The Tipu Sultan Museum at Srirangapatna in the district of Mandiya, Karnataka is housed in the Daria Daulat Bagh, an ancient monument of National importance. Being an important museum, oil paintings, pencil sketches, aquatints, engravings, coins, medals, costumes, furniture, arms, etc are exhibited in the museum.
The famous oil painting known as the `Seringapatam`, by Sir Robert Ker Porter in 1800 is an important historical painting showing the final capture of Srirangapatna on 4th May 1799. Eminent English officers of the time General Baird, Sgt. Graham, Col Dunlop are displayed in it. The background of the painting exhibits part of Tipu`s palace, the minarets of the mosque and the gopura of the Ranganatha Swami temple.
In 1792, the famous artist G.F. Cherry painted a portrait of Tipu Sultan. In it Tipu is seen wearing a turban, a striped shirt, a necklace, a girth belt, and a stone-studded cross belt to which is attached a sword. In addition to this, there is also another full painted portrait of Tipu Sultan by John Zoffany.
Robert Home, an eminent artist of the time, painted the portrait of Tipu`s sons Abdul Khaliq and Maizuddin the hostage princes with Ghulam Ali Khan, the vakil of Tipu. Captain Kennaway (probably), the personal secretary to Lord Cornwallis is also shown having a discussion with Ali Raza Khan, another vakil of Tipu holding a Treaty document.
Other than this, there are also eight pencil sketches exhibiting the works of the seven sons of Tipu, Sultan Fateh Haider, Abdul Khaliq, Maizuddin, Mohiuddin, Yasin Sahib, Sultan Sahib, and Shukrullah. The sketches of Mir Alam, the Minister of Nizam, his son Mir Dauran, Krishna Raja Woodeyar III and his maternal uncle Nandi Raja drawn by the English artist Thomas Hickey between 1799-1801 are also exhibited in the museum. `Cornwallis receiving the hostage princes` and the `last effort of Tipu Sultan` in defense of Srirangapatna are also displayed in the museum. Drawings of the soldiers of the East India Company are also exhibited in addition to these paintings.
The museum is also a show house of coins of various denominations like Double Paisa, Paisa, Half Paisa, Quarter Paisa and One-eighth Paisa issued by Tipu Sultan, medals of different metals like silver, copper, bronze, issued by the English, the costumes of Tipu including a payjama, a silk coat and a straw hat, two silver bowls presented by him to the Ranganathaswami temple, a hand made paper manuscript in Persian dealing with the military code of regulations, furniture like chair, sofa with backrest, couch, a rosewood round table, a brass cannon, daggers, swords, pistols and muskets.
It is sure that one would visit the museum with such great historical collections. The opening hour of the museum is from 9am to 5pm. There is also an entrance fee of Rs 5 for the Indian citizens and US $2 or Rs 100 for others. Children up to 15 years of age are free to enter. But it has to be remembered that the museum remains close on every Friday.
