Tag Archives: Tipu Sultan – Freedom Fighter of India

Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yaha ki mitti me: Muslim Freedom Fighters of India

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INDIA:

Uncover the remarkable contributions of Muslim freedom Fighters of India to fight for freedom from British colonial rule.

In present times, Indian Muslims find themselves subjected to demonization and unwarranted questioning of their patriotism. Communal elements seek to manipulate history by intentionally excluding Muslims and disseminating false propaganda against them through social media. The vital contributions and sacrifices made by Indian Muslims in the struggle for India’s freedom from British colonial rule are systematically obscured. However, a closer examination of history reveals that not only did Indian Muslims play an essential role in the freedom movement, but they also made significant sacrifices for the cause of anti-colonial nationalism.

Indian Muslims: Unveiling Their Crucial Role

According to a report by the Milli Chronicle, the names of 95,300 freedom fighters are etched on the India Gate in Delhi, and remarkably, 61,945 of these names belong to Muslims, signifying that 65% of these brave individuals were Muslims. The significance of this statistic is eloquently captured by the renowned writer Mr. Kushwant Singh, who boldly states that the story of Indian freedom is etched in the blood of Muslims, emphasizing their disproportionately larger contribution to the struggle, considering their smaller population percentage.

Profiles of Courage: Muslim Freedom Fighters

The annals of history are adorned with the stories of Muslim freedom fighters who put their lives on the line to liberate India from the shackles of British oppression. These individuals, driven by an unwavering determination to secure their homeland’s independence, demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience.

Sultan Haidar Ali Salabat Jung: The First Freedom Fighter


   Sultan Haidar Ali, father of Tipu Sultan, pioneered the fight against British colonial forces. A secular leader, he united both Hindus and Muslims in his quest for freedom, although his efforts were eventually betrayed.

Tipu Sultan: A Trailblazer in Battle


   Son of India’s first freedom fighter Haider Ali, Tipu Sultan pioneered the use of iron-cased rockets, utilizing them effectively to defeat British forces in several historic battles over two decades.

Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan: A Martyr’s Legacy


   Member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), Ashfaqullah Khan paid the ultimate price for India’s freedom. Notable for his daring attacks on British government trains, his sacrifice remains etched in history.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: A Beacon of Unity


   Maulana Azad, a key leader in the anti-colonial nationalist movement, became the youngest President of the Indian National Congress. He rallied Hindus and Muslims alike against British oppression and launched Urdu Weekly Al-Hilal to expose British misrule.

Maulana Hasrat Mohani: Champion of Change

Mohani’s powerful Urdu speeches incited Indians to stand up against British rule. His unyielding spirit saw him arrested and jailed, but his impact on India’s fight for freedom remained profound.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan: The Frontier Gandhi


   A pivotal figure in the Khilafat movement, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan established the Khudai Khitmatgars, promoting peace and unity. Jailed for 13 years by the British, his dedication was unwavering.

Sirajud Daula: Battling Against Betrayal


   The last Nawab of Bengal, Sirajud Daula, fought valiantly against British forces. Despite betrayal, he remained a symbol of resistance against British rule.

Vakkom Majeed: Courage Amidst Oppression


   Vakkom Majeed’s resilience during the Quit India movement earned him repeated jail terms, highlighting his unwavering commitment to India’s freedom.

Fazl-e-Huq Khairabadi: Life in Exile


   Sentenced to life in the notorious Kalapani jail on Andaman, Fazl-e-Huq Khairabadi continued his fight for freedom despite insurmountable odds.

Badruddin Tayabji: Founding the INC


    Badruddin Tyabji and Qamruddin Tyabji were instrumental in establishing the Indian National Congress (INC). Badruddin’s wife, Suraiya Tayabji, designed the present Indian flag.

Shah Nawaz Khan: A Triumphant Act


    Major of Azad Hind Force, Shah Nawaz Khan was the first to hoist the tricolor at the Red Fort, symbolizing India’s victorious struggle against British imperialism.

Barrister Saifuddin Kitchlew: A Voice for Justice


    Jailed for 14 years by the British for protesting against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Rowlatt Acts, Kitchlew’s opposition to the two-nation theory set him apart.

Bakht Khan: A Gallant Defender


    Bakht Khan’s courageous defense against the British in Delhi, Bengal, and Lucknow showcased his unwavering dedication to India’s freedom.

Titu Mir: Bengali Rebel


    Titu Mir’s armed resistance against British colonial authorities exemplified his determination to free India from British rule.

