Prof.B.P.Mahesh Chandra Guru
Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan were indeed the great rulers of Southern India. They perform their best efforts for the expansion, consolidation and development of the state of Mysore. Haider Ali played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Mysore State while Tipu Sultan thoroughly modernize the state. Haider Ali was a great warrior, while Tipu Sultan was a great visionary. They vehemently fought against the British imperialism and upheld the sovereignty of India. Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan remain in the history of India as the towering personalities who cherished self-rule, self-esteem and self-progress.
Tipu was born on November 20, 1750 at Devanahalli, north-west of Kolar in Karnataka State. Haider Ali married Fatima Begum, also called Fakhr-un-Nissa, the daughter of Mir Muin-ud-din Khan, the Governor of the fort of Cuddapah on the insistence of his first wife. Haider Ali offered prayers at the dargah of the famous saint Tipu Mastan Aulia of Arcot along with his wife and prayed His Almighty for a smooth delivery by his second wife. Hence, Haider Ali named his son Tipu after the great saint. The word Sultan was added only after he assumed power in the State of Mysore. Haider Ali rose to greater heights after the birth of Tipu, becoming the Governor of Dindigul.
Tipu displayed the utmost courage, skill and competence in the battle against the Marathas in 1769. Tipu also played a heroic role in the second battle of Mysore against the British which spread over the period from 1780 to 1784. Tipu Sultan took charge of his State in the formal manner on December 20, 1782. The State of Mysore extended from east to west up to Four hundred miles covering a vast area of 80,000 square miles. The entire territory had never been under the rule of single monarch before Haider Ali.
Tipu efficiently managed the state of affairs and sustained the fight against the British with the help of the French forces. Tipu Sultan emerged victorious in the battle of Cuddalore and the British suffered enormous loss of life and property in this battle. The Treaty of Mangalore was signed in 1784 with a condition that both the parties would never assist the opponents of one another directly or indirectly. This treaty was indeed a crushing defeat for the British and a victory for Tipu even though he had strength and an enormous chance and strength to rout the British from India.
Tipu returned to Srirangapattam after the peace agreement with the Marathas and sent a diplomatic mission to the Ottoman Caliphate in order to develop strategic relations between South India and the Persian Gulf in 1789. The British formed an allied front for waging a full-fledged battle against Tipu who was the most formidable adversary in South India. In 1798, Lord Wellesley was sent to India with a view to ensuring absolute colonization of the Indian sub-continent by the then Prime Minister Pitt. Tipu had prepared the ground for the ouster of the British from Indian soil by entering into diplomatic relations with foreign powers like the French, Arabs and others. The British declared the Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 and caused multi-pronged attack against Tipu.
He made up his mind to accept martyrdom gracefully rather than running away from the battle field and was fully prepared to accept the command of His Almighty. A historic chapter of patriotism and freedom ended and another ugly chapter of slavery opened up in the annals of Indian History on May 4, 1799 with the martyrdom of Tipu Sultan at Srirangapattana. After the death of Tipu, the fourth and final battle of Mysore came to an ominous end. General Harris came towards Sultan’s dead body and yelled at the top of his voice: “Today, India is ours”. The death of Tipu Sultan closed an illustrious chapter in the freedom struggle of India.
Several works of eminent historians have expressed the view that Haider Ali laid a strong political and economic foundation for the State of Mysore. Haider Ali was neither a diplomat nor an economist of a high order yet, he valiantly expanded the State of Mysore and mobilized enormous economic resources. On the other hand, Tipu Sultan had the ability to lead his kingdom to modernization both politically and economically. This inference is drawn on the basis of the economic policy and reforms carried out by Tipu Sultan. Undoubtedly, Tipu Sultan rightly understood the need and importance of a dynamic economic policy. He formulated several regulations connected with trade and commercial transactions, the most innovative scheme brought forward being Public Investment. The scheme was unique in the sense that the returns were paid in “inverse ratio”. The amount invested by the general public in that scheme was reinvested by the government in government trade. Another aspect of Tipu Sultan regime which deserves to be noted is his secular policy.
Gandhiji wrote in Young India that Tipu was an embodiment of Hindu-Muslim unity. His letters to Shringeri Mutt and religious gifts and land grants to several Hindu temples speak his deep respect towards Hindus also. Therefore, to call Tipu a bigot is highly erroneous. Tipu Sultan’s intricate, complex international maneuvering, risks, initiatives, friendships and negotiations were primarily aimed at upliftment prosperity, providing security and improving the life of the people and his state a truly developed state like Britain or France were at that time.
