Why is Tipu relevant now? Should we bother about historic personalities who are long dead and gone?
That is almost like asking whether history is relevant at all as the discipline deals with characters long dead and gone! In the case of people like Tipu Sultan they become relevant because they are made into a political football by the acrimonious politics of our times. Ever since the Congress Government started the Tipu Jayanthi in 2014 to commemorate his birth anniversary, it caused great angst to several communities in Karnataka, whose ancestors had suffered his brutalities. The BJP did its share of ridiculous myth-making as a counter, talking about Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as his killers—all with an eye to target the Vokkaliga vote bank. In all of this, I felt that it was truly a historian's responsibility to set the record straight, bring the facts on the table and present the unvarnished truth of Tipu Sultan, as he was, with warts and all.
While growing up in Kerala, there was a dichotomy in the narrative we heard about Tipu Sultan. The textbooks, the Doordarshan series and the academic narrative of that time portrayed him as a great hero who fought against the East India Company and a secular icon, while the collective memory talked about a different picture. Which is the truth?
This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Anantapur.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Anantapur.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Pak Soldier Killed in Clashes With Afghan Forces
A Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed and seven others wounded in cross-border exchanges of fire with Afghanistan's forces, a security source said, while hundreds of Afghans protested against the deadly air strikes that sparked the clashes.
Three killed as Israel strikes Yemen airport
ISRAELI airstrikes hit Yemen's main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing and a UN delegation was waiting to leave, the UN's top humanitarian official in Yemen said on Friday.
Heavy snow, rain good for health of glaciers
ALTHOUGH the Meteorological Centre has described the recent snowfall and rain in Uttarakhand as a \"relief,\" glaciologists caution that these weather patterns should be seen as a critical indicator for vigilance.
Calls for swift probe into jet crash
EU calls the incident stark reminder of downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight in 2014
ED Raids Premises of 6-Time Cong MLA in C'garh Liquor Scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday conducted raids at the residences of six-time Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma, his son Harish, and Congress leader Raju Sahu in Chhattisgarh as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged liquor scam in the state, official sources said.
Ex-forest minister's son grilled by ED in Corbett tree felling
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the family of Uttarakhand's former Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat for land fraud and illegal tree felling in the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Multi-disaster response vehicle at Mahakumbh
AS part of Mahakumbh preparations, a state-of-the-art multi-disaster response vehicle has been deployed to enhance safety and disaster readiness at the mela arena.
Protests, poster wars come out in open as factionalism rocks BJP in Gujarat
FACTIONALISM within the Gujarat BJP has intensified following the recent appointments of mandal and taluka presidents, leading to widespread dissent.
Sindhu and Sai: Love-Game and Match Point
HEY say marriages are made in heaven. This surely matches one. By the admission of the bride and groom, it did bloom on a flight, mid-air.
Beed murder mastermind's assets to be seized: Fadnavis
MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday ordered the police to confiscate the properties of the prime accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case.
