Tactical support to hindus
- tippu sultan (among other mulsim rulers [A history of Sringeri - Tonnemane, A K Shastry SG]) writing love letters to shringeri ascetics
- “An idea of the number of Tipu’s religious endowments across his realm can be gained by looking at the registers held in the Kozhikode Archives in Kerala. The records show that Tipu authorised sixty seven grants of rent-free land, primarily to temples and mosques, solely for the taluks of Calicut, Ernad, Bettathnad and Chowghat. If we extrapolate that figure across the entire realm, it is clear that his patronage of such institutions was extensive,” [BS16]
Temple Destruction
- Despite patronizing temples on the one hand, is it not true that Tipu personally ordered or urged demolition of some temples? Is it not true that he never ordered a mosque’s destruction?
- “Varaha temple, a symbol of the Wodeyars, was razed to the ground.” [BS16]
- A few cases are listed in [SB17].
Contemporary analysis
- How does a modern arm-chair historian presume to understand Tipu contrary to contemporary hindu leaders’ clear candid statements?
- “Tipu’s moves are not good. He is full of arrogance. Recently Nur Muhammad received a letter from Tipu that he converted 50,000 Hindus including women and children to Islam, no Padishah or Vazir did it in the past, with God’s grace he could. He converts entire villages.” -Letter from Nana Phadnis to Mahadji Scindia, 5 September 1784.
- Further, sources reveal that 1791 showed a marked change in Tipu’s approach to temples and Brahmins when faced with an all round attack. “Due to past excesses, Tipu’s vakeels were denied an audience by the Maratha chiefs in the run up to the siege of Srirangapatnam. The Maratha letter writers remark on Tipu’s acts as they were uncharacterisitic of him.” quotes Uday S Kulkarni. [SW15]