Tipu's Bangalore Summer Palace

For long I had wanted to visit the Tipu Sultan’s Bangalore summer palace just for sheer shooting them onto my camera. After a long wait I got the opportunity to go there as some of the treasures belong to the Sultan which was maintained by the Daria Daulat Bagh in Srirangapatna was being put on display for a week at the Bangalore summer palace. Since I could not shoot the pictures of the coins and other materials which were on display at Srirangapatna due to bad light, I had this double whammy luck riding on me to shoot those images which I could not at Srirangapatna and also get the images of the summer palace itself. I went there and ensure that had any fotog’s tummy fill of pictures out which some I have put on display below.

The entrance of the Tipu Sultan's Bangalore Summer Palace.

Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace in Bangalore is one of the few and best historical places in the garden city of Bangalore today. So, if you are planning for sightseeing in Bangalore, this palace is something that you can hardly afford to miss. The palace, now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, is situated amidst a picturesque garden that enhances the beauty of the old palace. The specialty of the garden lies in the fact that it was originally planted by none other than Tipu Sultan, himself.

The palace is very cool sue to the use of teak wood for roofing as well as the flooring.

Built between the years 1781 and 1791, Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace in Bangalore is similar to Daria Daulat, the other palace of Tipu that is situated in Srirangapatna. As the palace was special to the mighty son of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, he called it 'Rash-e-Jannat' which literally means the abode of happiness and the envy of heaven'. The name inscribed by him on the wooden banisters of the palace can be seen by the visitors even today.
Though a large part of the palace is preserved well, the eastern wing of Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace that housed the 'Zenana' or 'Harem' has been destroyed over the time. What exists today are the wonderfully cuspid rosewood arches that rise above the fluted stone pillars and the beautiful frescoes, painted elaborately on the ceilings and walls of the palace.
Although the palace was previously painted in the elaborate style of the Daria Daulat palace, now the arches and ceilings, made of expensive rosewood have been painted with dark-brown enamel paint. This gives the interior of the palace a rather sober look than warm. However, the delicate and serene white flowers painted on a warm brick-red background cover the walls like a bright carpet. Also the raised frieze of gold flowers and leaves on the plain white base of the borders are a feast to the eyes.

Some of the very valuable heritage used by Tipu Sultan on the special display at the Bangalore Summer Palace. These items are usually on display at the Daria Daulat Bagh at Srirangapatna near Mysore.

The Sword along with papers showing the history and time of Tipu Sultan on the special display at the Bangalore Summer Palace.

The museum hall which houses some of the heritage at the summer palace in Bangalore.

The hand written book of Tipu Sultan (left) and the jar he used to drink tea from (right).

The robe worn by Tipu Sultan when he died fighting the British army (left) and the bowl used by the Sultan himself (right) with typical markings of astrological and numerical predications.


The lock to the pistol used by Tipu (left top) the pistol itself (top right) and some of the various paisa (coins) releaseed by Tipu Sultan during his tenure as the ruler of Mysore Kingdom (left).

Locks Are Key To Health Here

This story below which was published in the Bangalore Mirror edition dated March 6, 2008 came about after my wife who read the Tamil newspapers said that such a thing happens even today in a city which as shunned religious beliefs and have taken up to god man’s who preach what our grandparents had once told all of us during our favorite bed time stories. So I quickly went to the Bowring hospital and spend some time and learned that how faith can turn one’s life from the almost gone to a win-win situation.
I then discussed this story with my editors and they gave a few points which I will have to look into and than develop the story. What you get to see down is a ground work of more than 3 days since Pushparaj was away from Bangalore the first three days. And another thing that changed my presupposition of the English dailies being the best to the local lingual dailies giving more apt and comprehensible news than the fluff and bluff which the English dailies churn out day in and day out.

Cutting up bodies in the post-mortem department and running a temple in the vicinity are all in a day’s work for 54-year-old Pushparaj, a fourth-generation employee of Bowring Hospital in Shivajinagar. According to him, the idols of Muneeshwara and Katteri-amma were found at the hospital site in the 1880s by his great-grandfather Muniyappa, and the family has tended to the temple built to house the idols ever since.

Pushparaj near his family run temple inside the Bowring hospital (left), and of the main building which houses the OPD near the main entrance of the hopistal (right).

The temple’s renown is such that people from all walks of life, including doctors, judges, students and relatives of patients, offer prayers here. Most of the devotees claim their prayers have been answered.
According to Pushparaj, his great-grandfather Muniyappa, a dafedar at the hospital during British rule, found the idols while they were digging the site for the construction of the first hospital building in 1882. The British did not want idols kept inside the premises, but seeing the resentment of their Hindu employees, allowed the shrine to come up. “Later, the temple had to be shifted as another building was coming up, and was relocated near the main gate of the hospital, said Pushparaj.

