The ghost who spooked trains

The Railways are the life line of India. Railway lines crisscrosses the length and breadth of our country and several lakhs people are employed in  this behemoth.

They play a crucial role in the economy of the country. It is one of the world's largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km (71,000 miles) of track over a route of 65,000 km (40,000 miles) with 7,510 stations.

As of December 2012, Indian Railways had transported over 25 million passengers daily (over 9 billion annually). In 2011, the railways ferried over 8,900 million passengers annually or more than 24 million passengers daily and 2.8 million tons of freight daily.

Naturally, there are many legends and myths about the Railways. There have been legion number of stories about marriages being brokered in railway compartments, friendships being forged, children being born, trains coming late by a day or more, passengers travelling on roof tops and many more similar stories.

However, there is nothing to beat this story and even by Indian Railway standards it is a classic act, hard to beat, harder to believe and even harder to digest.

This story is about a railway station. Yes, a railway station which was supposedly so haunted that it remained closed for decades and no trains stopped by. The trains whizzed past the desolate station and some fearful and superstitious passengers even downed shutters of the windows to avoid looking at the haunted station.

This is the story of the Begunkodor railway station. Located in Puralia district of West Bengal, the haunted station is 46 kilometres away from the town of Purulia.

Unbelievably, the railway station at Begunkodor remained closed for 42 years. The reason was that the station was believed to be haunted by as spook and no employee was willing to serve or take a posting at the station.  The station remained only in name from 1962 to 2009.

Locals claim that a railway employee died after he witnessed a female apparition in the station in 1967. Soon, this tale spread and railway employees initially took leave and then sought transfers. None were willing to work at the station and within a few weeks, the station became deserted. Soon, no trains stopped and the station stopped receiving trains.

In no time, stories about the female ghost gained credence. The phantom woman would sometimes dance on the platform and on occasion take a walk along the tracks. The railway employees feared that she would come back to life and they expressed no desire to work at the station.

As the legend of the white saree apparition grew, the station fell deeper and deeper into disuse and soon no locals gathered courage to visit the station.

The first ray of hope of opening the station came when Mamta Banerjee was the Railway Minister. When she was told about the haunted station, she curtly remarked that she did not believe in ghosts. “It is all manmade”, she declared and ordered the Railways to take steps to reopen the now defunct station. This was in 2009.

Meanwhile, Basudeb Acharya, former chairman of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Railways claimed that the ghost story was cooked up by railway staff  to avoid their posting at a remote location.

The railway station was reopened on September 3, 2009 when the Ranchi-Hatia Express stopped at Begunkodor, the first train to do so, in 42 years.

Begunkodor is 260 kilometres or 161 miles from Kolkata. The reopening was a red letter day for the locals who danced and sang with joy. Hundreds turned up to watch the first train in more than four decades pull to a slow and grinding stop at the station.  

However, the fear of the ghosts still persists. Even two years after the re- opening of the Begunkodor station, Dalu Mahato, a private ticket- selling agent, is the sole worker there. He is given a commission for each ticket he sells. Mahato too makes it point to leave when the sun is still shining. You can rarely find him after 6 p.m.

For passengers, they are still greeted with empty ticket counters, no station master, ticket checker or any other employee. You see, the ghost still instills fear and such is its tentacles that people rarely dare to go to the station on their own.

When Munro became Munrolappa

One of the most outstanding achievements of any human being is when his name is perpetuated by people who respectfully take his name and also name their children after him.

There are only a handful of  such people in India and one among them is perhaps the first foreigner and the first Britisher to see Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru seated in his Brindavana and also talk to him in 1800. (Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana in 1691).  He is also the man who banned people from eating Tirupathi parasada with their bare hands at the holy town in Andhra Pradesh  and forbade the custom only to revere it later after he began suffering from acute stomach ache.

His stomach ache was miraculously cured after he reversed his order on eating Prasada. He is none other than Major-General Sir Thomas Munro, (May 27, 1761 – July 6, 1827).

A  Scottish soldier and colonial administrator, he joined service in the East India Company as an Army officer and fought both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.  However, he is even today remembered not as a soldier or an a man who spoke to Rayaru but as an outstanding administrator and a superb civil servant who introduced the ryotwari system in agriculture which continues to this day.

Born to a merchant named Alexander Munro, he was educated at

at the University of Glasgow. While at school, young Thomas was came to be known for his mild manners, courage and presence of mind. A robust boy, he easily surpassed all his school mates in athletics. At school, he came to be known as a boxer.

In 1799, he was appointed to an infantry cadetship in Madras. He served with his regiment during the hard-fought war against Hyder Ali (1780–1783) and also in the first campaign against Tipu Sultan (1790–1792).  He was then chosen as one of four military officers to administer the region of Barahamahal. This was part of the territory acquired from Tipu and Munro remained in the post for  seven years. He learnt the principles of revenue survey and assessment which he applied throughout the presidency of Madras.

After the death of Tipu in 1799, Munro spent a short time restoring order in south Karnataka; and then for another seven years (1800–1807) he was in charge of the northern districts ceded to the British by the Nizam of Hyderabad, where he introduced the Ryotwari system of land revenue.

