by the conservation authorities' indifference and apathy. A gateway through the palace leads to the other side from where a rock staircase built in the hill face leads to greener valleys and some more ancient temples, but by now we were so terribly exhausted that we decided not to proceed further and head back to the base for lunch. The site at which the palace has been built is said to be associated with Jain saints who performed austerities here – in fact, heavy stone monolith slabs carved with depictions of Jain saints and mythical scenes can still be seen placed on a lengthy platform besides the front face of the palace. Remnants of stucco artwork such as bird figurines and design patterns can also be spotted marking the arched passageway through the palace; on both levels, the balconies are adorned with balustrades composed of multiple ornamental patterns and wide "chajja" (eaves) run underneath them; a huge, deep square tank accessible by flights of stairs on all sides also exists close to the palace. The area was originally referred to as "Anandagiri" ("Pleasure Hill") when the Jains used to meditate here, but the name was modified to "Nandigiri" ("Nandi's Hill") when the Hindu Chola Empire (ruled 300 BC – 1279 AD) incorporated it in their territorial domain and commissioned the fortifications. Tipu Sultan's father Hyder Ali (ruled AD 1761-82), the Commander-in-Chief and Chief Minister of Mysore, captured the impregnable fortress from the Maratha chieftain Peshwa Madhavrao I and Tipu further strengthened the defenses and expanded the area militarily – it eventually fell to Lord Cornwallis of the British East India "Trading" Company who also played a prominent role in defeating Tipu's forces garrisoned at Bangalore Fort (refer Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort). Later the palace was converted to a hill resort by British administrative officers but the structure was allowed to fall in a state of decay and despair subsequently and at present exists in a heart wrenching poor condition. It is hard to imagine that a mighty historic personality like Tipu Sultan could have stayed in a palace this plain, but stay he used to here every time he visited the area for a hunting/travel expedition.

Miserable existence - Tipu's erstwhile regal residence

After a quick lunch composed of south Indian cuisine at Nandi village nearby, we headed past massive rock outcrops, majestically wide ravines and sparsely vegetated rocky valleys nestled in the shadows of bare brown hills and pockmarked by deep craters to finally explore two of the ancient temples that exist so close to the renowned tourist site that its popularity dwarfs their sorry existence into a state of uninhibited neglect and unabated ignorance. The rugged hills and the scarred valleys rolling outside the windows proved conducive to a gentle sleep but very soon we were standing outside the first of the two temples – referred to as Sree Kanive Basaveshwara Nandi Swamy temple, the shrine boasts of a massive stone idol of the bull Nandi that is said to have originated on its own ("Swayambhu") in such perfection over a thousand years ago. The temple priest informed us that the sculpture, presently at least 10 feet tall and 15 X 5 feet across, was only a couple of feet tall some 40-50 years back and will perennially continue to grow in its proportions till it comes alive in its enormous majesty on the Judgement Day as foretold by ancient Hindu scriptures! Consequentially, the shrine surrounding the sculpture has to be regularly expanded into an increasingly huge rectangular chamber to accommodate the former's ever-expanding physical existence. Apart from the sculpture along one of its shorter sides, the present shrine, having been recently rebuilt and being given a coat of plaster and paint when we visited, also encloses within itself along one of its longer sides a cluster of three interconnected shrines reverentially dedicated to Lord Shiva and his family .

In a state of perennial extension - The Nandi statue from Sree Kanive Basaveshwara temple