Syed Ahmad Barelvi: Organizing Resistance


    Syed Ahmad Barelvi’s efforts in uniting native armies against the British from Delhi to Kabul showcased his strategic prowess.

Zain-ul-Abideen: INA Officer’s Patriotic Slogan


    Zain-ul-Abideen, an officer of the Indian National Army (INA), coined the iconic patriotic slogan “Jai Hind.”

Empowering Women in the Freedom Struggle

The fight for India’s freedom was not limited to men; several Muslim women also contributed significantly to the struggle.

Begum Hazrat Mahal: A Rebel Leader


   Rebelling against the British in 1857, Begum Hazrat Mahal seized control of Lucknow from British forces, showcasing her leadership and courage.

Surayya Tyabji: Designing India’s Flag


   Wife of freedom fighter Badruddin Tayyabji, Surayya Tyabji designed the Indian flag that we proudly hoist today.

Abadi Bano Begum: A Pioneer in Politics


   Abadi Bano Begum, known as Bi Amma, actively participated in politics, matching her male counterparts in the Indian National Movement. Her sons went on to become prominent leaders.

Azizan: A Warrior’s Spirit


   Azizan organized a battalion of warrior women, displaying her remarkable skill in the art of war and refusing to yield to British pressure.

A Timeless Legacy

The contributions and sacrifices of Indian Muslims in the fight against British colonialism are immeasurable. While recounting the names of every Muslim freedom fighter may be an impossible feat, their collective impact remains undeniable. The fact that many chose to remain in India underscores their deep-rooted connection to the land. Despite attempts to distort history, India will forever be the cherished home of its Muslim citizens.

Conclusion

Urdu poet Rahat Indori’s words,

“Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yaha ki mitti me,

Kisi ke baap ka Hindustaan thodi hai,”

encapsulate the essence of Muslim Freedom Fighters of India’ unyielding commitment to their homeland. The sacrifices and contributions of Indian Muslims in the struggle for independence stand as a testament to their unwavering dedication and indomitable spirit. Their stories deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated, inspiring future generations to honor the diverse tapestry of individuals who fought for a free and united India.

source: http://www.munsifdaily.com / The Munsif Daily / Home> News> Indai> Pan India / by Munsif Web Desk / August 18th, 2023

India: Historians recall role of Muslims in freedom struggle

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Coinciding 74th Independence Day on Aug. 15, scholars recollect help of Turkey to India’s national freedom struggle

Abdul Hameed Nomani, General secretary of the All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat

New Delhi:

Celebrating country’s 74th Independence Day on Aug. 15, under the shadow of recent communal riots in capital Delhi and anti-citizenship law stir, many Indian scholars have called for recalling the role of Muslims during India’s freedom struggle.

Author and scholar Waseem Ahmed Saeed said over time, the contribution of Muslim freedom fighters in India has been forgotten.

In his book titled Kala Pani: Gumnam Mujahideen-e-Azadi 1857, Saeed said from the 1757 Battle of Plassey in Bengal, Tipu Sultan’s Seringapatam battle in South India in 1799 to the massive revolt in 1857 against the British was led by Muslims.

Saeed, who has authored a book on the subject in the Urdu language, said while India’s official history celebrates Udham Singh for killing Michael O’Dwyer, the lieutenant governor of Punjab in India, in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, it does not recognize Sher Ali Afridi, who killed Lord Mayo, British viceroy and governor-general of India from 1869-1872.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, many Muslim scholars and historians said the role of their ancestors in the freedom struggle has been overlooked.

According to Syed Jamaluddin, director of historical research projects at the Institute of Objective Studies, a think tank, there is no adequate coverage of the role of the Indian Muslims in the national movement.

“The contribution of Muslim revolutionaries, poets and writers is not known today. Similarly, little is known about the contribution of people like Ali Musliyar and Bi-Amma, who made significant contributions,” he told Anadolu Agency. He is currently editing a book on the Muslim role in India’s freedom struggle.

Saeed recalled in his book that it was the ruler of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah, who first fought and lost to the British in 1757, which became a cornerstone for the imperial power to colonize India.

He said that even after losing this battle, there were many rebellions led by Muslims until 1850.

Muslim revolts against British

Jamaluddin mentions the Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion, a joint revolt against colonial power by Muslim and Hindu ascetics, for preventing them from collecting religious tax from locals. It started in 1764 and continued until the 1850. He said the rebellion even spread its wings to southern India’s Madras (now Chennai) presidency.

