The Kote Venkatramana temple in Chamarajapet, Bangalore (Bengaluru) was constructed during the reign of Chikka Devaraja, 14th ruler of the Wadiyar dynasty in 1689 and is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara (Vishnu) (1/6) 
Chikka Devaraja was the king who founded Bangalore after acquiring the land from the Mughals in exchange of some villages and payment of three lakh pagodahs (currency). In front of the main temple is an imposing 80 feet pillar (2/6)
The pillar is dedicated to Garuda, Lord Vishnu's vahana (ride). The pillar has an intriguing and hidden history. The Wadiyar dynasty was effectively deposed by Hyder Ali, the commander in chief of Krishnaraja Wadiyar II (3/6)
Hyder Ali's Tipu Sultan constructed his summer palace in Bangalore adjacent to the Kote Venkatramana temple complex. In 1791, the Mysore kingdom was battling the combined forces of the British, Marathas, Travancore & Nizam of Hyderabad (4/6)
This is when the pillar of Garuda took centrestage. A cannonball fired from an English cannon was headed for Tipu. However, the ball struck the mighty tower and protected Tipu from certain death (5/6)
For the remaining years of his life, Tipu regularly paid obeisance at the Kote Venkatramana temple and also regularly sent valuable gifts for the deity (6/6)
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