Through the gradually narrowing streets of the village, past dried up fields, grape vineyards and boulder clusters comprising entire hills, we traveled, stopping every few minutes for directions since it proved unimaginably difficult to accept that such a small village uniformly composed of box-like houses and rows of haberdasher shops could house a temple so magnificent that everyone, at least in the village, talked of its existence in such glorious terms. And a magnificent gem did the historic, rock-hewed Bhoga Nandeeshwara Uma Maheshwara temple, reverentially dedicated (as the aforementioned twin of the Yoga Narasimha temple) to Lord Shiva and housed within a massive complex enclosed by rows of colonnades and possessing towering ancient trees, prove to be! Locally referred to as "Ishwar mandir" and said to have been commissioned somewhere around early 9th century AD by Queen Ratnavali who belonged to the ancient and long forgotten Bana Dynasty that reigned over these areas and claimed ascent from mighty demon lords, the exemplar temple, presently a national heritage site and a splendid epitome of Dravidian religious architecture, was subsequently expanded and improved upon by four successive dynasties – Cholas (reign 300 BC – 1279 AD), Hoysalas (reign AD 1026-1355), Pallavas (reign 3rd-9th century AD) and Vijaynagara Empire (reign AD 1336-1646) – who remained devoted to its protection, maintenance and glorification.

Composite of three individual temples and yet architecturally and artistically uniform! - The central shrine within the Bhoga Nandeeshwara complex

The majestic temple complex, accessed via a small gate built into a rundown boundary wall, is such a striking architectural marvel that one is immediately overawed by the sheer magnitude of the artistic and sculptural prowess of the artists who painstakingly toiled through its construction and the ambitious desires of the emperors who expanded and multiplied several times its grandeur. As marvelous as the complex itself, a colossal wooden chariot, indescribably richly detailed with carvings of mythological figures, stands adjacent to a royal congregation hall near the entrance. Though the fine complex, said to be the oldest temple complex in entire Karnataka, is distinctly divided into four major structures, the centerpiece comprises a very prominent rectangular superstructure shrine that is actually a composite of three nearly identical temples dedicated to Arunachaleshwar, Uma Maheshwar and Bhoga Nandeeshwara – three forms of Lord Shiva, respectively representing his youth, marriage and renunciation. The huge temple is exceedingly exquisitely ornamented with monolithic stone pillars that are adorned with sculptures of divine deities and mythological entities and demarcate the grids of passages that comprise the temple and eventually culminate into the massive structure that the shrine is; in front of each of the two side shrines sits a majestic granite sculpture of Nandi surrounded by smaller similar sculptures and enclosed by cylindrical pillars that add just a touch of irregularity to the otherwise symmetrical and uniformly laid grid of rectangular pillars. The magnificently conceived, superbly executed and intricately sculpted pillars and design patterns force one to observe and photograph each and every artwork individually – it is impossibly hard to tear one away from these and head to the shrines.

Stone sentinels - Rows of colonnades encompassing the temple structure

The central shrine revering Uma Maheshwar form of the Lord has a black-faced, gold-plated composite idol depicting Lord Shiva (Maheshwar) and his consort Parvati (otherwise referred to as Uma) springing from the same lower body which is exceptionally unique since generally Parvati is depicted either sitting next to Lord Shiva or on his left lap, only in some cases is she represented as merging with Shiva and possessing a lateral half of one body ("Ardhanareshwar"), very rare is the representation of the two as Siamese twins. But prior to seeing this unique sculpture that is silhouetted by a five-headed, hooded serpent, one passes through a small square where an ancient canopied square pedestal ("Kalyana mandapa") exists – composed of black granite, the pavilion, erected by Vijaynagara Dynasty emperors (ruled AD 1336-1646), possesses four stunning pillars mindnumbingly intricately carved with patterns and human forms and representing a divine couple each (Brahma-Saraswati (the God of creation and the Goddess of ancient knowledge and learning), Vishnu-Lakshmi (the God of nourishment and the Goddess of prosperity), Shiva-Parvati and Agni-Swahini (the God and Goddess of fire)) – the entire structure thus culminates in a representative witness of Shiva-Parvati's wedding. The walls enclosing the shrine and the mandapa too are adorned with such a wide array of sacred sculptures and carved patterns that one miserably fails to even photograph these divine artworks in their ethereal grace and feels terribly ashamed upon comparison with the ancient sculptors and craftsmen who were such superior artists.

