No history across the world creates as much controversy as Indian history. This because India ruled for British and other outsiders for many centuries distorted the real tradition and rich culture of the country.
Till recently every one was under the impression that Tippu Sultan, Sher of Mysore fought for Indian Independence against the Britishers. But when Karnataka state government headed by Congress decided to celebrate Tippu jayanthi, all hell broke lose.
While some sections came in support of the decision, many opposed leading to violence. Now the same issue is all set to create trouble in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu government acting quickly denied permission to people who planned to celebrate Tippu jayanthi.
Tippu was born in 1750 to Hyder Ali and his wife Fatima Fakhr Un Nisa at Devanhali,Bangalore and was named as Fath Ali but later waws named as Tipu after local saint Tipu Mastan Aulia. His full name was Sultan Fateh Ali Khan Shahab.
True Tippu fought Britishers vailantly but not for India's independence but to save his own Kingdom and in the process even entered into secret pact with Dictator Napoleon of France to attack India. French forces trained Tippu Sultan's soldiers on using guns rockets,and rifles. His father Hyderali too fought with neighbouring kings in Maharashtra, Malabar,Kodugu, Bidanur, Travencor and butchered all people to establish supremacy.
Fra Bartolomaco, famous traveller and voyager accused Tippu Sultan and he wrote "First a corps of 30,000 barbarians who butchered everybody on the way, followed by the Field-Gun Unit under the French Commander, M. Lally. Tipu Sultan was riding on an elephant behind which another army of 30,000 soldiers followed. Most of the men and women were hanged in Calicut. First mothers were hanged with children tied to the necks of their mothers. That barbarian Tipu Sultan tied the naked Christians and Hindus to the legs of elephants and made the elephants move about till the bodies of the helpless victims were tom to pieces. Temples and Churches were ordered to be burnt, desecrated and destroyed. Christian and Hindu women were forced to marry Muhammadans and similarly their men were forced to marry Muhammadan women. Those Christians who refused to be 'honoured' with Islam, were ordered to be killed by hanging then and there. The above version of the atrocities was obtained from the sorrowful narration by the victims who escaped from Tipu's army and reached Varapuzha (near Alwaye) which is the centre of Carmichael Christian Mission. I myself helped many victims to cross the Varapuzha river by boats"
Tipu Sultan replaced the original names of several places with Muslim names. Mangalore was changed to Jalalabad, Mysore to Nazarabad, Bepur to Sultanpatanam, Cannanore to Kusanabad, Gooty to Faiz-Hissar, Dharwar to Quarshed-Sawad, Dindigul to Khaliqabad, Ratnagiri to Mustafabad, Kozhikode to Islamabad, and Dindigul to Khaliqabad.
Many people who suffered at Tippu Sultan hands question angrily on how one could worship Tippu Sultan on par with national heroes like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Rana Pratap Singh, and Pazhassi Raja of Kerala. He killed many Nambiars and Nairs in Kerala and they loathe him to the core.The irony is that the ring he owned reads "Ram" and Sultan hated Hindu religion. Now the ring along with the crown of Tippu Sultan is with the Britisheers.
