Cemeteries and memorials to visit South India

A stele was placed at the place where Tipu Sultan died on May 4, 1799. During the Fourth Mysore War, the British besieged the city of Srirangapatna. They managed to create a breach in the wall along the Cauvery River. Having heard of this breach, Tipu Sultan went to the scene to fight. He died of a bullet in this place and the kingdom of Mysore fell permanently into the hands of the British on this occasion.

This memorial is dedicated to Tamil Tiruvalluvar, Saint and Poet, whose great work dates back to about 2 000 years. Built in 1976, in Nungambakkam, this huge stone structure, representing a tank fired by two elephants and located in a beautiful park, includes a very expressive statue of the saint. Scenes drawn from the 133 chapters of his famous book, Thirukkural, are carved in stone. The auditorium attached to this complex is one of the largest in Asia.

The mausoleum is located in the north of the city, in the countryside. To find it, go up the main street (turn right when you leave the dargah of Aurangzeb). After the roundabout, continue straight ahead and follow the road, turning left at the crow's feet. The mausoleum is about 500 metres after leaving the village, behind the Jar Jari Baksh mosque.

The massive mausoleum consists of a cube of pink basalt placed in the centre of a small platform. It is topped by a dome and four turrets placed at each corner. Each floor of the building is protected by a projecting overhang. On the ground floor, the central window on each side is pierced with a jali (openwork screen), while the others are walled. To the south, the window is replaced by a door allowing access to the mausoleum. In front of the mausoleum, a neoclassical Italian-style building, a movement very popular in Hyderabad at the beginning of the 20th century, allowed travellers who came to visit the tomb to rest. On the other hand, another mausoleum, identical in style to Malik Ambar's, but smaller, is probably that of one of his generals.

Walk: the countryside around Khultabad is dotted with Muslim mausoleums in a more or less good state of conservation. While it is often impossible to know who is buried there, walking the paths connecting them can be a pleasant hiking experience in the mild season. Bring a good pair of shoes, water and a picnic and play the explorer for as long as you like.