He then left to England and came back to India in 1814 with special instructions to reform the judicial and police systems. When the Pindari War broke out in 1817, he was appointed as brigadier-general to command the reserve division formed to reduce the southern territories of the Peshwa.

In 1820, he was appointed as Governor of Madras, where he founded systems of revenue assessment and general administration. These systems continue even today and he is fondly regarded as the father of the farmer friendly Ryotwari system.

When Munro was the Collector of  Bellary, the Madras Government in 1800 ordered him to procure the entire income from the Raghavendra Swamy Matha located in Manthralaya village. Munro asked the Revenue officials to comply with the order but when they failed to do so, he himself visited the Matha.

Munro removed his hat and shoes and entered the Matha.  He stood before the Brindavana and Raghavendra Swamy conversed with him for sometime about the resumption of endowment.

The venerable Madhwa saint was visible and audible only to Munro who also received the Manthrakshathe.

Munro then went back and wrote an order favouring the Matha. This order and notification was published in the Madras Government Gazette in Chapter XI and page 213, with the caption ``Manchali Adoni Taluka. This order is still preserved in Fort St. George and Manthralaya.

Coming back to his administrative achievements, Munro earned renown for his compassion and innovative schemes when he was principal collector of  the Ceded districts from 1800 to 1807. He  then had his headquarters at Anantapur. He took over office on November 1, 1800 and he had four able assistants or sub collectors-Alexander Stodart who worked from Kadapa, James Cochrane from Harapanahalli, William Thackeray, father of novelist Theckeray who is the author of Vanity Fair, from Adoni and James Ravenshaw from Kambam. Maj Gen Dugald Campell was appointed Commander of the Ceded districts.

It was during this time that Munro evolved a policy towards the local chieftains or poligars.

Under the ryotwari system, the entire cultivated area was surveyed and this process was begun in 1802 and completed in 1807. Each field was surveyed, numbered and the name of the holder registered. The land revenue was directly collected from them, thus making the ryots owners of the land. The ryot was at liberty to sublet, rent or lease his piece of land. As long as he paid his dues, he could not be ejected from his land or displaced. Before cultivation commenced in 1802, Munro made advances to the ryots for purchasing seeds, agricultural implements, bullocks and repair wells and dig new ones. When heavy rains breached more than 100 tanks in the Ceded districts in 1803, Munro went ahead with relief and rehabilitation measures without waiting for government approval. He repaired damaged and breached tanks and lakes. The repairs were so timely that in 1804, there was a bumper crop and the government collected 100 per cent revenue.

Munro to the Indians then came across as a man with deep concern for the common man. He left an indelible impression on several score families. Many people liked him and called him father. His tale of generosity, magnanimity and deep concern so grew that people compared him to a divine being. Even today, rustic people in and around Anantapur and areas that formed part of the Ceded districts sing ballads remembering Munro and his everlasting contribution.

If his conversation with Raghavendra Swamy made him a legend, the blessings of Srinivasa in Tirupathi made him into a demi god. Munro’s name is also associated with two other temples-Kadiri Lakshminarayanaswamy in Ananthapur district where he wanted to attach lands of the temple and Narasimhaswamy temple at Gangapur in Kadapa.

People of the ceded districts believed him to an incarnation of Mandava Rishi and began naming their sons as Munrolappa. Even today, that name stands. Check out the Ceded districts and you are sure to come across thousands of Munrolappa. All their names owe their origin to Munro. This is how Munro became Munrolappa.

How many politicians in Indian today, barring film stars and cricket players, can claim to have such a distinction. Politicians should read about Munro and learn from his achievements. The stocks of politicians in India has sun so low that few would like to name their children after them and fewer would prefer to be associated with them.              

The twin towns that supplied lotus to the Royal household of Chalukyas

One of the best known twin cities in India are Hyderabad and Secundrabad in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, in Karnataka, the twin cities of Gadag and Betagiri are equally well-known.

However, there is a twin town which dates back to the times of the Chalukyas of Kalyana and it is not popularly known outside its location. Though this historic twin town  is in Karnataka, few know about it and fewer have visited it. 

The twin town supplied large quantity of lotus flowers to the Chalukyas and their royal household. This is the little known twin town of Umapura-Laheshwara which is located in  Basavakalyan taluk of Bidar district. They are home to perhaps some of the most beautiful and exquisite temples belonging to the Chalukyas.

It was the Chalukyas of Kalyan (These Chalukyas are different from the Chalukyas of Badami and the Chalukyas of Gujarat though they are all related.) who built several temples here when they ruled from Kalyan or Basavakalyan which was their capital.

It was Someshwara, the first, who made Kalyan, the capital and it reached its zenith under his son, Vikramaditya. He ruled from 1076 for fifty years and during his time, he constructed temples here, in Kalyan and even in Kanchi which he conquered in his war against the Cholas.  

During the time of  the Chalukyas, the town of  Umapura was a thriving centre of art, architecture and religion. It had scores of temples and it was then known as Uma Maheshwara.