Pushparaj stands outside the building where the idols were found (left) and next to the mortuary where he presently works by cutting the bodies (right).

Given the nature of his work in the post mortem department, Pushparaj performs the pooja in the temple early in the morning while his wife Mahadevi performs the evening pooja. Mahadevi said that after them, their son Babu will continue the family tradition of running the temple.
Sister Selvi, a nurse at the hospital, said she offers a prayer every morning for the welfare of the patients under her care. Her sentiment was echoed by fellow-nurses Prabha and Shanta.
Two regulars at the temple for more than 25 years are city residents Kitty and Prakash. Pushparaj said that every Friday, however busy they are, they come and pay their respects to the deities housed in the shrine.

A doctor, who did not want his name mentioned, said that for more than 30 years, ever since his college day, has been a regular at the temple and all his prayers have been answered. A unique aspect of the temple is that visitors to the hospital attach a lock to the gates of the temple, asking for the quick recovery of their relatives. Sudha, whose daughter was admitted to Bowring for her delivery, offered a lock and said her prayers for a normal delivery were answered.
Latha, the mother of an accident victim who was brought to Bowring in bad shape a month ago, also offered a lock to the temple. She said that within two days, her prayers were answered and her young son is now recovering well, much to the surprise of the doctors.

Whether it works miracles or not, what is in-disputable is that this little shrine has been a source of solace down the years for thousands of visitors while their near and dear ones recover in the wards of the hospital.

The Last Hours at Indian Coffee House

On the 5th of April, 2009 one more historic place which has remained as one of the garden city's talking joints, the Indian Coffee House was reaching its last breath of steaming fresh filter coffee. The Coffee house which has served many top personalities in the past six decades was on its last journey to death. This Coffee place gets one back to old memories during my stint with the Times of India - Bangalore edition from 1987 to 1993.
When I got to know that the 5th of April would be its last day, it made me feel as though a part of me was being split up and put to rest. So I quickly got my camera and went to the heritage old place to get some pictures of the last few hours and also ensure that I have my last cup of filter coffee from this house.
The coffee house played host to some regulars or occasional visitors to Bangalore's most popular avenue, M.G. Road in the past 50 years of its existence, apart from playing host to personalities like former Prime Minister’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda, painter M F Husain, Jnanpith awardees U R Anantha Murthy and Girish Karnad, filmstars Dr. Rajkumar, Ambreesh, Vishnu Vardhan, Mohanlal to name a few.
Run by the Indian Coffee Workers' Cooperative Society Limited, the Coffee House was established in Jan 1958. The end came as the society lost a legal battle with the owner of the building to continue in the premises.
'The court had directed the Coffee House to vacate the premises in 2006. However, we managed to get an extension till March. Now we have no other option but to move out and find an alternative place for ourselves,' Ravi, the manager of Indian Coffee House, told me when I spoke to him during his last working hours and added in the same breath that 'We are looking for a place on MG Road to restart our business. Till then the employees, 48 in all have to remain without any salary.
Regulars to the coffee house for the past 35 years Shanmugam and Natrajan were there on Sunday, to sip their last cup, narrated some of the best times of their lives they had under this roof which will be closed in a few hours. Shanumagam said that he had met Natatajan a hockey player then and now a hockey referee and coach, here at the same table they are sitting in 35 years ago, and now had come with their wife and children to bid a snuffled farewell to their thrice a week meeting place.
'I worked in the Coffee House for the last 25 years. It is hard to believe that it has been closed. I have enjoyed serving the visitors all these years,' said Peter John, a waiter in his mid-40s, sporting his red turban and white unvarying.
Hanumanthaiah, coffee maker had delighted many discerning coffee lovers, said the place had been his home for almost three decades.’
‘I prepared filter coffee for coffee lovers for almost 30 years. Coffee House was my home and I am homeless today,' lamented 50-year-old Hanumanthaiah.
Even as he regulars for decades came to bid a appetite fill farewell to their second home, the youngsters who were regulars for 5 to 8 years had started to put an online ‘Save Indian Coffee House’, campaign on various social networking sites.
The Manager Ravi said that the society is looking for a alternate place on M G Road but till they do get one the employees in all 47 will have to stay without any salary.
Sweating and knowing regular customers on first term basis were two waiters Gangaiah and Chinappa, who had no words on the last working day as they kept their weeping hearts within themselves and put up a smiling face to the customers and the media, serving them with utmost pride.
Below are the pictures taken by me during the last few hours before the coffee house closed doors and the locks put on for one last time to end a rule of the coffee on M G Road, Bangalore.

The Waiters Chinappa and Gangaiah go about their duty on the last working day serving the customers at the Indian Coffee House at 4.35PM, on 5th April, 2009.

