Hidden amid the bustle of Kalasipalyam market in Bengaluru lies one of the city’s most overlooked historical structures—Tipu Sultan’s armoury, once known as the Grand Magazine. Established in the late 18th century during the reign of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysuru, the armoury originally occupied the south-eastern corner of the old Bangalore Fort. Today, surrounded by modern institutions such as the Bangalore Medical College, the structure survives in quiet anonymity, detached from its extraordinary past.
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| Tipu Sultan's armoury,Bengaluru indiatimes.com |
Architecturally, Tipu’s armoury reflects a functional Indo-Islamic military design, prioritising strength, concealment, and safety. Built largely underground, the thick stone walls, barrel-vaulted roofs, and minimal openings were meant to protect large stocks of arms and gunpowder from enemy attacks. The underground layout also helped regulate temperature and reduce the risk of accidental explosions. Unlike palaces or mosques of the period, the armoury was stark and utilitarian, revealing Tipu Sultan’s practical approach to warfare and military preparedness.
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| interior Tipu's Bengaluru armoury Facebook.com |
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| Tipu Sultan's Bengaluru armoury, indianexpress.com |
Above image:Found in the heart of Bengaluru’s Kalasipalyam market and behind the Bangalore Medical College is Tipu’s armoury(also called Grand Magazine).This one that once stood in the South East corner of the Bangalore Fortis an underrated heritage site. Established in the late 18th century, this forgotten site was one of the 10 underground armouries carefully designed and constructed by erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan...........
This Bengaluru armoury was not an isolated structure. Tipu Sultan had reportedly commissioned around ten such underground armouries across his kingdom, notably in Srirangapatna, his capital. These facilities stored cannons, muskets, swords, and gunpowder and were integral to his highly organised military network. Most significantly, Tipu Sultan is remembered as a pioneer of military rocketry, and these armouries are believed to have supported early experiments with iron-cased rockets—technology that later influenced European rocketry, including Britain’s Congreve rockets.
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| Bengaluru's armoury,Justdial.com |
Above image: This does not look like a heritage site as it has become a garbage dump.An ASI official said: “This site is not protected by us unlike in the case of the Srirangapatna armoury is. This does not figure in the list of monuments which was handed over to us in 1920 for protection. It should be with the state heritage department.In November 2002, based on the State government’s request, INTACH cleaned the site and landscaped the gallery This was done for four months at a cost of Rs 4.91 lakh.
Despite its historical importance, the present condition of Tipu’s armoury in Bengaluru is troubling. The structure remains largely unmarked, poorly maintained, and inaccessible to the public, with little effort made to integrate it into the city’s heritage narrative. Encroachments and neglect have further diminished its visibility and relevance.
Tipu’s armoury stands as a silent witness to Bengaluru’s layered past—of innovation, resistance, and strategic brilliance. Preserving and interpreting this forgotten landmark is essential, not only to honour Tipu Sultan’s legacy but also to reclaim an important chapter in India’s early history of science and military engineering.
https://www.deccanherald.com/content/418154/tipu-armoury-site-kalasipalya-lies.html
K.N. Jayaraman
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