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Events before his birth

Abdali invaded in 1748, Tipu was not born

The Times of India, Nov 08 2015

Manimugdha Sharma

Historians hit out at BJP for painting Tipu anti-national  The Karnataka govern ment's decision to observe the birthday of Mysore ti ger Tipu Sultan has stirred a debate with the Sangh Parivar slamming it and those on the other side of the ideological spectrum supporting it.

On Friday , BJP dismissed the legendary ruler as an anti-national, with its Mysuru legislator, Go Madhusudan, decrying the move to set up a university in Tipu's name. “Let's not forget the recorded fact that he invited Afghan king Ahmad Shah Abdali to wage a war against India.This shows he was an anti-national and doesn't deserve to be venerated,“ he had said.

However, the BJP didn't realise the fallacy of its claim. The first time Abdali invaded India in 1748, Tipu was not even born. When Abdali defeated the Marathas at Panipat in 1761, Tipu was only a 10-year-old child and a hostage of Khande Rao, the Mysorean general who had hatched a plot with the Wodeyar queen's mother to oust Hyder Ali, then the subedar of Dindigul. In fact, it was the Maratha defeat that had helped Tipu's father to seize power in 1761.

Tipu Sultan did, however, seek an international alliance with Abdali's grandson, Zaman Shah Durrani, France, Iran and the Ottoman Empire to throw out the British.

Aghast by this portrayal, historian Dilip Menon said, “Tipu is a complex figure, but one of the best 18th-century monarchs in India.However, there were also stories of orced conversions of Hindus and destruction of temples, which to modern eyes fit too well into a Muslim monarch in a Hindu society frame. Interestingly, the ideal monarch, Ashoka, self-confessedly killed hundreds of thousands of Hindus in war before converting to Buddhism. So will the BJP reject Ashoka? History means knowing context and not subscribing to polarising myths.“

Military historian Mandeep Singh Bajwa was angry at this “lack of understanding“ of Tipu.“Instead of making these empty noises, they should be studying the administration and warfare of Hyder Ali and Tipu ,“ he said.

Achievements

Tipu Sultan’s Mission to Constantinople

May 28, 2006

REVIEWS: Chronicling history

Reviewed by S.G. Jilanee

Dawn

AMONG the Muslim rulers of India, those who had their capital in northern India such as Delhi or even Murshidabad are more widely known than those in the South: Bijapur, Golconda, Hyderabad and Mysore, for example.

Among the latter, however, the names of Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan outshine all others. Haider Ali, son of Fath Khan, “a soldier of fortune,” rose by the dint of his own prowess to become the ruler of Mysore like Sher Shah in northern India.

But it was his illustrious son, Tipu Sultan (1782-99), whose exploits have immortalised his name. Besides being a super-eminent general, he was also a visionary like his father. It was Haider Ali who, side by side with his wars, also conceived the idea of building a strong navy. He entered into treaties with the rulers of Oman and Persia and established a factory at Muscat on the pattern of the East India Company.

Tipu Sultan carried his mission forward both on the battlefield and the diplomatic front with greater vigour. In the latter area, he attempted to extend relations further. Thus, in 1786 he sent an embassy to Constantinople. The embassy’s principal objective was to establish commercial relations with the Ottoman Empire. Another one was to secure confirmation of Tipu’s title to the throne of Mysore from the Caliph and use him for military assistance in the war that Tipu was fighting with the British.

Khwaja Abdul Qadir, one of the two secretaries of the mission, kept a meticulous diary of events on the orders of Tipu Sultan under the title of Waqai-i-Manazik-i-Rum which would translate as “Chronicle of the stages (in the mission) to Constantinople” (because Constantinople was known as Rum among the Muslims).

The book comprises events from the time the mission sailed from the port of Seringapatam up to the point when it started from Basra for Constantinople

It is a rare manuscript which Prof Mohibbul Hasan, who taught history at the Calcutta, Aligarh Muslim and Srinagar universities, with great pains, collected and with greater effort edited, translated into English and published in the form a book under the same title. However, this unique document which was found among Tipu Sultan’s papers after the capture of Seringapatam, comprises events from the time the mission sailed from the port of Seringapatam up to the point when it started from Basra for Constantinople. The remaining portion of the diary describing the journey beyond this point is not available. The Waqai is a rich source of information not only about Tipu Sultan’s commercial and military ambitions and his administrative acumen but also about the Indian merchants settled in the Persian Gulf and their role in the local economic life.

