When the tireless Tiger of Mysore, Tippu Sultan allied with the French and swore enemies with the British, he made up his mind to protect the waters of the Gurupur River from British invasions. He did so by building the infamous watch tower at Boloor, Mangalore, in 1784. This watchtower helped the restless warriors of Tippu Sultan to watch out for British invaders and to store the cannons and gunpowder needed to attack them at first sight. Built 15 years prior to his death, the Sultan Battery watch tower stands testimony to the determination Tippu had to protect his precious subjects at all costs.
Multiple times a day, Bus no. 16 makes its way to and from Sultan Battery helping tourists as well as people living along the way to make their way from the city of Mangalore to the famous tower and back. Another major reason for the fort’s popularity today is the fact that it is less than 100 meters from the well-known Tannirbhavi beach of Mangalore. All you have to do is hop on board bus no. 16 from the state bank bus stand which ends its journey at Sultan Battery from where a ferry ride across the Gurupur River will help you find yourself just a few meters away from the Tannirbhavi beach – all of this with just 20 rupees. Quite a bargain, don’t you think?
The watch tower of sultan battery is a standing reminder of the great king Tippu Sultan who fought tirelessly to protect his state, his kingdom and in turn his subjects from the invasions of the British. The tower stands tall and proud today, on the banks of the Gurupur River that links to the Arabian Sea, singing songs of the Sultan of Mysore’s never ending sacrifices towards his motherland.
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