Singularly unique - The depiction of Uma Maheshwara in the central shrine

The sanctum within the Arunachaleshwar temple houses a rather thick "Shivalinga" (Shiva's phallic symbol) and outside it sits a two-feet tall strangely terrible sculpture of Ganesha referred to as "Simha Ganpati". The Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple, said to have been constructed during the last days of the reign of Chola Dynasty (ruled 300 BC – 1279 AD), on the other hand, boasts of relatively simplistic pillar designs but is endowed with several statues gracing its sanctum including one that is believed to be that of Emperor Parakesari Rajendra Chola I (ruled AD 1012-44). The pillars display rectangular panels embossed with mythological and historic scenes, graceful dancers and fierce sages depicted as existing within the flourishes originating from the diabolically bestial face of a divine Kirtimukha, but as a whole the chamber is exceedingly plain compared to the other two. It is fascinating to note that while the three individualized temples and their constituent shrines were built in different eons – commissioned by the Banas and expanded by the Cholas prior to further modification and ornamentation by the Vijaynagara kings and the Hoysalas – they culminate in a majestic structure externally exceedingly uniform and seamlessly composed.

Simplistic and yet architecturally opulent - Bhoga Nandeeshwara shrine

Stepping outside the shrine and walking around the courtyard, which is itself enclosed by strikingly symmetrical colonnades that allow circumambulation of the deities and also possesses a few sacred pillars ("stambha") erected immediately opposite the entrances of the shrines, one notices that while most of the exterior pillars of the Bhoga Nandeeshwara shrine are simplistic rectangular in nature with very minimal design pattern work, some of them, especially the ones next to the entrances, are elegantly sculpted to represent divine figures bareback riding mythological figures known as "Yali" which are part-lion, part-elephant beings possessing the body and head of a lion and the tusks and trunk of an elephant and are themselves mounted upon another mythological being known as "Makara" which possess the face and tusks of an elephant, the body and tail of a fish and the feet of a lion. The colonnaded passages, with their interplay of light and shadows, provide excellent visual compositions for photographic purposes.

More colonnades, this time surrounding the central shrine (right)

Along its back side, the rectangular shrine boasts of an inconceivably brilliantly detailed pyramidal tower ("Gopuram") adjacent both its corners that feature such an eye-opening display of mythological creatures, powerful deities and intricate pattern work that one is left spellbound and wordless – the unparalleled designs and exemplar figures are mesmerizing to such an extent that one is hard put to describe the majestic scene in words and that the same have survived over a millennium is unsung testimony to the exceptional skill of the accomplished artists who gave form to these. Slightly offset from the temple courtyard's entrance and built in continuation with the colonnaded passages is a smaller square shrine dedicated to the Goddess who is revered as a gold-ensconced idol. Very elegantly adorned with murals and sculptures depicting several other deities and mythological scenes, the hallowed shrine is the site for devout veneration by numerous visitors who visit it with their entire families and offer passionate prayers for fulfillment of deep-seated wishes and dreams. Possessing some of the most beautifully carved sculptures of Naga/snake deities endearingly drenched with brilliant red vermillion and hibiscus blossoms, another smaller shrine dedicated to the worship of the former exists close to the small square shrine and is flanked by the numerous "Stambha" pillars that are minimally ornamented with embossments of Nandi and geometrical patterns.

Sculpted divinity - Snake deities

Accessed via a towered gateway built within the colonnaded passageway that separates it from the central shrine, the third major structure within the entire complex happens to be an eye-openingly intricately adorned square pavilion "Kalyana Mandapa" that is itself surrounded by a wide courtyard and possesses two rows of sculptural-detailed pillars running along each of its sides supporting the unique slightly sloping roof. Serving the functional purpose of a sacred marriage hall, the pavilion, constructed by the Hoysala monarchs (reign AD 1026-1355), is so notably beautiful that it is to be seen to be believed! The fog of mythology engulfing the temple in its currents is most prominent around this pavilion and its numerous pillars comprising the exterior row depict the legendary Yali and Makara figures in their complete majestic glory. The charm of the entire structure is further magnified by the presence, around the courtyard, of colonnaded passageways the roofs of which are surmounted along one side by crumbling decaying pyramidal towers boasting of blackened, disfigured and nearly ruined, but nonetheless gloriously bewitching, statues of deities and mythical creatures.