Yet, the Waqai provides invaluable information on the commercial, social and political situation in the places visited. It also describes places such as Basra, Muscat and Kharg Island in great detail. Apart from the prices of commodities, the author has also recorded rituals such as Muharram and the legend of Khwaja Khizr’s combat with a witch. There also are some interesting anecdotes, such as the description of one of the chiefs of the mission, Lutf Ali Khan, wandering through the streets of Basra seated in a palanquin and buying small trinkets.

Value is added by a historical background, which throws light on the contemporary political situation both inside India and in the Persian Gulf. The book is interesting both for the casual reader and the serious student of history.

Waqai-i Manazil-i Rum: Tipu Sultan’s Mission to Constantinople By Khwaja Abdul Qadir Edited By Mohibbul Hasan Aakar Books, 28-E, Pocket-IV, Mayur Vihar Phase-1, New Delhi-110 091 India Tel: 011-22795505. Email: aakarb@del2.vsnl.net.in ISBN 81-87879-56-4 99+168pp. Indian Rs750

Controversies

The 2015 controversy over the Tipu Jayanti

Oneindia, 13th Nov, 2015

Karnataka has been hit by a massive protests at different parts of the state. Two Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers died when pro and anti-Tipu Sultan groups clashed in Kodagu district on Nov 10.

Tipu Sultan, a controversial king, was also known Tiger of Mysore. He was the son of Sultan Hyder Ali of Mysore and ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1783 to 1799.

Tipu died at the age of 48 and was succeeded by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. Despite his several works which helped Karnataka to become a developed state, Tipu faced criticism for his atrocities towards Hindus, including the conversion of Hindus to Islam.

Why controversy over Tipu Sultan irked protesters suddenly?

Karnataka government-led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier in 2014 announced that Nov 10 will be celebrated as Tipu Jayanti. Many people were disappointed with the announcement and vowed to disrupt the programme. Despite several warnings by Sangh Parivar outfits in Karnataka, the state government organised the event on Nov 10, 2015. It was Tipu Sultan's 266th birth anniversary.

Why was Girish Karnad dragged into the controversy?

Jnanpith winner Girish Karnad, a noted artist, landed in the controversy with his statement on Tipu Sultan. Karnad suggested that Bengaluru airport should be named after Tipu Sultan. His statement irked many, especially the Vokkaligas as currently the airport is named after Kempe Gowda, one of its eminent member from 16th century.

Death threat to Karnad

After facing criticism, Karnad apologised for his statement. He also clarified that it was his personal opinion and he did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiment. Meanwhile, an unidentified person on Twitter threatened Karnad. The person claimed that Karnad too will face death like MM Kalburgi. Police, who do not want to take any risk, tightened security for Karnad.

Tipu's Legacy

Tipu's deep hatred for the British portrayed by the iconic pipe-organ; Graphic courtesy: Manimugdha Sharma, The sword over Tipu's Legacy, November 15, 2015: The Times of India

Manimugdha Sharma, The sword over Tipu's Legacy, November 15, 2015: The Times of India

It is not fair to reduce all that the tenacious Mysore sultan did down to basic binaries, say historians

This is not the first time Tipu Sultan's legacy has come under fire. Every time the state, an individual or a group has tried to honour the Mysorean monarch, there have been fierce protests. In 1989, the makers of the popular TV serial The Sword of Tipu Sultan were dragged to court for celebrating a man who had killed many non-Muslims in Malabar and Coorg. Last year, there was trouble when Karnataka sent a Tipu Sultan tableau for the Republic Day parade.

Despite the BJP's current stance, the Yeddyurappa government in 2012 had planned to procure rare documents belonging to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan from Britain to establish Karnataka's claim over Belgaum. The state has an on-going dispute with Maharashtra on the subject.“By focusing on just one aspect of his rule or personality , we are doing great disservice to a man who lived in a different time, a rather troubled time,“ points out military historian Mandeep Singh Bajwa. “With the three dominant forces of the time -the Marathas, the Nizam, and the British -ganging up against him, he held out with steely resolve. That's also something to be celebrated -the tenacity in the face of fire, both literally and metaphorically . You cannot apply modern standards of democracy and liberty on him and his rule,“ he says.

This debate, argue historians, is a reflection of the Sangh Parivar's penchant for “reducing everything down to easy binaries“. They point out that Tipu was a man and a ruler way ahead of h i s t i m e , not a caricature of a bigoted Muslim king.

