East View of Bangalore

This is perhaps one of the earliest recorded descriptions of Bangalore, a metropolis and an IT hub today: ‘Bangalore is the capital of a province of the same name, in the Kingdom of Mysore … The fort is of an oval form, fortified with about thirty round bastions, five cavaliers, and two gateways. It was originally built by the Hindoos, as appears by some figures sculpted on the walls, and by an ancient Pagoda in the middle of the place. It has been considerably altered and modernized by Hyder Aly, and Tippoo Sultan, who have added many outworks, and entirely re-built the North gate … Tippoo likewise built a palace for his own residence, which is painted and gilt, in a most gorgeous style. The contrast between this fabric, and the surrounding huts, conspicuously marks the distance between the despot and his subjects. In one of these hovels, many British officers, and soldiers, who were taken prisoner during the former war, were confined. They were constantly kept in irons, and treated with inhumanity, rigour, and insolence.’ Extracted from Robert Hyde Colebrooke's painting and drawing catalogue, Twelve Views of Places in the Kingdom of Mysore, second edition published in 1805.