But most prominent and popular movements that hit the British hard in the early 20th century in the subcontinent was the Reshmi-Rumaal Tehreek (Silk Cloth Movement) led by Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi with the help of Turkey, Germany, and Afghanistan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, a prominent Muslim scholar Abdul Hameed Nomani said that despite his best efforts, Sindhi’s contribution has not been included in the official Indian history.

Along with an Indian prince Raja Mahender Pratap Singh, Sindhi, and Maulvi Barkatullah had established the exiled government of India in Afghanistan in 1915.

“The movement picked up around the same time when Subhash Chandra Bose [renowned Indian freedom fighter] was allying with Germany and Japan to oust the British from India. While Bose is celebrated nationwide, not much is known about Sindhi and his supporters,” said Nomani, who is also the general secretary of the All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, an umbrella group of prominent Muslim organizations.

It was named Silk Cloth Movement because Sindhi and other leaders used to send letters and directions to their cadres written on silk cloth.

Later, Sindhi went to Turkey and joined the country’s national struggle.

“The movement led to the formation of Indo-German-Turkish mission to encourage local tribes on the borders of Afghanistan to attack Britishers and their interests. While the key figures were arrested by the British, the movement remains a key event in the freedom history,” he added.

He said even though in 2011 the government released a postal stamp to commemorate Sindhi’s movement, there has been no vigor to record the sacrifice of Sindhi and his allies Mahmud Hasan and Husayn Ahmad.

“Only passing reference has been made about the role of Muslims in India’s national struggle,” rued Nomani.

source: http://www.aa.com.tr / Anadolu Agency / by Cheena Kapoor / August 14th, 2020

Hyder Ali: The ‘Napoleon of South India’

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Devanahalli, Mysore, KARNATAKA :

Hyder Ali, who is famously known as ‘the Nepoleon of South India’ for his relentless fighting against the conspiracies of the East India Company and its henchmen and for checkmating the British ambitions of expansion in South India, was born in 1722 at Devanahalli village, Karnataka state. His father was Fateh Mohammad Ali and mother Mujidan Begum.

Though he did not have any formal learning, he received training in martial arts. Hyder Ali was sharp in intellect, strong in will, capable of  handling multiple tasks simultaneously and was brave at heart.

He had participated in Devanahalli war in 1749 as a young soldier of Mysore State. Recognizing his gallantry, Nanjaraj, the Minister of Mysore kingdom, honoured Hyder Ali with the title of ‘Khan’ and promoted him as the Chief of a battalion in the Mysore army.

They attacked Mysore several times with the help of the East India Company.

Though Hyder Ali suffered initial losses, he resisted them successfully and proved a virtual nightmare to East India Company. Even then, the British rulers provoked Hyder Ali again which led to the second Mysore war in July 1780. He went to the battlefield along with his son, Tipu Sultan.

While Hyder Ali captured the Arcot, his son Tipu defeated the East India Company troops and captured Kanjeevaram, which was about 50 miles from Madras. This sent shivers to Warren Hastings, the Governor General of East India Company.

He immediately sent additional troops from Culcutta, Madras with abundant funds under the control of his Commander General, Sir Eyre Coote. While fighting against the foreign enemy on one side, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan taught a befitting lesson to Malabar Nayars and chieftains, who revolted against him with the active support of Nizam of Hyderbad.

Hyder Ali, while leading his troops towards successive victories, fell ill and died in the battlefield on 7 December, 1782, near Narasingarayuni Peta village, which is now in Chitoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News / by Nihad Amani / August 22nd, 2020

Streetwise Kolkata: How Tollygunge is linked to Tipu Sultan

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Kolkata, WEST BENGAL :

Decades before the birth of the city of Calcutta, the area that is now Tollygunge was a dense forest land called Russapugla with an abundance of mangrove trees.

The clubhouse on the grounds of Tollygunge Club in Kolkata. The club is preparing for its New Year’s Eve party with stage equipment on its grounds. (Express photo: Neha Banka)
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Most know Tollygunge as a neighbourhood in south Kolkata rather than the long stretch of road by the same name that cuts through a large swathe of the area.

Decades before the birth of the city of Calcutta, the area that is now Tollygunge was a dense forest land called Russapugla with an abundance of mangrove trees. Over the centuries, the land was cleared for settlement and urban planning but some traces of the forest can still be found in the expansive property belonging to Tollygunge Club and the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in the neighbourhood, some of the oldest social clubs in the city.

