Visitors enjoying the recent festival holidays at Nandi Hills were met with a distressing sight: the magnificent summer palace of Tipu Sultan defaced. Vandalism has left its mark, with the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi scribbled across the palace walls, raising serious alarms about security and the preservation of our rich heritage.
Known as “Tashk-e-Jannat” – ‘the envy of heaven’ – this exquisite palace was initially envisioned by Hyder Ali and later completed by Tipu Sultan as his serene summer retreat. Its wooden structure, adorned with intricate carved arches, pillars, and beautifully painted walls and ceilings, truly embodies the architectural grandeur of the Mysuru era.
Local visitors are expressing profound shock and dismay over this desecration. They are urgently calling upon authorities to promptly restore the damaged sections and implement robust measures to safeguard this invaluable 18th-century monument. Alarmingly, numerous other writings and graffiti also mar its historic surfaces.
A beautiful view of Tipu Sultan’s summer residence at Nandi Hills, unfortunately now bearing marks of vandalism. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Despite the supposed presence of security personnel and CCTV cameras at the site, a staff member at Nandi Hills regretfully confirmed that none of the surveillance equipment is currently operational. While guides are present to monitor visitors and deter vandalism, the inscription of a gangster’s name specifically on Tipu’s residence appears to be a provocative act, potentially designed to incite unrest, as observed by one concerned visitor.
The summer residence is conveniently located near the Amrita Sarovara, right at the entrance of the site. It is generally considered a restricted area, leaving staff and security baffled as to how anyone could have accessed and defaced the terrace of the two-storeyed building.
A senior police officer has assured that the matter will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken. Meanwhile, officials from the State Tourism Department, responsible for the oversight of Nandi Hills, stated that they were unaware of the incident but committed to looking into it immediately.