The Chalukyas held this town in great esteem as it supplied lotus flowers to the Royal palace. The town had hundreds of ponds, tanks and small water bodies where lotus grew in abundance. The lotus flowers were carefully plucked and sent in elaborately decorated baskets to the Royal palace where they were used for religious and social occasions.

There are records to suggest that Uma Maheshwara was also the centre of flower trade and lotus was widely cultivated and marketed. Several craters and ponds were exclusively set aisde to grow lotus.

The Chalukya Emperors constructed many temples but only a few of them-Neelakantha, Mahadeva, Parvathi and Ganapathi-survived. Infact, even these temples were on the verge of collapse and in a sorry state.

The Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) dismantled the temples and reconstructed them, brick by brick, bringing back the glory of a bygone era. A majority of the temples in Uma Maheswara were built by Vikramaditya, the sixth.

One of the most outstanding temples here is that of  Mahadeva which has some unique characteristics. It is built in the shape of a chariot and it has three mukha mantapas. There are sculptures on the walls of the temple, including those of gods, goddesses, dancers. Nearby is the Parvathi temple, with the deity of Uma-Maheshwara. It is this temple that lent its name to the town.  The Neelakantheshwara temple too is beautiful though in ruins.

The Neelakantheshwara temple is famous for its legendary well. Locals and the priest will tell you to take a look at the waters of the big well so that you can see the reflection of a huge Ganesha.

The Ganesha is installed across the well and it is eight feet in height and five feet in width. The idol is placed between two 12 feet-high pillars. It is this Ganesha that you can see reflected in a well.

The pillars adjoining the Ganesha are a superb example of  Chalukyas workmanship. Shake them and you can hear the sounds of temple bells.

A little away, or rather a kilometer away from here is the Padmavathi Kere. There is a small temple dedicated to Padmavathi atop a small hillock. Locals say there was a Jain Basadi at the place before it was converted into a temple for Padmavathi.

To the south of Umapura is the small village of  Raiwad. This is the place where Bicchala of Bijjala the ruler of Kalachuri dynasty, had his palace. Stones from the huge palace were transported by the Chalukyas to Basavakalyan where they built a fort, which exists to this day.

Incidentally, the renowned saint, Basaveshwara or Basavanna, started his career as an accountant in the service of Bijjala.

The twin towns are easily approachable from Basavakalyan which itself has several monuments of note, including the fort and temples.

When a PM's plane forcelanded

It was around 10 a.m., and a Principal of a school was busy with his work in a village near Yeramaras, on the outskirts of Raichur, a historic City ion Karnataka.

The Principal, Sheshachar Hunisigi of the Secondary Teachers’ Basic Training (STBT) School, was busy with his work. The work load was heavy as Karnataka had come into being just five months ago-November 1, 1956.

It was February 26, 1957 and Mr. Hunisigi was deeply engrossed in his work. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming near and when he looked up, he almost froze for before him stood the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru looked slightly flustered but he was easily recognizable in his trademark jacket and kurta. With him were a few officials, who also appeared equally flustered and disoriented.

The Principal stood up and quickly offered his seat to the Prime Minister. Nehru casually looked around and took the seat and began a polite conversation with the dumb struck Principal.

By then, other teachers and students of the institution realized the presence of the Prime Minister and rushed towards the Principal’s chamber.

Even as the conversation progresses, officials in the entrouge of the Prime Minister got in touch with the officials, including the district administration.

When news broke that the Prime Minister was in a school building near Raichur, a stunned Deputy Commissioner, K R Ramachandran, the Superintendent of Police, Subramanyam and Tahsildar Narasimhachar N Kathavi rushed post haste to the school.

Apart from these officials, the Mayor of Raichur, A Gurunath Rao, and several advocates came to the school and among them were Raghottama Rao and D R Vittal Rao, who later became a judge of the Karnataka High Court. He was then a 27-year-old practising lawyer in Raichur.

(Incidentally, Vittal Rao and another Judge, M.N. Venkatachalaiah sitting in a Division Bench  heard the first public interest litigation- PIL- filed in the Karnataka High Court against the demolition of the iconic High Court structure during the Chief Ministership of Ramakrishna Hedge in 1982.)

When the crowd around the school grew, officials accompanying the Prime Minister told the gathering that their plane (WIP IL-14) had developed a snag and one of the engines had caught fire. The pilot, Squadron Leader Reginald Azariah (R A) Rufus who was commissioned on February 25, 1946, had landed the aircraft at an abandoned airfield at Yeramaras, seven kilometers from Raichur.

Yeramaras was used by the British during the world war as an air strip. It was built in 1942 and was abandoned soon after the war and neither the Centre nor the State had made any effort to develop it. The airfield was in disuse and it still is.

Pandit Nehru, meanwhile, was on an election campaign. He had campaigned for the Congress Party in Kerala and he had come to Mangalore.

Nehru had left Mangalore at 8-05 a.m., and his next stop was Raipur in Madhya Pradesh where he was scheduled to address an election rally. He was not slated to stop anywhere else in Karnataka.

