This fort lies on the summit of a lofty Granite hill at a height of 1800feet from the ground,situated at Belthangady 65/330Km Mangalore/Bangalore.The rock cut 3256 steps leading to the citadel,the Walls ,Bastions, Gateways display and speak about the technical skill exhibited by the sculptors. A Visitor to the Site can recall the past memories anew of Footprints of Thousands of Horses with their HorseMen and Soldiers who marched ago from us to the 18 century, Now under The Archaeological Survey of India ideal for lovers of adventure and Trekking, but unsuitable in the Monsoons. RAILING'S on either sides for safety should be erected by The Archaeological department to minimise the risk involved, due to the steep uneven steps at the final stages to the Summit. Tippu sultan captured this ruined fort built by King NARASIMHAVARMA in the 3rd century renovated and named it JAMALABAD after his sick mother Jamalabibi in 1793AD, as the legend goes, Tippu after experiencing the pleasant climate at the summit 1800ft high,decided to bring his sick mother to cure her illness.All though it is not k
nown, if the ail ling mother got cured after experiencing the pleasant climate,let us assume that the Queen mother got cured because Tippu named the fort JAMALABAD and garrisoned it.Later captured by the British in 1799AD after defeating Tippu in the Fourth Anglo Mysore war.TIPPUSULTAN Son of HYDER ALI ruled a vast unified state of Mysore including parts of Maharashtra and Andhrapradesh,HYDER-ALI joined the army as a volunteer Horseman rose into Prominence by attracting attention with his daring ,courage and valour,soon demonstrating to the Wodeyar who ruled MYSORE,THAT IN HIM THEY HAD A NEW MASTER. He was the first Indian Ruler to defeat the sophisticated powerful British army in battles fought at VANIAMBADI, AMBURUand MADRAS.
All though HYDER-ALI was an illiterate never inferior to any educated Statesman of his time. He gave a Good Education to his Son TIPPU,Who owned a library of more than 2000 Books,which mostly were in Persian,Arabic, English , Kannada and Urdu.TIPPU was not only well read,but also well informed of World Affairs and developments in Science. An outstanding General and Diplomat a Soldier Par Excellence and a staunch enemy of the BRITISH. A constant nightmare to the English by upsetting all their calculations,surpassed and surprised them with his swift tactics of Warfare. TIPPU was in himself a Powerhouse of Energy.Hence the BRITISH called Him The Tiger Of Mysore.
Tippu used his great resources to experiment his great ambition to drive the British out of India, sending a delegation to Abdulhameed sultan of Turkey, but turkey had it's own problems, next embassy was to the court of king Louis XVI of France, caught in the amidst of revolution and unable to help. Tippu corresponded with Napoleon Bonaparte, who was fighting the English in Egypt. Napoleon sent word to Tippu that he would come, but unfortunately for Tippu, Napoleon was defeated by Admiral Nelson in the battle of Nile. The Mogul of Mysore also received a copy of the American Declaration of Independence, drafted under the leadership of Benjamin Franklin.
TPPU'S Capital was at FORT SRIRANGAPTNA,MYSORE also called TIPPU'S SUMMER PALACE Which was taken by surprise, when a Powerful army under General HARRIS bombarded the Fort,when the news reached TIPPU that the Messenger of Death was knocking at his door step, He was having his Mid-day meal, taking a last look at his dear little children and embracing them for whom he had paid the BRITISH Rs 3CORES for their release after the Third Anglo-Mysore war.The Great Father marched to join the battle where he couldn't over come the line drawn by the rule of Death. Thus the Muslim rule came to an end in KARNATAKA,On May 4, 1799AD.The BRITISH placed KRISHNSRAJA WODEYARIII who was six years old, on the throne of Mysore and the WODEYAR DYNASTY, Which ruled Mysore for more than 200 years was able to return to Power again.
STEEP STEPS DOWNWARDS VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE FORT
FROM THE TOP. THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES.
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