The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Tipu Sultan is the greatest Kannadiga: Girish Karnad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 13, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Tipu Sultan is the greatest Kannadiga: Girish Karnad

Staff Reporter

Play on Mysore warrior to be staged from September 20 to 25

DREAMING A PLAY: Girish Karnad, left, addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Monday. (From left) Arundati Raja, Raza Hussain and Jagadish Raja, theatre personalities, are seen. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: "He was a thinker and visionary, who represented the best of Karnataka. Unfortunately he has been misunderstood by the people of his own country and a lot of untruths were spread about him," said noted playwright and actor Girish Karnad about Tipu Sultan.

Speaking to presspersons at the announcement of the staging of "The Dreams of Tipu Sultan," the play written by him, Mr. Karnad said: "For me, he is the greatest Kannadiga."

Tipu Sultan has been misrepresented in history books and early works written on him as a fanatic and someone who converted his subjects. But this was largely because what was written was largely influenced by what the British spread and wrote about him as `they were out to destroy him," he said.

Mr. Karnad said Tipu Sultan was the only one who had perceived a threat to the country from the East India Company.

Asked whether plays such as this one should try to put right what has been misrepresented in history. "It is not for playwrights and those in theatre to try and correct what has been wrongly represented in history books. That is the work of historians," he said.

The play, which is in English, is being produced by the city-based Artists Repertory Theatre and is directed by Arundhati Raja. It will be staged at Ranga Shankara from September 20 to 25. The role of Tipu will be played by Raza Hussain.

Secret record

It is based on a secret record of Tipu Sultan's dreams kept by him, which became known to the public only after his death. "What is less known about the man, who spent a large part of his life on horseback, maintained a secret record of his dreams. The Dreams of Tipu Sultan examines the inner life of this warrior, rocketry pioneer and political visionary," said Ms. Raja.

Mr. Karnad first wrote the play when "The Dreams of Tipu Sultan" was commissioned by the BBC Radio and it was broadcast in Britain on August 15, 1997, the 50th anniversary of India's independence. The present text has been rewritten for the stage.

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