he graceful twin minarets of Tipu's Jumma Masjid (1787) are decorated with an elegant arrangement of numerous pigeon-holes, and terminate in bulbous domes above balconies.

An inscription on the wall of the mosque proclaims: 'Each arch is like the moon - unequalled in beauty. The pleasing wind which blows from it is spirit- like, enhancing and refreshing.'

In modern times, processions assemble here before making their way across the island to Gumbaz and the ceremonies associated with the Tipu Urs (marking the anniversary of Tipu's death). Prayers are offered, both at the mosque and at the mausoleum, where Tipu's mark is still very evident in the painted bubris on walls and ceilings. At the mosque, these have only been revealed within the last 15 years, a delicate pattern previously hidden by successive layers of white paint.

The photograph is from the Riddell Collection, collected by the Glasgow-born Peter Fletcher Riddell. At his death in 1985, the collection was generously given to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, by his family.