The Government of Karnataka headed by Mr.Siddaramaiah have decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan despite strong protest by the Hindu fundamentalists supported by BJP, Viswa Hindu Parishat, RSS, Bhajaranga Dal and other organizations. Several individuals like Pejavara Shri, Promod Mutalik, Chidananda Murthy, S.L.Bhyrappa, B.S.Yadiyurappa, Shobha Karandhlaje, Pratap Simha and others who are wedded to Hindu fundamentalism rather than Indian nationalism have protested against the celebration of Tipu’s birth anniversary. As a matter of fact, Tipu Sultan was a great champion of Hindu-Muslim amity, agricultural modernization, industrialization, rocket technology, sericulture, protection of Hindu temples, social justice and nationalism. Unfortunately, some vested interests have branded Tipu as an anti-national ruler which is biased, baseless, unfounded and motivated.
The whole historical fraternity reverentially salutes them and gratefully acknowledges what they have done for the country, its people and more importantly to the cause of nationalism in India. In particular, Tipu Sultan will continue to be the fragrant flower, success story, milestone and role model in Indian history. The immense contributions which are available for researchers are open for study and judgment. To the scholars Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan appeared as great rulers, to the fraternity of historians they are great role models and to lovers of philosophy, they were great philosophers. Tipu Sultan lived like statesman and his contributions are marvelous for the progress of Mysore State. In conclusion, it could be stated with great pride that the uncompromising and death defying fight against British colonialism and capitalism put up by Tipu has been a rare event among the rulers of India. Hence, all nationalists and secularists salute Mahathma Tipu and love to cherish his monumental contributions to the country with pride and gratitude.
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Prof.B.P.Mahesh Chandra Guru, University of Mysore.He can be contacted at Email: bpmcguru@yahoo.com
How can you call Tipu as Mahatma? Do you understand the meaning of Mahatma? Mahatma means a person who devotes his life for serving humanity & mainly teaches non-violence. Tipu was an ordinary king & done lots of violence through wars.
You may call Tipu as a great warrior but not Mahatma. Another thing is difference between Tipu & Shivaji. Shivaji struggled for his own motherland where as Tipu/Haider Ali captured hindus land & ruled.
SECULAR JI TIPU SULTAN PUNISHED MUSLIMS TOO WHO WEE COLLABORATING WITH BRITSH ,FOR EXAMPLE NAWAB OF SAVANUR
AND READ THESE TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER SIDE STORY
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The attempts of a few British historians to depict Tipu as communal are highly erroneous. Tipu was just and fair to all. His appointment of numerous Hindus to high offices and his grants and gifts to Hindu temples and Brahmins falsify the wrong accusation that Tipu as intolerant.
Tipu Sultan not only gave grants and money to the temples owned by the Hindus but he also granted them complete religious freedom. All non-Muslims, Hindus and Christians alike, were free to follow their own religion.
But like a modern enlighten ruler he was not in favour of inhuman and unnatural rites and ritual. He introduced social reforms both among Hindus and Muslims. In the words of Mohd Iliyas Nadvi: “In this direction on the one hand where he imposed strict ban on the non sensible and anti Islamic practices among the Muslims, he also sternly abolished all such ridiculous practices among the Hindus. In those days some Hindu women in Sultanate Khudadad used to have four or more husbands and they had a matriarchal society which was strictly banned by him. The women folk from Malabar used to roam topless in the market. He opposed it. In some temples, particularly the temple of Kali of Mysore human sacrifices was made to please God and deities. He imposed a blanket ban on it. Slavery was prevented among Hindus. Hindu women were auctioned in markets in big cities. Maids used to be kept in houses to satisfy their sexual lusts. A royal decree was passed which made slavery unlawful. Custom was prevalent among the Hindu women in Coorg that only the eldest son of the family was permitted to marry a women who used to become the wife of his brothers. He imposed a ban on it also.”
These were reasons that Hindu majority stood by his side until his martyrdom on 4th May 1799. The day Sultan met his martyrdom; several bodies of Hindu women including young girls were found lying around the Sultan’s body. Even the British officers were stupefied to observe such dedication and intense affection of the Hindu populace towards a Muslim ruler. When the Sultan’s funeral procession was being taken along, Hindu women were weeping bitterly and smearing their heads with mud. When the capital was besieged, several Brahmins observed a day long fast according to their religious rites seeking the Sultan’s victory.
