Shivamogga – New Stone Age

By Meera

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Shivamogga is considered to be the Gateway to Malnad with its vast forests, waterfalls, and heavy monsoons. But the verdant district hides a very ancient past when humans were still learning to develop stone tools and implements. Now how many of you know that this district has more than 25 stone age settlements.

 

Tool from new stone age era

Shivamogga- Shivappa Nayaka Palace Museum

By Meera

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 Our visit to an ancient site housing a Menhir – a funerary stone in Bhadravati had roused our curiosity about megalithic times. But just not these, the recent findings and discoveries from New Stone Age in the Shivamogga district had fuelled our imagination and interest in not only this era but also other times – some of them recently.

Tipu Sultan – Armory’s History

By Meera

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Crossing over from one area to another in this small island town, it is littered with many edifices that have a history ranging from ancient to old. Ancient temples abound here but for us, it was the armory that generated a lot of interest. In ancient India, we have not seen the existence of armories but Tipu’s armories can be seen in some districts of Karnataka. Some are intact while some are being renovated.

 

In his 17 years of rule, the warrior of Mysuru -Tipu Sultan had armored himself well, and therefore, this had led to the construction of 11 armories across his kingdom stretching from Mysore to Bangalore to Tumakuru to other places in the south interior parts of Karnataka. Most of these are located near forts or palaces that he had built.

 

The dilapidated armory

Tipu Sultan - The Armory

By Meera

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In a land which is replete with structures and monuments from different eras as also its beautiful riverine heritage, how can one ignore or not wonder about some rectangular and square structures built here and there in this ancient landscape ruled by a plethora of dynasties? Some of these structures look worn out while some are relocated and renovated with a modern look.

 

As Tharangini, Srinivas Adhikari and I wandered around the temple town of Srirangapatna in Mandya taluk of Karnataka, India, our friendly advocate Murali put in a word of how these structures that is “armories” built by Warrior King Tipu Sultan had undergone restoration in the island town.

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