Nehru was using an Illushin aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) which was named as Meghadoot. The twin engined Illushin plane had been gifted by the Soviets to Nehru on December 23, 1955 by the Russian Ambassador in Delhi on December 23, 1955 on behalf of the Russian premier Bulganin and Communist Party Secretary Nikita Krushchev (who later became President of the USSR).  Nehru had himself christened the aircraft as Meghadoot-the messenger of the clouds.   

The right engine of the plane caught fire in mid air and the pilot, made an emergency landing at the deserted airstrip. The pilot feathered the engine and though the plane tilted to one side, he managed to land the craft. The Prime Minister appeared calm and he inspected the damaged engine and congratulated the pilot for making a landing with only one engine and without any support from the ATC.

When the aircraft force landed it was a little after 9-30 a.m., and Nehru and his party of officials and Congressmen walked towards the school. He looked at the still smoking port side engine which was emitting smoke and walked off still reading the text of Foreign Minister V.K. Krishna Menon’s speech at the United Nations Security Council on the Kashmir issue. Menon had made a marathon speech which had gone on for seven hours  and newspapers had covered it extensively.

With Nehru sitting in the school premises, the officials immediately contacted Hyderabad from where another aircraft was flown to Raichur and Nehru continued his onward journey.

The Meghdoot remained at the airstrip for more than a week and very soon it became a tourist attraction. When news of the force landing reached the Soviets, they offered a new Ilyshin aircraft to Nehru which the Prime Minister accepted. Russian engineers visited the Yeramaras airstrip and conducted an enquiry into the issue of engine failure.
Incidentally, this was Nehru’s second visit to Raichur. Earlier, during the 1952 general elections,  he had had come to Raichur along with his sister Vijayalakashmi Pandit.
Later, Sqn Ldr RA Rufus, an Anglo-Indian, was awarded the Ashok Chakra for his presence of mind and

It was around 10 a.m., and a Principal of a school was busy with his work in a village near Yeramaras, on the outskirts of Raichur, a historic City ion Karnataka.

The Principal, Sheshachar Hunisigi of the Secondary Teachers’ Basic Training (STBT) School, was busy with his work. The work load was heavy as Karnataka had come into being just five months ago-November 1, 1956.

It was February 26, 1957 and Mr. Hunisigi was deeply engrossed in his work. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming near and when he looked up, he almost froze for before him stood the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru looked slightly flustered but he was easily recognizable in his trademark jacket and kurta. With him were a few officials, who also appeared equally flustered and disoriented.

The Principal stood up and quickly offered his seat to the Prime Minister. Nehru casually looked around and took the seat and began a polite conversation with the dumb struck Principal.

By then, other teachers and students of the institution realized the presence of the Prime Minister and rushed towards the Principal’s chamber.

Even as the conversation progresses, officials in the entrouge of the Prime Minister got in touch with the officials, including the district administration.

When news broke that the Prime Minister was in a school building near Raichur, a stunned Deputy Commissioner, K R Ramachandran, the Superintendent of Police, Subramanyam and Tahsildar Narasimhachar N Kathavi rushed post haste to the school.

Apart from these officials, the Mayor of Raichur, A Gurunath Rao, and several advocates came to the school and among them were Raghottama Rao and D R Vittal Rao, who later became a judge of the Karnataka High Court. He was then a 27-year-old practising lawyer in Raichur.

(Incidentally, Vittal Rao and another Judge, M.N. Venkatachalaiah sitting in a Division Bench  heard the first public interest litigation- PIL- filed in the Karnataka High Court against the demolition of the iconic High Court structure during the Chief Ministership of Ramakrishna Hedge in 1982.)

When the crowd around the school grew, officials accompanying the Prime Minister told the gathering that their plane (WIP IL-14) had developed a snag and one of the engines had caught fire. The pilot, Squadron Leader Reginald Azariah (R A) Rufus who was commissioned on February 25, 1946, had landed the aircraft at an abandoned airfield at Yeramaras, seven kilometers from Raichur.

Yeramaras was used by the British during the world war as an air strip. It was built in 1942 and was abandoned soon after the war and neither the Centre nor the State had made any effort to develop it. The airfield was in disuse and it still is.

Pandit Nehru, meanwhile, was on an election campaign. He had campaigned for the Congress Party in Kerala and he had come to Mangalore.

Nehru had left Mangalore at 8-05 a.m., and his next stop was Raipur in Madhya Pradesh where he was scheduled to address an election rally. He was not slated to stop anywhere else in Karnataka.

Nehru was using an Illushin aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) which was named as Meghadoot. The twin engined Illushin plane had been gifted by the Soviets to Nehru on December 23, 1955 by the Russian Ambassador in Delhi on December 23, 1955 on behalf of the Russian premier Bulganin and Communist Party Secretary Nikita Krushchev (who later became President of the USSR).  Nehru had himself christened the aircraft as Meghadoot-the messenger of the clouds.   

The right engine of the plane caught fire in mid air and the pilot, made an emergency landing at the deserted airstrip. The pilot feathered the engine and though the plane tilted to one side, he managed to land the craft. The Prime Minister appeared calm and he inspected the damaged engine and congratulated the pilot for making a landing with only one engine and without any support from the ATC.