Tollygunge Club, established in 1895, derives its name from the neighbourhood of Tollygunge, that in turn got its name from William Tolly, a colonel in the British Army in 1767. Calcutta was a city of creeks, although many have been entirely or partially filled up. Today, few of those creeks remain, winding slowly across the city, trying to find their way into the Bay of Bengal, but one would have to search beneath cramped, illegal urban settlements and mounds of garbage to find them.

Tolly’s Nullah behind the grounds of Tollygunge Club in Kolkata. (Express photo: Neha Banka)
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In the outer peripheries of the property that belongs to Tollygunge Club, a narrow creeks snakes past, as if conjoined to the boundaries of the club’s walls. On both banks of the creek, slums have developed over the years and garbage floats on the water, emanating a foul stench.

According to historian P Thankappan Nair, who has documented the city’s history extensively, this creek was originally called the Govindpur Creek. There is no historical documentation for why the creek was so named, but perhaps it acquired its name from that of the village of Govindapur, one of the three villages that went on to form the city of Calcutta. According to Nair, another name for this creek in Bengali was Adi Ganga or the original River Ganga that flows past the city.

This map is a conjecture map and shows the path of Adi Ganga. Tolly’s Canal is named ‘The Creek’ in this map and runs past Tollygunge when it was still the village of Govindapur. (Map credit: Chattopadhyay 1990/Jenia Mukherjee)
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In 1775, Colonel Tolly wrote to Warren Hastings, the Governor-General of India, with a proposal of leading an excavation to connect the village of Balliaghat, now called the neighbourhood of Beliaghata, in the wetlands of the eastern fringes of the city, to the neighbourhood of Tollygunge through a waterway.

Slums have come up on both banks of Tolly’s Nullah. (Express photo: Neha Banka)
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According to published letters in the Fort William-India House Correspondence Vol.7 (1773-1776), Tolly wrote to Hastings saying he can do the same on a contract with the East Indian Company or lend his services for Rs 80,000, along with a levy on tolls paid by boats passing through the creek for a period of 12 years. This plan was agreeable to the Company, and Tolly was directed to survey the land. This creek, 27 kilometres long, was then renamed Tolly’s Nullah after the colonel and opened for navigation in 1777.

After the opening of the Nullah, the neighbourhood became more developed and came to be known as Tollygunge. After Tolly’s death, his widow was unable to continue collecting the tolls and the maintenance of the waterways. The Company took over the management of the Nullah and auctioned its leasehold rights in March 1794 to an Englishman in the city, John Hooper Wilkinson. In 1804, the Bengal Government took control over the Nullah and the Collector of 24 Parganas was authorised to maintain it.

Passersby stand on a small bridge that connects the banks of Tolly’s Nullah. (Photo: Neha Banka)
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There is no document to independently verify this fact, but according to the Tollygunge Club archives, the premises of the club was originally an indigo plantation home of Richard Johnson, a merchant in the East India Company, set up in 1781.

Around 1806, the British dispatched Tipu Sultan’s family to Calcutta and gave them a living allowance. Tipu Sultan’s son Ghulam Mohammed Shah purchased the plantation grounds from Johnson to be used as a residence and the family spent a considerable amount of time in the neighbourhood.

After the family’s fortunes changed, they sold some portions of the plantation and leased out other sections to William Dixon Cruickshank, a Scottish banker, who was looking to build a sports club for the British that would also allow residential facilities and provide space for the British to socialise.

After the fortunes of Tipu Sultan’s family changed, they sold some portions of the plantation and leased out other sections to William Dixon Cruickshank, who was looking to build a sports
club for the British. (Express photo: Neha Banka)
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Over time, Tipu Sultan’s family divested complete control of the estate and the lands came under the direct control of the Tollygunge Club, a name that the institution acquired because of the neighbourhood it was located in and because of the location of the creek that runs just behind its premises.

Over the decades, most of the open spaces in the club were converted into an 18-hole golf course and the forest land was cleared to make space for other structures and facilities inside the club premises.

Today, there are no signboards that indicate the location of the Tolly Nullah in the neighbourhood of Tollygunge. Haphazard modern construction has changed the facade of Tollygunge and to find the nullah, one would have to engage in a self-conducted walking tour using an old map of the city for guidance.

An offshoot of the main road in Tollygunge, a narrow lane, through which only one vehicle can pass at a time, is the only way to access the nullah these days. Slums occupy both banks of the waterway and an overwhelming sense of garbage permeates all around. Tollygunge Club itself has changed over the decades and its history can only be found in pockets.

