Gumbaz Srirangapatna Tipu Sultan’s Mausoleum
With its location so close to Mysore, the town of Srirangapatna makes a great day trip. The former capital, prior to being replaced by Mysore, the city sits on an island on the river Kaveri. The town is also famous for its links to Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore during the late 1700s and his father King Hyder Ali.
The Gumbaz, or Tipu Sultan’s Mausoleum, is located not far from Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in the Daria Daulat Bagh. If you are planning on coming to Sriragnapatna, it is highly recommended to see at least both of these locations.
I wasn’t quite prepared for what my eyes saw as I walked through the impressive stone gates at the front of the Gumbaz. I hadn’t yet been to the Taj Mahal at this stage, but my immediate impression was that this was a very similar building. Apparently, I’m not the only one to think so, with it being known as a “mini-Taj”. A long path, flanked by the Lalbagh gardens on both sides leads down to the Gumbaz.
Tipu Sultan spent a lot of time in Srirangapatna. The Gumbaz sits in the centre once again of a raised concrete platform. It was built to house the tombs of his father and mother. Following his death at the hands of the British in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, Tipu Sultan was also buried alongside them.
The Gumbaz is an example of Persian architecture, with open wrap-around verandahs and columns that were so evident in Indian buildings during this era. A huge onion dome sits on top. The doors were once made of gold and silver. During the British rule however they were removed and are now located in the V&A Museum in London.
See the Gumbaz at sunset
Outside the Gumbaz lies a mosque that was built by Tipu Sultan as well. Nearby are also more tombs, many of which are his relatives and other important people. If I could also give another tip it would be to time your arrival so that you can see the sun set here. It’s truly magical. The sun sets in India are always quite “dirty”, with the sky full of smog, smoke and general pollution. It does, however, provide for some really nice, bright orange sunsets.
Where is Gumbaz?
The tomb of Tipu Sultan is located in Srirangapatna, approximately 15 km from Mysore.
How to get to Gumbaz
The town of Sriragnapatna is connected by rail, as indeed many cities in India are. Buses also depart from Mysore. You can also drive here however always remember that driving in India takes a lot longer due to heavy road congestion and poor road infrastructure. You can hire a driver to come to this town and rickshaws operate in Srirangapatna, taking visitors to and from the many places of interest.
Opening times for Gumbaz
Entry is from 8 am until 6.30pm and is free.
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Mysore Palace – the beautiful former home of many of Indian’s rulers
Note: It is forbidden to take photos or videos inside Gumbaz without special permission. As a guest of the Ministry of Tourism, India, I had special permission to do so.
