Tipu Sultan

The life a lion for a day is far better than the life of a jackal for a hundred years – Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan, known as the “Tiger of Mysore”, was born on November 20, 1750 CE. He became ruler of Mysore on May 4, 1783 CE. He took martydom on May 4, 1799 CE – while fighting a British force of 43,600 under the command of Gen. Goerge Harris and Gen. Stuart – plus the forces of Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marhattas. With his death, Hindustan lost its last freedom-fighter – and the British East India became the sole ruler of Mughal Hindustan.

It’s reported that while he laid seriously wounded – one British soldier tried to snatch his precious royal sword – but Tipu killed the soldier with one stroke of the same sword he tried to steal. The sword was sold for US$285, 520 in 2003 to a private collector

Though a secular ruler – He was a devout Muslim in his personal life. He had a very inquisitive mind and fascination for learning. His personal library was consisted of more than two thousand books in different languages. Tipu was a man of simple habits, eating common food and leading pious life. He had a very dignified personality and impressed the people who came in contact with him. He was an extremely active man and worked from dawn to midnight for the welfare of his subjects. He himself drafted all his correspondence.

Tipu Sultan completed the construction of Jumma Masjid of Srirangaptna (his capital city) in 1787 CE, and was opened on Jumma (Friday). Sultan sent messengers to several foreign Muslim capitals to find a Muslim scholar, who never missed a single daily prayer since his teens – to lead the first prayer. All messengers returned empty handed. The news saddened Sultan – and then he told the worshippers that he would lead the first prayer – as he had never missed a single daily prayer since he became a teenager.

Mahatma Gandhi writing in Young India (January 23, 1930), exposed the Hindu and British lies about Tipu Sultan being a fanatic Muslim ruler: “Fateh Ali Tipu Sultan is represented by foreign historians as a fanatic who oppressed his Hindu subjects and converted them to Islam by force. But he was nothing of the kind. On the other hand his relations with his Hindu subjects were of a perfectly cordial nature. The Archeaological Department of Mysore State is in possession of over thirty letters by Tipu to the Shankaracharya of Shringeri Math. These letters are written in the Kannada characters. ln one of the letters written to the Shankaracharya in 1793 Tipu acknowledges receipt of the Shankaracharya’s letter and requests him to perform TAFAS (i.e., to undergo self – purificatory discipline) and to offer prayers for the welfare and prosperity of his own realm as for that of the whole universe. And finaly he asks the Shankaracharya to return to Mysore, for the presence of good men in a country brings down rain and makes for good cultivations and plenty. This letter deserves to be printed in letters of gold in every history of India.

“Tipu made lavish gifts of land and other things to Hindu temples dedicated to Shri Venkataramanna Shrinivas and Shri Ranganath located in the vicinity of Tipu’s palaces still bear testimony to his broad-minded religious tolerance, and indicate that the great martyr at any rate for a real martyr, he was in the cause of liberty was not disturbed in his prayers by the Hindu bells calling people to worship the same Allah whose devotee he was,” wrote Gandhi.

Several of Tipu Sultan’s belongings including the mechanical tiger toy (showing a roaring lion and a screaming Englishman), presented to him by the French envoy are on display in Prince Albert Museum (London) and in Windsor Castle.