Haphazard modern construction has changed the facade of Tollygunge and to find the nullah, one would have to engage in a self-conducted walking tour using an old map of the city for guidance. (Express photo: Neha Banka)
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Although most of the dense forest has been cleared away over the years, jackals still roam its greens in the darkness of dusk and late into the night. On any given day, one can spot diverse species of birds on the club grounds, like kingfishers and cattle egret. Few city residents know of how the institution and its neighbourhood got its name and perhaps even fewer know of the existence of the waterway that lies beyond the high walls of the club.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kolkata / by Neha Banka / Kolkata , December 27th, 2019

Experts for retaining Tipu content in textbooks

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , ,

KARNATAKA :

Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan

An experts’ committee constituted by the state government to look into the demand of BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan, who sought removal of content related to Tipu Sultan from textbooks, on Tuesday recommended against the demand by urging the government to retain the content on Tipu.

The committee, comprising academicians and historians, had submitted the report to the Karnataka Textbook Society on Monday and expressed an opinion that chapters on the ruler of Mysore currently prescribed in textbooks are only introductory in nature about the life of Tipu Sultan. “It is impossible to teach the history of Mysore without the introduction to Tipu,” the committee noted in its report.

Sources in the committee told DH that all textbooks contain only factual and introductory information about Tipu Sultan. “We have not arrived at any judgement based on the controversy. Being historians, it was our duty to submit a factual report,” revealed a member of the committee. Historians, who were part of the committee, have also advised that some of the documents submitted by Appachu Ranjan need to be verified.

Karnataka Textbook Society officials will now submit the report to the state government for a final decision. Textbooks for classes 6, 7 and 10 had lessons pertaining to Tipu Sultan and his administration.

BJP MLA from Madikeri Appachu Ranjan had appealed to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to drop content related to Tipu Sultan from school textbooks.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City> Bengaluru Politics / by DHNS, Bengaluru / December 10th, 2019

Tipu, legend in the West

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , , , ,

Srirangapatnam, KARNATAKA :

TipuSultanMPOs07nov2019

It is an irony that Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, whom the current government in Karnataka wants to remove from its history, is celebrated in Britain, France and the US in song, drama, opera, novel, poetry and paintings. A wealth of Tipu’s  personal effects, curiosities and artifacts have found way into numerous art galleries and museums in many countries in the West. There’s not a major museum in the UK that does not exhibit some artifact related to Tipu.

The 75th Highlanders were a regiment raised in Scotland to exclusively fight Tipu. Scottish generals like Sir Hector Munro, Baillie, Beatson, Fraser, Gordon, Dunlop and others participated in the wars against Tipu. The Scots, more than the English,  were in the forefront of the British forces in all the Anglo-Mysore wars fought by Tipu as well as his father Hyder Ali. That explains the importance of the display of Tipu memorabilia in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

After Tipu was finally defeated and killed in 1799 by the British, under the command of Arthur Wellesley, the future Lord Wellington who 16 years later defeated Napoleon Bonaparte in the Battle of Waterloo, images of Tipu, his capital Srirangapatam (Srirangapatna) and his numerous impregnable forts and fortresses, proliferated throughout Britain. No other Indian ruler ever captured the imagination of the average Englishman as Tipu did. It is said that British housewives would quieten their babies by whispering “else, Tipu Sultan will come and get you.” Even three decades after Tipu’s death, his name was such a terror that when Ram Mohan Roy visited England on a mission from the then Mughal emperor, hostile crowds confronted him in London, mistaking him to be related to Tipu because his headgear resembled Tipu’s iconic turban.

Tipu Sultan, his capital city Srirangapatam, and the wars he fought against the British became favourite subjects for paintings, sketches and etchings by some of the most famous artists of the day in England and Scotland. When Ker Porter, the famous  Scottish painter’s Panorama — a single large painting of Tipu — was displayed in Edinburgh, there was euphoria among the public as they rushed to have a glimpse of it. JMW Turner, the renowned British painter, painted portraits of Tipu  and scenes of Srirangapatam and other places in Mysore kingdom. Sir David Willkie, another famous painter, was commissioned by the widow of David Baird to paint the poignant “Discovering the body of Tipu Sahib on 4 May, 1799”.  It was exhibited in 1838 in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. David Baird had spent several years in Srirangapatam as Tipu’s prisoner, and had his revenge in the final assault on him.