Tipu might have done good things for hindus & punished few muslims. I do not deny that. Also, in Shivaji’s army there were muslim soldiers as well. So I call both of them great worriers & good rulers. However, Tipu or Shivaji can not be called as Mahatma.
Mr Secular Hindu,
Communal Hindu is again making himself manifest through your beliefs. You say Mahatma is one who practises non violence. You may even imagine him to be vegetarian. All your gods and rishi muni were non vegetarian warriors including your super human ( Maryada Purushotam) Rama.So they all were not Mahatma but just warriors who waged wars for self glorification and yet you worship there violent people as god.!!!!
Shankaracharyaz persecuted Mahatma Buddha and Mahavir and all their followers. How about calling them terrorists.
This is misconception to call Ram as non-vegetarian. You must have received this information from famous meat eater Zakir. Your mind has become corrupt due to heavy consumption of meat. The truth is Ram was pure vegetarian.
Anyway, according to me M.K.Gandhi, Buddha & Mahavir Jain are real candidates to be called as Mahatma.
ZAKIR NAIK GAVE SOME OF TYHE FINEST LECTURES WHICH NOBODY ,MUSLIMS OR HINDU SCHOLAR HAS GIVEN…………………………………………………..
THERE ARE FEW QUESTIONS WHICH SURPRISES MUSLIMS ..WHY HINDUS NOT PROPAGATED WORSHIP OF ONE GOD MENTIONED IN VEDAS
SECOND I CAME TO KNOW THERE IS MESSAGE OF VEDAS TO UNITE ALL RELIGIONS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE WRONGS AND KEEP ASIDE DIFFERENVCES
THERE ARE SO MANY LECTURES WHICH WERE REMEMBERING ,THOUGH HE COMMIT MISTAKES AT SOME TIMES ,MAY BE HE WILL IMPROVE HIMSELF .
HIS DIVINE KNWOLEDGE IS LESSER
I have answered one god worship question several times. Let me explain you again.
One god theory in Hinduism is different than Islam. We believe that God is one but he is everywhere. its like Air.. Air is one but presence is everywhere. Read Bhagwatgeeta chapter 2 to understand how god’s presence is everywhere. Hence when we worship demigods like Ganesh, Shiva etc… indirectly we are worshiping supreme lord Krishna. However, it is true that Bhagwatgeeta has suggested hindus to worship lord Krishna instead of demigods.
There r many hindu scholars
But they never have on useless thing as zakir naik do Concept of god is hinduism and islam are not same
They are different
In hinduism ,god or brahm expanded to create universe means every thing is god
While in islam god created universe ;create of what even muslims dont muslim
Vedas says about one god
But it also say various path for gods worship or religions lead to same god
So hindus worship same brahm deponding on his choice
Vedas believe in unity in diversity
Not uniformity as islam makes uniformity every thing
New defination of non violence/ahimsa
Non violence equated with only vegetarianism
Great information
Non vegetarianism existed in india even in hindus but in course of time
Hindu community effected by jainism ,bhakti movement ,banned of eating meat by muslim rulers especiaaly in north ;their diet become lacto veg .
We should not see hindu as rigid community as muslims;throughout course of histry hindus are changing with time
About waging wars and glorification ; we known krishna named as ranchor means to fled from war in mathura on war waged by magadha king jarasenda;
Ram send hanuman ,angad to ravan to avoid war
And u comparing it with tipu sultan who persecuted kodavas corg people
Tamils keralites
Plundered temples of kerala; syrian christians for expansion of his regilion and land ;in opposite ram conquered lanka but never rule ,given lanka back to vibihasana; killed bali but given kickinda to sugreva but never plundered it
So we worship them for this greatness
In ur kind notice shankaracharya was born about 1500 yrs after mahavira and buddha
Please have some kownlegde prior to commenting
Terrorist is who plundered hindu temples killed keralate tamils corg people
That is tipu
Comparison of tipu with hindu icons on basis of vegetarism is shows ur great IQ
I think u r a product of some useless urdu mardarsssa; learned kafir ,jazia,jimmi dawat jihad so many useless ideology of primitive world to convert world into darul islam as tipu learned
Whole world knows who r ideologically terrosist- akshradham attack,bamyan buddha statur demoliation ,varanasi temple attack jammu temple attack …….. list goes on
It is not posible.Ram can never be a vegeterian.He had served 14 years in forest,and there one has consume meat.Moreover please read what your vedas say.Please read the autobiography of swami vivekanand. It is you people who are having a lot of misconceptions. Whatever you eat you cannot eat without jeo hatya .Why you drink milk.You must leave that .Non veg. is part and parcel of your life .You cannot avoid it
My dear sir .You don’t know the meaning of Mahatma..Gandhi ji was given this LAQAB by a muslim leader.I respect and know shivaji more than you.It is politics.Why Rana sangram called babar in India?
