A demolished fortified
city in the state of Karnataka, located outside the city of Mysore.
Tipu Sultan (r. 1782–1799), the final monarch of Mysore, had
Shrirangapatnam as his capital.
He struggled against the encroachment of foreign forces
during his rule.
However, he failed to take up arms against the British in
1799 and was slain in battle, leaving the city substantially damaged.
The city was named after a temple dedicated to the deity
Ranganatha, a manifestation of Vishnu who is resting on his snake couch Shesha
in the sea of cosmic dissolution (pralaya).
The temple was spared destruction and is still in use today.
Ranganatha is revered as a holy monarch, and his most
renowned picture, which can be seen on the island of Shrirangam in Tamil Nadu,
is linked to southern Indian royalty and kingship.
Even though Tipu was a Muslim, evoking Ranganatha's great symbolism
to legitimize his authority in the eyes of his Hindu followers would have been
a wise political move.