Architecturally unparalleled - The mesmerizing "Kalyana Mandapa"

Commissioned by the Vijaynagara Emperors (reign AD 1336-1646), the last of the prominent structures within the complex is a massive in-house water tank ("Kalyani") that is accessible on each side by rock-cut steps descending to the water level – referred to as "Shringi Teertha", "Shringa" being "horns" and "Teertha" translating to "site of pilgrimage", it is said to have originated when the bull deity Nandi dug its horns in the ground. The tank is assumed to be the source of Dakshina Pinakini river – the river's nomenclature ("Pinakini" translates to "bow-shaped") too is said to have been inspired by Lord Shiva who is considered to be the almighty wielder of "Pinaki" ("the mighty bow"). Another legend is that the site served as the abode of a renowned mendicant sage named Shringi who used to meditate here. The colonnades around the tank are symmetrically surmounted by numerous stepped pyramidal towers of which the ones in the corners and the centers of each side are considerably larger than the rest. The alcoves within these towers still possess inimitable embossments of several deities but most of these sculptures have been rendered decapitated and mutilated – possibly as a consequence of the subsequent Islamic reign over the area following the decline of the architecturally and sculpturally glorious Hindu reign. Hundreds of thousands of earthen oil lamps are lit on the steps around the tank on all the major Hindu festivals like Shivaratri, Pongal and Diwali.

Grace and symmetry

Retracing one's steps back, one cannot help once again admiring the various structures within the complex and their numerous design pattern works and sculpted figurines. These ancient temples have stood here as sentinels watching the blue mist-laden hilltops and green barren fields since time immemorial. They now appear ruined and damaged beyond recognition, ignored and neglected by conservation authorities and heritage enthusiasts and relegated to a decrepit condition that defies comprehension and the spirit of monumental conservation and heritage pride. And yet, seated in the heart of hilly valleys and barren lands, they culminate into droplets of magnificent grandeur emanating from ancient architectural and artistic expertise combined with deep-seated devotion and religious patronage, prompting ever-continuously the fire in one's belly to travel throughout the countryside and visit as many monuments as one can!

The two "Gopurams" - Photo best viewed zoomed to observe the fine sculptures adorning the surfaces

Location: Nandi village, Chikkaballapur, 60 km from Bangalore
How to reach: One can book a Traveler/taxi from Bangalore to Nandi Hills. The charges for 14 and 8-seater Travelers are around Rs 4000 and 3000 respectively, plus the additional kilometer and hour plan charges.
Photography/video charges: Nil (for both the hill area and the twin temples)

Regarding Nandi Hills:
Entrance fees: Rs 20/person
Parking fees: Rs 370
Time required for sightseeing: 4 hrs
Facilities available: Snacks, coffee, cigarettes and drinking water are available at several small outlets near the summit of the hill and along the village roads leading to the hill base. Washrooms (very horribly maintained) can be accessed at the base on payment of Rs 5. Near the summit is a large restaurant managed by the Karnataka Horticulture Department – we found it to be too expensive for our simpler tastes and did not eat there, hence cannot comment on the quality

Regarding Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple:
Location coordinates: 13°23'12.3"N 77°41'54.8"E
Timings: 6 am - 9 pm
Entrance/parking fees: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 1-1.5 hrs
Other attractions in the vicinity: Devanahalli fortress, established in AD 1501 by Mallabaire Gowda, who belonged to the same family as Hiriya Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore (refer Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort), is located close to Yelahanka air base on the road connecting Bangalore to Nandi Hills.
Suggested reading –

1. Bangaloretourism.org - Bhoganandishwara 
2. Myworldfoodandtravel.com - Birding in Nandi Hills 
3. Trippinonlife.wordpress.com - The Unsung Nandi