One can live in forest on fruit & nuts. Lord Ram & Rushis used to survive on fruit & nuts.
You mentioned about statement by Swami Vivekanand saying ‘Vedic hindus were beef eaters’. Hence, you became so happy. I tell you the real fact.
If you see Hindu scriptures, it is strictly against meat eating. However, according to hinduism presently Kali Yuga is going on. Kali yuga was started 5000 years ago i.e. just after Mahabharat war. Kali yuga is supposed to be period of human diversion from religious path. It is mentioned by Rishi Vyasa that during Kali yug period, Brahmins will be corrupted & hence around 2500 years ago, brahmins started killing innocent animals & might be consuming their meat. Hence, lord Buddha arrived to give correct message of Vedas. Lord Buddha is considered to be avataar of lord Vishnu only. Thus, statement made by swami Vivekanand is correct, but that was targeting certain period & does not say that hinduism support any violence againsta animals.
IT REQUIRES UNBIASED STUDY OF RULERS OF INDIA.
MANY OF MUSLIM RULERS CAME BY CHANCE EXCEPT FEW..
BABAR KILLED IBRAHIM LODHI AS HE WAS HIS OPPONET
SHIVAJI MAHARJ KILLED SHAISTA KHAN AS HE WAS HIS ENEMY……
KING SHASHANK KILLED BUDDHISTS AS HE DISLIKED THEM AND OTHER HINDUS.
KING ASHOKA KILLED HINDUS OF HIS TIMES
SHER SHAH SURI FOUGHT WITH HUMAYUN….A MUSLIM
TIPU SULTAN FOUGHT WITH NAWAB OF SAVANUR- A MUSLIM
IT IS COMMON IN THOSE TIMES TO FIGHT OPPONENTS ……
IF ANY BODY HAS DELIBERATELY KILLED SOMEONE THAT IS WORST PART OF HIM…
This article is really written by a profesor ; hard to believe
Pointwise i m commenting on his false comments with explanation
1.he writes-They vehemently fought against the British imperialism and upheld the sovereignty of India
Comment _was tipu sultan not imperialistic to keralites(Mysorean invasion of Kerala ),corg people, tamils
Imperialism means to extend a country’s power through military and diplomacy
Do this writer know he was ruler of mysore , not of india then what he talking about sovereignty of india means,even tipu didnt know about abc of concept of india
2. He writes-The State of Mysore extended from east to west up to Four hundred miles covering a vast area of 80,000 square miles. The entire territory had never been under the rule of single monarch before Haider Ali.
Comment region of karnataka has seen many great emperors best among them is krishnadev raya of vijaya nagar ;others been hoysala,rashtrakuta,chalukyas
All great then mysore sultanta.even some empires extending to mathura and kannaj in north india.does he know history of kannada region
3.he writes-He made up his mind to accept martyrdom gracefully rather than running away from the battle field and was fully prepared to accept
4 he writes-The death of Tipu Sultan closed an illustrious chapter in the freedom struggle of India.
Comment on 3 and 4 -over martyrdoom and freedom strggle of india
I think karnataka highcourt stated is not known to him:2 nov 2016 court stated : tipu sulan wasn’t a freedom fighter but a monarch who fought to safeguard his interests.
So no question of martrydoom and freedom fight
5 . He didnt say any thing
About Persecution of kodavas people ,destruction of temples in kerala ,persecution of syrian christians by tipu where was tipu sultans secularism while doing persecution of hindu; he was sickular not secular
6 tipu was local ruler who fought for his kingdom not for india ;concept of india /bharat is in dharmaic religions not islam ;it was brought in existence by british by unification of india but by tipu who was fight for his cause
7. If tipu was patriot why he replaced local kannada language with persian and urdu
This writer is totaally biased
8.with his economic reforms of tipu sultan ;writer declares him secular
Please read defination of secularism in indian constitution
One sided view of tipu
Also raed What are the things the people generally don’t know about Tipu Sultan? here https://www.letsdiskuss.com/what-are-the-things-the-people-generally-don-t-know-about-tipu-sultan