he ancient temple of Sri Ranganatha Swami stands on the island named after it - Seringapatam, in the River Cauvery, 9 miles North of Mysore, and 75 miles South West of Bangalore. It became the capital of Mysore in 1610, when Raja Wadiyar achieved supremacy over Tirmula Rajal, the last of the Vijayanagara Viceroys. After four effective rulers, there followed a succession of weaker, puppet kings, whose power was gradually eroded by their diwans (Chief Ministers). In 1761 a Muslim became diwan - and thus virtual ruler of the state. His name was Haidar Ali.

Tipu succeeded his father as ruler of Mysore. Like Haidar, Tipu was a Muslim, but he pursued a secular policy in Mysore, and was ever-ready to deploy all available skills - hence his appointment of a Hindu, Purniya, as his Chief Minister. Tipu also presented significant gifts to Hindu temples, including three inscribed silver vessels to temple at Seringapatam; a long emerald necklace and a jade lingam to the Srikanteshvara Temple, Nanjangud, and a silver palanquin and a pair of silver chowries to the Sri Sarada Devi Temple, Sringeri and two kettle drums to the Narasimha Swamy Temple, Melukote.

One very recent reassessment of Tipu's religious policies has suggested that these donations were conspicuous piety, linked with obtaining the right to tax pilgrim revenues and benefit from the marketing networks associated with large temples. Mention is also made of the Mysore Archaeological Survey Reports (1912) which record the destruction of three Hindu temples by Tipu, at Harihar, Seringapatam and Hospet. However, none of these was associated with a persecution of Hindus, and certainly Haidar and Tipu both requested the Swami at Sringeri to intercede for them 'so that all the enemies may suffer defeat and take to flight and all of the people of our country live happily.'