Alexander Allen travelled to India to personally see the hill forts of Mysore kingdom and produced captivating scenes in his paintings. William Darnell Beckford, Holmes, Hunter and many others made several stunning paintings of Tipu and his palaces. Sir Walter Scott, the great Scottish novelist, wrote works of fiction based on Tipu and his times. Charles Dickens, Wilkes Collins and Jules Verne have all depicted themes from Tipu’s life in their novels.

The numerous artifacts of Tipu Sultan, pilfered, looted and spirited away by the British after the fall of Srirangapatam, became collectors’ items. Tipu’s dismantled throne, his numerous swords, daggers, bejeweled sword belts, hookahs, ivory caskets , nutcrackers, gold watches, precious jewels and many other priceless items occupy the pride of place in museums in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Wales.

The most awesome of these artifacts is the life-size toy tiger depicted devouring a British soldier. It has cast a spell over generations eve since it was spirited away by Wellesley to England where it was displayed at the Kensington Museum, now  known as Victoria and Albert Museum (V& A Museum). This toy tiger in bright yellow strips has in its belly a mechanical pipe organ hidden, which creates wailing shrieks and a loud road when its handle is turned. There was near stampede for months in front of the museum when people flocked to see the wonder toy of Tipu Sultan. The fact that it is kept in an exclusive large room in the otherwise crowded V&A Museum, and with separate security, speaks of the importance that is accorded to this curious Mysore object. A replica of it is at the Scottish National Museum in Edinburgh. It was commissioned in 1999, when the bi-centenary of Tipu’s death was commemorated, as the original one at V&A could not be moved for fear of damaging it in transit.

The most significant of Tipu’s artifacts are at the Edinburgh castle. Inside the castle is the ‘National War Museum’, in which the battle honours of the Scottish Regiments are displayed. Here are seen several swords and arms used by the Scottish generals against Tipu and his Mysore armies. What is interesting are the words Carnatic, Mysore, and Srirangapatam engraved on the granite slabs displayed on the walls.

At a private museum in Powai Castle in Wales, one can see Tipu’s camp tent, made of silk and heavily embroidered, his camp cot made of sandalwood, his hookah and many other personal items, besides two large cannons.

A painting of Tipu with his war rockets hung on a wall at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia in the US was seen by young APJ Abdul Kalam when he was on a visit there in his early years at ISRO, about which he wrote as an inspiration many years later.

At the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), held annually in August, Tipu’s memories come alive during the closing ceremony’s fireworks display when the Scots burst explosives and fire rockets around the castle to create scenes of their soldiers encountering deadly fires around Tipu’s forts in Nandidurg, Savandurg and other places.

Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, died 220 years ago, but his legend continues in the lands of those he fought fiercely against, who appreciate his valour, unyielding spirit and reckless courage. In the land that he defended from them, his memory  is sought to be erased from school textbooks.

(The writer is a former Professor of History at the University of Hyderabad)

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Opinion> Comment / by K S S Seshan / November 07th, 2019

“Was A Freedom Fighter…”: Tipu Sultan’s Descendant Counters BJP MLA

Uncategorized, , ,

KARNATAKA, Kolkata/ WEST BENGAL  :

Karnataka BJP chief Appachu Ranjan mentioned Tipu Sultan looted temples and compelled conversions.

Kolkata: 

After a BJP MLA in Karnataka mentioned classes on the 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom Tipu Sultan have to be faraway from textbooks, a descendant of the king mentioned that it’s shameful that he being focused for vote financial institution politics.

Chatting with information company ANI, Md Shahid Alam mentioned, “History can never be deleted. Tipu Sultan was a freedom fighter. I will write a letter to the Prime Minister regarding this.”

“Some people are playing vote bank politics which is quite shameful. People cannot deny that he was a freedom fighter. History is like this and will remain so in future,” he added.

On Wednesday, Karnataka BJP chief Appachu Ranjan wrote to Training Minister S Suresh Kumar asking for Tipu Sultan’s reference to be struck off historical past textbooks.

In a letter, Mr Ranjan wrote that Tipu Sultan has been portrayed as a freedom fighter and historical past shouldn’t be written with false details.

“Tipu came to Kodagu, Mangaluru and other parts of the state to expand his territory. He came here just to convert people to his religion and to expand his kingdom,” he mentioned.

He added that king had no respect for Kannada as his administrative language was Persian. “He changed names of places. He looted many temples and Christian churches as well. In Kodagu, he converted 30 thousand Kodavas,” Mr Ranjan wrote in his letter.

source: http://www.heraldpublicist. om / Herald Publicist / Home> News / by Pete / October 24th, 2019