When the aircraft force landed it was a little after 9-30 a.m., and Nehru and his party of officials and Congressmen walked towards the school. He looked at the still smoking port side engine which was emitting smoke and walked off still reading the text of Foreign Minister V.K. Krishna Menon’s speech at the United Nations Security Council on the Kashmir issue. Menon had made a marathon speech which had gone on for seven hours  and newspapers had covered it extensively.

With Nehru sitting in the school premises, the officials immediately contacted Hyderabad from where another aircraft was flown to Raichur and Nehru continued his onward journey.

The Meghdoot remained at the airstrip for more than a week and very soon it became a tourist attraction. When news of the force landing reached the Soviets, they offered a new Ilyshin aircraft to Nehru which the Prime Minister accepted. Russian engineers visited the Yeramaras airstrip and conducted an enquiry into the issue of engine failure.
Incidentally, this was Nehru’s second visit to Raichur. Earlier, during the 1952 general elections,  he had had come to Raichur along with his sister Vijayalakashmi Pandit.Later, Rufus was awarded the Ashoka Chakra for his presence of mind. He was an instructor in Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Jodhpur and Transport Training Centre in Hyderabad. He commanded a Squadron on AN-12s and retired as Wing Commander.
He later joined Air India and flew Boeing 707 and 747 aircraft.

(This post was written after one of the readers-Skyflash- pointed the incident of the force landing of Nehru's plane. Thank you, Skyflash)

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A barber who impersonated an Emperor

This was truly an incident that perfectly illustrated the proverb of a David overcoming a Goliath. But in this case, the David was more shrewd, more brave, more intelligent than the Goliath who outnumbered him in thousands and had scores of generals and commanders who were battle hardy.

The David here was one of the greatest Indians of all times and the founder of a Hindu Empire after the fall of Vijayanagar. A man whose valour was known and appreciated even by his enemies, he was a perfect foil to two mighty dynasties, both Muslims.

If one of the dynasties ruled the whole of India, barring the Deccan, the other was an equally powerful dynasty that had a major say in the decimation of Vijayanagar and in the 17^th century it was the foremost Kingdom in the south.

The David, however, was unperturbed by the two Muslim powers and he managed to carve out an independent Kingdom which threatened the very existence of the Muslim Kingdoms. The Emperors of both the Kingdoms tried every trick in the trade, every military and political tactic to overcome their common foe but to no avail.

If the Kingdom in the south attempted to assassinate the David, the Kingdom in the north even held David a prisoner for short while before he managed to escape. Emperors of both the Muslim Kingdoms spent huge amounts of money and manpower to capture the David but in vain.

Today, both the Kingdoms are history and most of their monarchs are forgotten. Only the ruins of their empire stand but the David is still revered today. He is ever present in the hearts of people and the his is the first name when one talks about patriotism. He is none other than Chatrapathi Shivaji, who founded the glorious Maratha Empire in the 17^th century and the two Muslim Kingdoms which opposed him tooth and nail were the Adil Shahs of Bijapur and the Mughals.

Both the Adil Shahs and Mughals made numerous attempts to reign in Shivaji and his marauding forces but in vain. A Bijapur General, Afzal Khan, a physical giant (He was almost seven feet tall) and an outstanding commander tried to kill Shivaji by deceit but ended up dying. The Mughals Emperor, Aurangzeb, too by deceit, imprisoned Shivaji but he had not reckoned with the Maratha’s resourcefulness. Shivaji and his son escaped from prison, much to the Mughal’s humiliation.

Shivaji inspired his men to greater heights. Even a common man, inspired by the Maratha’s ideals of freedom, independence and patriotism, gave up his life for Shivaji and one of the most outstanding example of this is how a barber saved the Chatrapathi.

The barber is immortalised even today and his deeds are sung about in Maharashtra. The barber impersonated Shivaji, allowing him the much needed time to escape from the Adil Shahis.

This is how the story of Shivaji and his barber unfolded.

It was July 13, 1660 and Chatrapathi Shivaji was facing perhaps the toughest time of his illustrious career. Both the Mughals under Emperor Shahajan and the Adil Shahis under Ali Adil Shah had joined forces to take on Shivaji.

The Adil Shahis had a clutch of  formidable generals and they were led by the huge African, Siddi Jahaur and his son-in-law, Siddi Masud Khan. With them was Fazal Khan, son of Afzal Khan whom Shivaji had killed on November 10, 1659 near Pratapgadh fort.

The Adil Shahis were 15,000  strong and they had completely surrounded Panhala, leaving no room for Shivaji to escape. The siege by the Adil Shahis was so tight that it would not be wrong to describe it as an action in which even a fly could not escape.

Try as he might, Shivaji was unable to pierce through the Adil Shahi ranks. To add to Shivaji’s discomfiture, the Mughal General Shaistya or Shaista Khan was attacking the Maratha Empire from the northern side towards Pune.

Even the redoubtable Maratha commander and Shivaji’s Sanapathi Netaji Palkar could not break through the siege from outside. A desperate Shivaji then decided to give a final battle. However, he hit upon a plan and he opened negotiations with Siddi Jahaur.