Tipu was a remarkable man in many ways. He and his father Hyder Ali actually gave the world the war rocket. Tipu even wrote a whole manual titled Fathul Mujahideen, on the use of this formidable weapon, which had directly contributed to the British defeat at Pollilur in 1780. The British, after Tipu's fall in 1799, took away his rockets to Britain, improvised them and developed the Congreve rocket. They used it both against the US in the War of 1812 and Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.

Tipu's engineers made for him some of the best muskets, pistols, cannons, sabres and other weapons of war. One of Tipu's inscribed sabres was a spitting image of the Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre used by the British with great success in the Napoleonic Wars. The Duke of Wellington, who defeated both Tipu and Napoleon, had high praise for the former's weapons and cavalry .Tipu's cavalry would later become the Mysore Lancers, and heroes of the First World War.

Tipu built several roads and bridges apart from buildings, and also laid the foundation of a damming project on the Cauvery, which was finished only in the 20th century and is today known as the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam.The thriving sericulture industry in Karnataka today is also a Tipu legacy . The British, after Tipu's death, were surprised to see the average Mysore peasant economically better off than a Madras peasant directly under Company rule. They were also surprised to find `Tipu's Tiger', an automated toy that had a tiger mauling a British soldier shrieking and writhing in pain -a fantastic piece of technology of the time and a testament to Tipu's hostility towards the British.

Despite being an absolute monarch, he supported the French Revolution. He was made a member of the Jacobin Club.Tipu also planted a Tree of Liberty in his capital--actions for which the French called him Citizen Tippoo. Even Napoleon Bonaparte corresponded with him and had promised to liberate India from the British yoke.While that didn't happen due to Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of the Nile, this alliance alarmed the British so much that they decided to finish him off.

“Tipu was the most consistent in his fight against the British.Unlike the Marathas and the Nizam, he never became their ally , which should be celebrated,“ says historian Tripta Wahi.

Tipu's army did commit atrocities during his Coorg and Malabar campaigns. These were amplified by the British as they mounted a propaganda war on him, and at times by Tipu himself, through lofty claims about conversion. “Religion was and is the handmaiden of politics. Tipu used religion against those who had allied with his enemies. Even Ranjit Singh converted the majestic Badshahi Masjid in Lahore into a horse stable. Tipu was no different,“ says Wahi.

Relationship with other kingdoms

Tipu Sultan and the Kodavas

Source: www.oneindia.com (OneIndia News)

Oneindia , 12th Nov, 2015

Why Kodavas won't bow to Tipu Sultan

Almost everyone in Kodagu consider Tipu to be a tyrant who tricked them into surrendering when he realized he was losing the battle against them.

History records that the Kodavas and Tipu Sultan have had a bitter rivalry always. Tipu wanted to capture Kodagu as he felt he could use it as a gateway to Mangalore which has a port.

Not just Tipu, but his father Hyder Ali too made several attempts to capture Kodagu. Various attempts by father and son were a failure as they found it hard to battle in Kodagu which has vast tracts of land and mountains which was very familiar to the locals.

The Kodavas who pride themselves for contributing immensely to the Indian army thanks to Field Marshal K C Kariappa and General K S Thimmaiah were good at guerrilla warfare which gave them an advantage of Tipu's army.

A Wikipedia entry suggests that the Kodavas despite being outnumbered 1:3 always managed to defeat the Tipu army. There were a couple of times that Tipu and his army managed to reach Madikeri, the capital of Kodagu, but was beaten. The Kodavas has sworn never to bow to the Sultan.

However, Tipu once managed to capture Kodagu on one ocassion and is said to have uttered the words, "if you ambush my men, I will honour you all with Islam."

The Kodavas did not take this lying down and beat Tipu and drove him back to Mysore.

A change of plan and treachery:

Tipu by now realized that his war was going nowhere and beating the Kodavas was not easy.

He decided to offer his hand of friendship. The Kodavas made a grave error in trusting Tipu. The Kodavas were in fact happy to offer their hand of friendship as the battle against him was being won, but at a huge cost and the warriors were tired.

The Kodavas are said to have welcomed Tipu. However, they were caught completely off guard when Tipu's men launched an attack against the Kodavas who were unarmed. He took many as prisoners.

Tipu had even sought the help of the Nawab of Kurnool to launch the attack.

Several thousand Kodavas were captured and taken to Srirangapatana where it is believed they were forcibly converted.

Stories of conversion and torture have been narrated by the Kodavas who were in captivity of Tipu.

Various historians have given different figures about the number of Kodavas who were converted. Figures range between 60,000 to 85,000.

On religion

Anti-Hindu or Progressive?

