Communal Harmony and Secularism. By Prof. Sheik Ali (Former Vice Chancellor of Goa & Mangalore Universities) Perfect harmony...a very popular ruler Tipu Sultan was a secular ruler, in whose State there was perfect communal harmony. The very fact that during his entire regime, despite the numerous wars, there was not a single uprising of the people, shows the popularity of his rule. Such assessment of his character that he was intolerant was more a requirement as a necessary framework for colonial rule. The Indian people had never known any religious war, and Tipu would not think of any distinction of his subjects on the basis of caste, creed or class. He was quite conscious of the fact that when the overwhelming majority of his subjects were Hindus, he could hardly afford to be anything other than secular, humane and liberal. He would well remember the statement of his father, Haider Ali, Who had snubbed a Muslim saint for complaining that some Hindus had committed excess on his followers, and that as the head of a Muslim Government, he should redress his grievances, by saying "Who told you that this was a Mussalman Government? Tipu knew well that he could not administer the state on principles unacceptable to his subjects. Instances are not wanting to depict the secular character of his rule. Once a   faujdar reported to him that a Hindus had married a Muslim lady causing tension in the locality, and wanted to know what action to be taken. Tipu wrote back immediately admonishing the faujdar that it was none of his business to interfere in the personal affairs of the people, and that his duty was merely to safeguard the life and property of the people, and ensure peace. Funds to Sharda Temple Tipu furnished Sree Shankaracharya of Sringeri with funds for reinstalling the displaced image in the Sharda temple.There are about thirty letters in Kannada of Tipu to the Swamiji, which throw a flood of light on his religious policy. Normally, all his letters begin with his own name at the top, but these letters mention the name of Swamiji at the Top with all his titles, and Tipu’s name is at the bottom without any title. In 1791 during the third Mysore war the invading Marathas army under Persuram Bhau caused a lot of damage to Sringeri, plundered the temple property and even displaced the image of the goddess Sharada. The Swamiji of the temple left the place, and informed Tipu about the Maratha raid, seeking his help for consecrating the image of the goddess. Tipu responded immediately to the request, and wrote to the Swamiji expressing such sentiments of respect for Hinduism as to disprove any charge of intolerance against him. He furnished the Swamiji with funds to reinstall the image. After the Idol was installed, Tipu received the Prasada and shawls, and in return he sent cloth and a bodice for the goddess and a pair of shawls for the Swamiji, besides two palanquins, one for the goddess and the other for Swamiji. At another time Tipu addressed the Swamiji as Jagadguru, and asked him to pray for the well-being of all his subjects. Sringeri was not the only holy place which enjoyed the patronage of Tipu. To the Lakshmikantha temple at Kalale in Nanjungud taluk, he gave four silver cups, a silver plate and a silver spittoon. To the Narayanswamy temple at Melkote, he presented gold and silver vessels, besides an elephant and a few jewels. The Srikanteswara temple at Nanjungud was presented with a jewelled cup and some precious stones. To another temple, Nanjundeswara,   in the same town of Nanjungud, he gave a greenish linga to Ranganatha temple at Srirangapatana he gifted seven silver cups and a silver camphor burner. This temple was hardly a stone's throw from his palace from where he would listen with equal respect the ringing of temple bells, and the Muezzin's call from the mosque.         Ranganathaswamy temple [ Table of Contents ]   [ Go Top ]