Siddi Jahaur was so sure that Shivaji would have to surrender that he relaxed the siege and Shivaji soon took advantage and rode away from the fort. However, he realized that unless and until he reached the fort of Vishalgad, he was still in danger. He then asked his barber to impersonate him.

The plan worked and even as Shivaji and his faithful band galloped towards Vishalgadh, the barber-Shiva Khasid-deliberately drew attention to himself. An incensed Siddi Jahaur came after Shiva even as Shivaji and a band of 600 faithfuls led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande rode to safety.

Meanwhile, the Adil Shahi troops captured Shiva Kashid and a few remnants of  the Maratha army. When they were brought before Siddi Jahaur, he soon realised that the Shivaji in front of him was not the man he wanted. He immediately had Shiva Khasid killed and asked his Siddi Masud Khan to go after Shivaji.

Siddi Masud attacked the Marathas at Pavankhind and the incident  is popularly known as the Battle of Pavankhind. The battle was fought in the vicinity of  Vishalgadh near present day Kolhapur.

The Marathas were led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande, while Siddi Masud led the Adilshah forces. The Maratha forces, though heavily outnumbered held the Adilshahi forces till Shivaji reached the fort Vishalgad.

The Marathas managed to defeat Siddi Masud Khan and this was the last major battle between Adilshahi forces and Marathas. Hereafter, the  Marathas came to be recognised as an independent power.

The sacrifices of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid is remembered even today. The war and  the escape of Shivaji, the gallantry of the Marathas and the defeat of the numerically superior Bijapur forces are recreated even today when youths trek on the route taken by the Chatrapathi between the forts of Panhala and Vishalgadh. The distance between the two forts is around 70 km.

Both the forts are in Maharashtra. Panala is 18 kms north west of Kolhapur. Incidentally, the descendents of Shivaji ruled from Kolhapur which also happens to be the place where Goddess Padmavathi, the wife of Srinivasa, resides.   

A King who was a Jacobian

Though much has been written about Tipu Sultan and his times, there are still many facets of his life that are not well known.

While everyone knows that Tipu hated the British and tried his best to throw them out of the country, not many know that Tipu wanted to send one of his sons to France for higher education and that he had even approached Frenchmen stationed in Srirangapatna, his capital, for this purpose.

The powers that be at France had agreed to Tipu’s suggestion but they had felt that it would be better if Tipu’s sons learnt French before coming over to France. They had suggested that Tipu’s sons learn French from a tutor in Srirangapatna and then embark to France. 

Another little known fact is that Tipu was one of the founder member of the Jacobian Club of Srirangapatna. A  piece of paper discovered in his library after Tipu’s death on May 4, 1799 in Srirangapatna testified to this fact.

The paper was entitled “Proceedings of a Jacobin Club formed at Seringapatam by the French Soldiers in the Corps commanded by M.Dompart”.

A Scotsman, Capt W Macleod, attested to the authenticity of the paper. The paper listed by name 59 Frenchmen in the pay of 'Citizen Tippoo' as it described the Sultan. It further said that  a gathering of a Primary Assembly was held in Srirangapatna on May 5, 1797, to elect a President, Francois Ripaud, and other officers.

The gathering proclaimed the “Rights of Man”, and Ripaud then  lectured the members on Republican principles. Further deliberations and formalities followed before, on 14th May, the National flag was ceremonially raised and a small delegation were formally received by Tipu.

Tipu, the “Citizen Prince” ordered a salute of 2,300 cannon, all the musketry and 500 rockets, with a further 500 cannon firing from the Fort. A Tree of Liberty was planted in his palace in Srirangapatna on May 15, 1797 and crowned with a Cap of Equality, before Ripaud challenged his co-patriots: “Do you swear hatred to all Kings, except Tippoo Sultaun, the Victorious, the Ally of the French Republic - War against all Tyrants, and love towards your Country and that of Citizen Tippoo.”Yes! We swear to live free or die,' they replied.

Tipu Sultan then became a founder-member of the Jacobin Club. While accepting the membership, he said of France, “Behold my acknowledgement of the standard of your country, which is dear to me, and to which I am allied; it shall always be supported in my country, as it has been in the Republic, my sister!”.

The Sultan was thus named as “Citizen Tipu”. Tipu remained and even now remains the only Indian King who was a member of the Jacobian club. Unfortunately, neither the French nor the club could stave off the British conquest of Srirangapatna and the subsequent death of  the Sultan. When Srirangapatna fell, the Jacobian Club automatically wound up.

Though the Jacobin Club at his court and later in India died down, its influence on France was tremendous. It led to the French revolution and the club was so named after the Dominican convent where its members first met.

In France, the club of thousands of chapters totaling more than 4.2 lakhs members. The club closed down after the fall of Robespierre.

Today, there is no trace of the tree in Srirangapatna. The palace of Tipu is in ruins. Except for the many graves of Frenchmen who fought alongside Tipu, there is no trace of the French connection in Srirangapatna today.

The piece of paper that was found in Tipu’s library is long gone too. However, the ideas of the club found expression in the French revolution and its slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity.

