Saturday, July 18, 2009

Tipu Sultan – The first freedom fighter of India & The Tiger of Mysore




Inspiration


This is how historians might remember this valiant, brave king who offered his blood to write the history of free India. But I better remember him as ‘Hero’ of the famous television series ‘Sword of Tipu Sultan’. The first larger than life character brought to our television screens post Ramayana & Mahabharata. He left an indelible impression on my mind & it was my first brush with heroics of our ancestors. His story planted the seeds for my eternal love for our dear nation. And rest I say is history :-)


Birth & Childhood


Tipu Sultan, the eldest son of Haider Ali, was born on December 10, 1750 at Devanhalli. Tipu's training in the art of war started as early as 1763, when he was hardly 13 years old, in Haider's attack on Malabar where Tipu displayed great dash and courage. That was his first experience of war. Right from his early years he was trained in the art of warfare and at the age of 15 he used to accompany his father Haider Ali, the ruler of Mysore, to different military campaigns. In Addition, he also learnt different languages, mathematics and science. Tipu Sultan had a fascination for learning. His personal library consisted of more than 2,000 books in different languages.


Vision


Tipu Sultan was a fascinating figure of 18th century; He had a vision and a mission in life. The vision was to make his people enlightened and prosperous, and mission was to liberate his land from the yoke of the colonials. His short but stormy rule is significant because of his view that only that life was worth living which would unfold the drama of human freedom, not only political freedom, but also social freedom, economic freedom, cultural freedom, and freedom from want, hunger, apathy, ignorance

and superstition. His definition of State itself was organized energy for freedom.


Impact


Having learnt the western techniques of warfare, Tipu was not slow in making use of it. He was himself bold, dashing, and a person of undaunted adventurous spirit. Under his leadership Mysore army "proved a school of military science" to Indian princes. The dread of a European army no longer wrought any magic on him. Tipu's infliction of serious blows on the English in the First and Second Mysore wars damaged their reputation as an invincible power.


Contribution


Long before the events of 1857, when a spirited reprising attempted to throw of the English, and before the formation of the Indian National Congress which set the pace for National Movement, Tipu struggled hard to rouse a consciousness of his neighbors to the impending danger to Indian Independence from the English.

He took over the kingdom of Mysore after the death of his father in 1782, who died of a carbuncle in the midst of a campaign against the British. The French in India had disappointed Tipu in his expectation of close co-operation to fight the British Empire. However he embarced the French ideals to a certain extent that he had planted a "Republican" tree out side his palace. In history it is not always a success that deserves notice, but the presence of a new idea, which has the potentiality of far-reaching results. His dream of a "Republic" came through about 150 years later when India ushered into a new era on 26th January 1950.


The Death of Tipu Sultan – Battle of Srirangapatnam


The second half of the eighteen century was a period of great confusion in Indian history which witnessed the rise of the Colonial power. The only State which offered stiff resistance to their expansion was Mysore, which fought not one but four wars. Tipu participated in all those four Mysore wars, in two of which he inflicted serious blows on the English. In fact Tipu's rule starts in the midst of a war against the English and ends in the midst of a war against them.

The Fourth Mysore war was a short affair. Keeping Tipu in false hopes, the Nizam joined hands with the English & suddenly surprised him by unacceptable demands. When Tipu refused to accept them, the English breached the fort and in a bloody encounter, fighting against heavy odds he was killed on fourth May 1799. The last hope for the freedom of the land was thus extinguished.

Srirangapatnam was besieged by the British forces on 5 April, 1799.The column that rounded the North-West corner of the outer wall was immediately involved in a serious fight with a group of Mysorean warriors under a short fat officer, which defended every traverse. The officer was observed to be discharging loaded hunting weapons, passed to him by servants in his service, at the British. After the fall of Srirangapatnam, in the gathering dusk, some of the British officers went to look for the body of Tipu Sultan. He was identified as the fat officer who had fired hunting weapons at the offenders, and his body was found in a choked tunnel-like passage near the Water Gate.

He died a Soldier's death for the defense of the cherished values of land under spontaneous combustion of hostile forces

17 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Indeed the 1st and foremost Freedom fighter of India (not to forget the Modern fighter). And the sons of this land only remember MK Gandhi, Shivaji and so on..

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    1. True Jack...and thanks for the comment. Nice reminder for me as well as its been two years since I wrote this blog.

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    2. Shivaji was fighting for his caste not for india ( by the way I think u r from north india ,there was a fight b/w shivaji and tipu sultan that time shivaji ran awayed from battle field , this story well known in Karnataka by muslims other religions ; come to mysore and know the difference b/w tipu and shivaji

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  3. First Freedom Fighter Of India Who First Time Battle With Brithish

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  4. masha allah superb superb and excellent answer my bro syed mujeeb,,,,,,

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  5. hey u all, i am glad that my blog in some way still reminds us about a hero who is mostly forgotten.

    'Lest We Forget'

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  6. i was never knew that tipu sultan is a first freedom fighter of india though we never thought in our school .... i think their must me compulsory one lesson in the history subject that also first lesson .... so that people can know who is the first freedom fighter of india ...

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  7. stupids read about Puli Thevar..
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puli_thevar

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    1. Correct bro!, I know that already.
      Poor people don't know history!
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movement

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  8. Chatrapathi Shivaji maharaj born and death year is 1627-80.
    Tippu sultan born and death year is 1750-99.
    Then how come tippu had fight against chatrapathi shivaji maharaj. Mr. Uneducated hasain Don't share fake news without knowing history. Be on ur limit mind it.

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    1. suprb reply dono abt history and talking nonsenc:)

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  9. Read about the Polygar wars.. You will know who was the first freedom fighter

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    1. K.M.S. Abuthahir. abubuildcare@gmail.com.
      Tipu Sultan was the greatest and unparellel warrior of his era, the only king who challenged British with equal modern weapons. He was most secular and aided many temples in Karnataka and Vellore in Tamilnadu. With all proofs he was the first freedom fighter against British. He fought all his 4 wars phisically present and died in the war front. After his death there was jubilation in London and British empire released a special coin depicting him as a Tiger who was killed by a British soldier. He fought with modern weapon of his era and Mahatma Gandhi fought with his weapon Ahimsa. Both of them contributed to the independence of India.

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  10. Things are not so simple, there are many (well researched , with reference) counter views as well :
    http://indiafacts.org/tipu-sultan-jayanthi-celebration-bigotry-barbarity/

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  11. Tipu sultan was first freedom fighter of india... then who was tilka majhi...???

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