The Times of India, Nov 07 2015

Tipu Sultan's summer palace; Graphic courtesy: The Times of India, Nov 07 2015

Tipu's b'day bash divides opinion

Some term warrior anti-Hindu, others progressive

BJP legislator from Mysuru, Go Madhusudan, is against setting up of a Tipu varsity, claiming that Tipu had offered support to Afghan ruler Ahmed Khan Abdali in waging war against India.“This shows he was an anti national and doesn't deserve to be venerated,“ he said. Historian Talakadu Chikkarange Gowda debunks theories that the ruler killed Hindus for refusing to convert to Islam. “In 1781, Peshwa Parasuram Bahu pillaged Sringeri Shankaracharya's mutt. It was Tipu who came to the mutt's rescue." he said. He also pointed to temples in the vicinity of Tipu's palaces in Mysuru or Bengaluru. “I agree there are lapses on his part. But one mistake should be overlooked for the 99 other welfare measures he brought in, he added. Barkur Udaya, assistant professor, department of history , Mangalore University , said the anti-Tipu brigade is only reiterating Britishers' view of him as a traitor.

Social balancing of politics

The Times of India, Nov 16 2015

Tipu kept alive social balancing of politics followed by Deccani rulers

Was Tipu Sultan a patriot who should be celebrated or a bigot who committed atrocities in the name of religion? As a controversy rages over the 18th century ruler of Mysore, TOI invites eminent historian Seema Alavi to assess the life and rule of Tipu The controversy over Tipu's “secular“ vs “bigot“ profile is not new. It was triggered in 1990 as well. But at that time through school text books and a popular serial aired at prime time not merely Tipu, but his political context and social engineering had caught the imagination of the country .History textbooks viewed him in his historical context and upheld his image as the quintessential proto-nationalist. And for the average Indian he become a household figure with Sanjay Khan's popular serial, `The Sword of Tipu Sultan', that projected him as the brave son of Mysore who died fighting the English East India Company in 1799. Both Khan's serial as well as history textbooks successfully used his life to shape the narrative of secular India rather than judging him by modern yardsticks. They highlighted Tipu in the 18th century political and military culture where conquest, war and alliances were not necessarily fought along networks of rigid social identities. This was a culture in which not just in Mysore but also all over the sub-continent military preparedness, the mastery of the art of war and diplomacy , shifting alliances cutting across caste, region and religion defined politics. Balancing conflict with cooperation was the mantra of the ideal King. So it was not scandalous for Tipu to go to war against the Hindu raja of Coorg (1785), and enjoy victories over the Marathas (178687) and at the same time continue to have a large number of Hindu officers and soldiers in his administration and army . His most trusted lieutenant was the Brahmin, Puraniya, who had also served his father Haidar Ali. In this careful social balancing of politics Tipu was not unique. He was only continuing the long tradition of Deccani and South Indian rulers (Hindus and Muslims) who over the centuries had intermarried with, employed, gone to war with, forged alliances and co-existed with followers of diverse ethnic and religious profiles.

Religion

Tipu Sultan's complex, multi-layered legacy, Nov 10, 2017: The Times of India

HIGHLIGHTS

Tipu Sultan, like rulers of his time whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian, behaved contradictorily, especially when seen through a modern lens. What he did, like rulers of other religions of the time, was fight expansionist wars or avenge battle defeats. He didn't fight 'religious wars' in the strict sense of the phrase. Here's a look at Tipu's complex legacy, now being used by political parties to polarise communities:

-On the one hand, Tipu would brutally attack a region killing many of its residents who happened to be Hindu, and on the other hand, he would donate generously to Hindu temples.

-Tipu is said to have killed and persecuted Hindus in Coorg, but then he is said to have done the same with the Muslim Moplahs of Malabar - he apparently persecuted them too.

-He is said to have killed Catholics in Mangalore but he is also said to have ordered the construction of the first-ever church in what is now Mysuru. Read also: This is how political parties have reacted to Tipu Jayanti celebrations over the years

- Tipu is said to have destroyed temples in Kodagu and in Malabar. But then - and this is documented - he donated to the Srikanteshwara temple at Nanjangud, and to the Sringeri monastery established by the Shankaracharya.

- Meanwhile, Hindu temples were not spared by Hindu rulers just because they themselves were Hindu. Case in point: the Hindu Marathas attacked the Tirupati shrine in 1759.

-Tipu fought four wars with the British on the one hand. (Some call him India's first freedom fighter.) On the other hand, he celebrated 'Bastille Day' with the French (who were against the British).

See also

Coorg

Kodagu