Cupola in Fort St. George

Have you ever had the chance to visit Chennai? If so, did you explore the historic Fort St. George? Within the walls of this fort, there is a distinctive structure known as the Cornwallis Cupola, notable for its absence of a statue atop it. This article aims to shed light on the intriguing history of this monument. While the architectural features of the Cornwallis Cupola may not be particularly noteworthy, its historical significance is substantial. Let's delve into the basics and provide a concise overview of its history.

Fort St. George

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, stands as one of the earliest British settlements in India. Its foundation dates back to the year 1639 CE. In their quest for further settlements and trade opportunities, the English decided to construct a fort. This fort, built on April 23, 1640 CE, coinciding with St. George's Day, came to be known as Fort St. George. It ranks among the oldest surviving British structures in India.

Within the fort's confines, you'll find the Tamil Nadu Government Assembly, numerous heritage buildings, an ancient church, remnants of British-era streets, and even a museum. Our focus in this article, the Cornwallis Cupola, also resides within the fort's precincts.

To understand the significance of the Cornwallis Cupola, we must delve into the context of the Anglo Mysore Wars, Tipu Sultan, and Lord Cornwallis.

Anglo Mysore Wars

The Anglo Mysore Wars refer to a series of conflicts that took place in the latter half of the 18th century CE between the Mysore Kingdom and the British East India Company, represented by the Madras Presidency.

For our purposes, let's concentrate on the Third Anglo Mysore War, which spanned from 1790 CE to 1792 CE. In 1789 CE, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, invaded the neighboring state of Travancore, an ally of the British. This aggressive move led to a two-year war, which ultimately ended in defeat for Tipu Sultan at the hands of Lord Cornwallis, the Governor General who commanded the British forces.

The culmination of this conflict was the "Treaty of Srirangapatnam," where Tipu Sultan had to cede half of his territory to the British allies and pay a substantial indemnity of INR Six crores. As a guarantee of his compliance with the terms, Tipu handed over his two sons to Cornwallis on February 26, 1792 CE.

Statue of Cornwallis

Given the extraordinary feat of defeating Tipu Sultan in battle, the European residents of Madras initiated a fundraising campaign to commemorate their hero, Lord Cornwallis. A statue depicting the surrender of Tipu Sultan's sons to Cornwallis was crafted in England and transported to Madras in 1800 CE.

This statue found its initial resting place beneath the Cornwallis Cupola, which is the central theme of this article. The cupola, along with the statue, was situated in the Parade Square area of Fort St. George.

In 1805 CE, Lord Cornwallis passed away. After his demise, a Cenotaph was erected in the Teynampet area with plans to relocate the statue there. However, for reasons unknown, despite the Cenotaph's completion, the statue was not transferred.

Before any relocation could occur, the Cenotaph itself was moved to a new location, the first line beach, sometime during the 1880s. In 1925 CE, the statue and the cupola were separated, with the statue finding its way to the Connemara Library in 1928 CE. In 1950 CE, it was relocated to the Fort Museum, where it remains to this day.

The Cornwallis Cupola, separated from the statue of Cornwallis, never had the chance to reunite with its leader. It remained in its original site, the Parade Square, for approximately ten years until 1935 CE. Subsequently, it was relocated to its current position, where it has stood for over 80 years.

And thus concludes the intriguing tale of the Cupola in Fort St. George.

Happy travelling.