Museum objects, artifacts, and archival items from the Sarmaya collection.
This coloured engraving by Rogers, after a large scale history painting by Henry Singleton, is a dramatic depiction of the East India Company’s final storming and capture of Seringapatam, the fortified capital of Tipu Sultan, Mysore ruler and bitter opponent of British imperialism, in May 1799. In the main image, British and Mysorean forces are… Read more »
Inscription Verso Inscription by the Dealer “STATE PRISON AT DELHI. ARTIST: Drawn by William Daniell and Engraved by J. B. Allen. Coloured engraving. Year 1836.” This is after the painting of the bridge connecting the Red Fort to the Salimgarh Fort in Delhi, acorss the Yamuna river. The Salimgarh fort was built by Sher Shah… Read more »
This engraving from the Illustrated London News is a detailed depiction of the walled-city of Delhi before the Uprising of 1857. Bounded by the fort-walls on all sides, the walled city with its landmarks, palaces, havelis and bustling streets is executed in detail and almost every important section is named and numbered for identification. The… Read more »
This is an aquatint engraving showing the southern entrance of the Bangalore fort post the attack on Bangalore by the British East India Company during the Third Aglo-Mysore War in 1791. The war was fought between the British army and the king of Mysore Tipu Sultan, who was defeated and the fort was captured. This… Read more »
This image from the Illustrated London News shows the capital city of Coorg, Mercara, or Madikeri, from a distance (above) and the native Kodava officials of Coorg in their traditional attire (below). The Kodava kingdom of Coorg bitterly opposed the expansionist Mysore state under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, resulting in one of the most… Read more »
This is a copper coin issued by Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire – the third ruler of the Tuluva dynasty that ruled the region in the early 16th century. On the obverse of the coin is the image of a bull, an animal that symbolised strength and virility and a common motif in the coins of… Read more »
This engraving after an original photograph by Bourne and Shepherd shows the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali in Seringapatam (now Srirangapatna), erstwhile capital of the Kingdom of Mysore.The domed mausoleum is seen situated on a raised platform in the middle of a landscaped garden. The tomb was first built by Tipu to hold… Read more »
This engraving is after a painting by James Hunter, from his collection of illustrations titled “Picturesque Scenery in the Kingdom of Mysore”. James Hunter worked for the Royal British Artillery in India and took part in the campaigns against Tipu Sultan. After the signing of the Treaty of Seringapatnam (Srirangapatna) , Hunter took permission from Tipu… Read more »
Engraving after a drawing by James Welsh, Lieutenant Colonel in the army of the East India Company, published in his ‘Military Reminiscences: extracted from a journal of nearly forty years’ active service in the East Indies? in 1830. Welsh describes the once impregnable fort of Kurmuldroog, or Kurnallah, as twice as inaccessible as Nundydroog (Nandidurga).… Read more »
Raja Raja Chola I was a renowned king who ruled over the Chola kingdom in southern India from 985 to 1014 CE. Regarded by many as one of the greatest kings in Indian history, he was a celebrated conqueror and an efficient administrator. It was during his reign that the Cholas were able to subdue… Read more »
This is an engraving of the hill fort of Vellore by J. Cheevers. The image shows a full-scale view of the fort, complete with walls and walkways leading up along the mountain. Vellore Fort is an important landmark in the history and culture of the state of Tamil Nadu, being built in the 16th century… Read more »
The Chera dynasty ruled in southern India during the Sangam age between 3rd Century BC and 9th Century AD. During this time, the biggest empires in the region were the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. The Cheras, who controlled the west Malabar coast, were the first powerful dynasty from Kerala and hence given the moniker Keralaputras,… Read more »
This engraving depicts the sepulchre or mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali in Seringapatam (now Srirangapatna), erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Mysore.The domed mausoleum is seen situated on a raised platform in the middle of a landscaped garden. The dome is supported on granite pillars, and, inside the mausoleum, the walls are decorated… Read more »
Engraving after a drawing by James Welsh, Lieutenant Colonel in the army of the East India Company, published in his ‘Military Reminiscences: extracted from a journal of nearly forty years’ active service in the East Indies’ in 1830. The fort of Nundydroog, or Nandidurga, located on a hilltop north east of Bangalore in the Baramahal… Read more »
The last Sultan of Delhi was an unlucky man. When his father Sikander Lodi died, the nobles of the court saw an opportunity to curtail the power of the dynasty. So they created a dual monarchy and around the time that Ibrahim Shah Lodi ascended the throne in Delhi in 1517, his brother Jalal Khan… Read more »
The Wodeyars of Mysore issued a number of copper coins in various denominations. The most common numismatic device employed was the elephant. This copper coin issued by Krishna Raja Wodeyar III shows on the obverse an elephant facing the left and laden with ornaments. On the reverse is a three-line Kanarese legend and the lettering… Read more »
Krishnaraja was placed on the throne when he was a young boy of 5 and therefore his prime minister Dewan Purniya, the former finance minister, served as regent until 1810. This coin was issued during the regency period and features the sardula, the mythical tiger of Mysore. On the reverse, you’ll see the mint name… Read more »
Two die varieties of fine and scarce coins are seen, which commemorate Dewan Purnaiya, the first Dewan or Prime Minister of the Mysore State. He served three rulers with distinction: Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and finally, upon Tipu’s death, the five-year-old Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. Purnaiya is remembered for laying the foundation of the state’s sound… Read more »
When the Mauryan empire fell, ancient India saw some new kingdoms take root, which then went on to become formidable dynasties of their own—the Satavahanas are a prime example. They emerged in southern India in the middle of the 1st Century BC and their reign lasted till the 3rd century CE, making them the longest… Read more »
The Wodeyar/Wadiyar dynasty owns the distinction for being the only Indian royal family to have ruled for five centuries! Chosen to serve as vassals of the Vijayanagara empire in 1399, the Wodeyars grew over time to reign over their own kingdom, which they did right up till the formation of the Union of India in… Read more »