When Rayaru blessed an African

Who has not heard of the story of  Nawab Siddi Masud Khan and Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru of Mantralaya.

Siddi Masud Khan (1662-1687) was the Governor of Adoni (Adwani), now in Andhra Pradesh, and he held the province as part of the Adil Shahi dominion.

It was at Adoni itself that Siddi Masud Khan first met Raghavendra Swamy and tried to test him by offering him meat on a plate covered with a clothe. Siddi Masud realized the greatness of Raghavendra Swamy when the meat turned into fruits and flowers.

Siddi Masud later gifted Raghavendra Swamy the land at Manchale, which is now better known as Mantralaya. All these facts are more or less well-known as is the fact that Venkanna Pant, a devotee of  Rayaru, was the Dewan of Adoni.

Venkanna had been appointed to the post by Siddi Masud Khan and he continued in the same position even when the Khan went to Bijapur to discharge his duties.

However, not much is known about Siddi Masud Khan or his rule over Adoni. Records available at Bijapur, the Adil Shah chronicles and even Maratha texts when pieced together give a fascinating account of  Siddi Masud Khan, his life and times.

Siddi Masud Khan was not an Indian. He was an African and he belonged to the Siddi tribe.

He was of African descent, a Habshi. He was the son-in-law of Siddi Jahaur, a front-ranking general and commander of the Adil Shahis.  Siddi Jahaur was also the governor of Kurnool, now in Andhra Pradesh. Interestingly, both Siddi Jahaur and Siddi Masud fought Chatrapathi Shivaji as did other Adil Shahi Generals, Afzal Khan and Ranadulla Khan.

Siddi Jahaur was one of the few Bijapur Generals to treat Shivaji with respect. Siddi Masud too was friendly with Shivaji and thanked him when he came to his aid when the Mughals invaded Bijapur.

There is a painting in England of Siddi Masud Khan which is part of the Golconda series of portraits of eminent men.

Masud Khan remained in power until 1683 and he was also the Regent of  the King, Sikander Adil Shah. However, he was disgusted with the internal politics in Bijapur and he returned to Adoni where he soon asserted his independence.

At Adoni, he built a mosque and also a well. Both these structures exists even today. This is the Shahi Jamia Masjid and its architects were Iranian engineers headed by Mallik Sandal. The area of this masjid is as same as of Holy Kabba in Mecca.

The well is called Kamam Bhavi and it was also used for irrigation purposes.

A little known fact about Siddi Masud Khan is that Bijapur would have fallen to the Marathas under Shivaji much before Aurangzeb could conquer the Adil Shahi Kingdom.

It was December 23, 1677 and the Regent of Bijapur, Bahlol Khan, died. His slave and close confidant, Jamshed Khan, seized the reigns of power in Bijapur.

Sikander Adil Shah was then barely nine years of age and he was a mere puppet in the hands of his powerful nobles. Jamshed entered into a secret pact with Shivaji. He agreed to hand over Bijapur to Shivaji and also deliver the boy King to the Chatrapathi for six lakh pagodas.

News of this plot leaked to Siddi Masud Khan and he immediately made plans to safeguard the Bijapur Kingdom. He himself spread a rumour of his death and directed four thousand of his elite troops to go over to Jamshed and seek employment.

Jamshed was only too happy to oblige. Jamshed was a weak and timid person and the arrival of battle-hardened troops were a God send. He recruited all of them. The troops cleverly trapped Jamshed and killed him and Siddi Masud Khan entered Bijapur triumphantly.

Siddi Masud Khan then took over as the Regent of Bijapur and strengthened its defences. Meanwhile, the Mughals under Diler Khan invaded Bijapur and laid a siege of the city. Masud appealed to Shivaji for help, saying that he and Shivaji both had eaten the salt of Adil Shah and that they should form a common front against the Mughals.

The valiant Shivaji agreed at once and he arrived at the gates of Bijapur and began harassing the troops of  Mughals, who subsequently withdrew. A grateful Masud Khan thanked Shivaji for his gesture. Masud Khan, however, withdrew to Adoni and left Bijapur to its fate when he realised that he was no longer welcome in Kingdom. He retired to Adoni on November 21, 1683 on the pretext of visiting his jagir. He left Bijapur, never to come back. He then sent in his resignation to Sikander Adil Shah who then appointed Agha Khusro as the Wazir. However, the Mughals were already knocking on the doors of Bijapur and on September 13, 1686, Sikander Adil Shah walked out of the fort and handed over the keys of Bijapur and the royal insignia to Aurangzeb.

Sikander Adil Shah became a Mughal prisoner and died in captivity in Daulatabad in 1700.

Coming back to Siddi Masud, the Mughal General Firuz Jang on January 25, 1688 attacked Adoni with a head of 25,000 cavalry. On August 6, 1688, Siddi Masud surrendered to the Mughals and he was enrolled as a high ranking commander along with his sons. 

Siddi Masud had thus a meteoric rise and Venkanna attributed it to the blessings of Rayaru.    