Some of the Regulars for the past few year (left) and the old time regulars Shanumugam and Natrajan (right) enjoy their last cup of Coffee on the first floor of the Coffee House at 5.05 pm on 5th April, 2009.

Hanumanthaiah the coffee maker at the coffee house for the past 30 years prepares the last filter coffee and serves them into waiting cups at 5.30pm on 5th April, 2009.






Lakshmi films her husband Shankar and their child outside the Coffee House, where they had met and fell in love. They stumbled in not knowing it was the eatery's last day.








A couple pose for a picture with one of their regular waiters as DNA Money editor Chitti Pantulu leans over to a side to give way for me to take the picture, at Coffee House on 5th April, 2009 at 7.45pm.





A art student sketches some of the last moments at the Coffee House (left) as smokers stand at their space meant for them between the ground and the first floor staircase sipping their coffee with a cigarette (top).




The chefs of the Indian Coffee House prepare the dosas and omelets for one last time on 5th April, 2009. The Omelet being prepared (left top) and the Dosa being steamed on the hot tawa (top right) as another cook moves some plates of Dosa and Omelet from the first floor kitchen to the ground floor kitchen through the 50 year old hand mad pulley (left).





History pieces displayed for one last time: the Cash counter on the first floor (top left), H Ramalinga and Gangaiah in the uniform for one last time. These Traditional uniforms have been with them for the past 38 years during their service (top) and the menu card which (left) which I also took procession for my keeps as an memory memento.




The Gate keeper locks the doors of the Indian Coffee House on M G Road for one last time at 8.45 pm (left) as the Evening staff pose for a group picture (right) at 8.55 pm.

Vinay Kamat and me have the last plate of omelet and cutlet at the Indian Coffee House which we used to visit 20 years ago (left) as Vinay Kamat and Chitti Pantulu pose for a picture with the staff of the Indian Coffee House (right) after the locking of the doors for last time.

Combat Exercise by Indian Paratroopers

The main aim of having a Parachute Unit to any country is for quick deployment of the solders behind enemy lines to attack the enemy from behind & destroy their first line of defense. They are the "CRACK FORCE" & help the main army to get in without much damage. The Indian Paras are the Elite group of soldiers & generally all the Special Forces personals are selected from it. Though it has its own SF Units & slowly they are being converted into SF or better known as "COMMANDOS".
The three parachute commandos (battalion-size units) perform Special Forces duties. Airborne, Air Assault or Parachute troops are usually held centralized. The mounts, in all cases, are provided by the Indian Air Force. The parachute and parachute commando units, which are part of the Indian Army's Special Forces, are ready reaction troops, although their use “is heavily dependent on the Air Force air transport fleet.
By start of the new century, the Parachute Regiment had essentially two components. One part was the traditional parachute force, with the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Parachute.
In 2003 the government announced the creation of four new Special Forces battalions to be trained in cooperation with Israel. The intended role for these units was to stop cross-border infiltration in Kashmir, though they were to be trained for cross-border raids as well. One report indicated in 2004, that the 5th Parachute was converting to the Special Forces role; however, it was actually the 4th that converted. There are no open source indications that the remaining battalions were ever actually formed.
The parachute units of the Indian Army are among the oldest airborne units in the world. The 1st unit was authorized on 15 May 1941, & by October 1941 the 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade had been formed; comprising 152nd Parachute Battalion (Indian), 151st Parachute Battalion (British) & 153rd Parachute Battalion (Gurkha).
The Pictures you get to see below are the ones taken at the Parachute Regiment Training Center in Bangalore during the visi of the Sultan of Brunei.

Fighters of the Parachute Regiment Training Center enact a war scene as their slither down a mock training iron railings (left) as they enact an arm to arm combat with an mock target (right) to the visiting Sultan of Brunei His Majesty Hazi Hassanal Bolkiah after he had checked out the latest and mordern Weapons of Warfare during his visit in Bangalore on Friday 23rd May 2008.

Commandos of the Parachute Regiment Training Center enact a war scene as one Sits behind an tree trunk to give covering fire (left) to the fellow commando who is running for the final assualt (right) to the visiting Sultan of Brunei His Majesty Hazi Hassanal Bolkiah after he had checked out the latest and mordern Weapons of Warfare during his visit in Bangalore on Friday 23rd May 2008.

The below operation is an very coveted one tacking the unpredictability of the Jammu & Kashmir hills surrounded with thick forest and rocky terrain. The Paratroop Commandos are air lifted by a Helicopter and dropped to a certain point to finish an operation with terrorists holed up in a Kashmir home. The whole operation lasts 6 minutes and the enemy is neutralized with meticulous planning and swift and calculated moves during the operation.























This Scene was appreciated by the visiting Sultan of Brunei and he also praised the team from the fast coordinated moves by helping each other through out the six minute operation.

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