He lived and died like a Tiger

Today, May 4, happens to be the day the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, was killed in the battle of Srirangapatna, and even 215 years after his death, he still mains a controversial figure, a hero and freedom fighter for some,  a religious bigot and ill tempered person for others.

While many call him the first freedom fighter of India, there are others who say that Tipu (November 20, 1750-May 4, 1799) was dictated by avarice and the prevailing conditions of south India then. They say much of his actions was the result of his ambition to extend his kingdom. Whatever the contradictory stand, the trust lies somewhere between.

At the post, we would first like to remember Tipu as a man who laid down his life. Yes, it is true and there are sufficient historical records to prove that the Sultan did sue for peace but when he found the terms demeaning and humiliating, he decided to go all out for war. “It is far better to live like a Tiger for a day than to live like a jackal for a hundred years”, he said.

The British army was more than 50,000 strong and it was reinforced by troops sent by the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas. Tipu, all put together, had just 30,000 men. The British Army had arrived at Tipu’s capital after defeating the Mysore Army at several places.

Tipu was perfectly aware that the Cauvery would be fordable for all but four months in an year and in May when the British under General Harris mounted an attack on Srirangapatna, the river was just a little more than four feet deep and the northern part of the island fortress was weak. It had only three cannons. Tipu had taken extra precautions to ensure that the British could not enter the fort. He had stationed some of his best troops on the northern part and near the present Water Gate (from where today we go to the bathing ghats of Srirangapatna). Unfortunately, for him when the tome came for Namaz and lunch, he left for his palace which was nearby and this too today is in ruins and it is in front of the Ranganatha Temple.

British and even Indian records indicate that it was sometime around 1 p.m., when a group of British soldiers, 76 to be precise, managed to scale the breach on the northern part and enter the area between two forts. This they managed to do after Mir Sadiq, a minister of Tipu  and a Commander called back the men from guard duty to take their pay.

Mir Sadiq had entered into negotiations with the British. They had promised him the Mysore Kingdom if he joined them and helped them in the war. Tipu had earlier imprisoned Mir Sadiq when he was told about his confidant hobnobbing with the British. Mir Sadiq then had begged for mercy and he had also pleaded innocence, saying that his enemies had poisoned the Sultan’s mind against him. Tipu had pardoned Mir Sadiq and restored him to his position.

Sadiq had all along been in touch with the British and he had given them sufficient information about Tipu, his preparations, supplies and other details. But his greatest act of betrayal was the recall of soldiers and the raising of a flag near the present Water Gate to signal to the British that the coast was clear.

Tipu had pitched his tent here. There were two forts at Srirangapatna. The outer fort and an inner one. In Kannada, this place is called Kalale Doddi as it was constructed by Devaraj, a minister of the Wodeyar dynasty and the Regent of Mysore who hailed from Kalale, a small village near Nanjangud. Tipu had closed this gate around 1793.

Tipu had constructed a temporary shelter here by using curtains and he had pitched four tents around. He had with him his eunuchs, body guards and personal servants. It was from here, he was dictating the course of the war.      

Tipu went back to his palace around 10 a.m., where he took his bath and then came down to the Kalale Doddi. He once again looked out from the ramparts and ordered the soldiers to fill in the breach. He then retired  to his curtained enclosure and he had just taken a morsel when he heard several sounds or rather shouts. When he realized that the British had hoisted the Union Jack on his beloved fort, he  rode into the thick of battle on horseback. He was told that one of his most trusted men, Syed Ghafoor, was killed. Tipu decided against publicising news of the death and asked another able commander, Mohammad Quasim, to take over.

When Tipu saw the British scaling the outer wall and entering the space between the outer and inner fort (there is no trace of the inner fort today It was destroyed by the British in the war and subsequently pulled down), he jumped into the fray. It is here that the second betrayal occurred. Even as he was fighting the British with a band of loyal followers and soldiers, including a few women bodyguards,  the gate of the inner fort as deliberately closed, pinning the Sultan in the narrow space and giving him little room to manouvre.

The British began closing in on the small but fierce band of Mysore soldiers who kept up a relentless defense. They quickly realised that they would have to overcome this band if they were to enter the inner fort. One of the British soldiers managed to shoot Tipu’s horse, which then fell taking its master with it. Tipu’s man servant, Raja Khan urged the Sultan to reveal his identity. To this the Sultan had only a glare and the words, “Are you mad”.  His turban slipped to  the ground and his robes were covered with blood and dust. The British could not make out Tipu from others and he died a martyr’s death.

Once his band was silenced, the British had it easy and by afternoon, the battle was almost over. The British soon entered the town and began ravishing and raping Srirangapatna. By then, there were several rumours floating around about Tipu. Some said he had fled: Others said he was in hiding and that he would launch a fierce counter attack. The British along with Mir Sadiq and others began checking the bodies for Tipu as yet another rumour said he had been killed.

Tipu’s body was identified by his faithful servant, Raja Khan. Even them the British dare not believe that the Tiger was dead. Some among them said they saw the Sultan alive. It was then that Lord Wellesley felt the Sultan’s pulse and declared him dead.

The British immediately summoned a palanquin from the palace and placed Tipu’s body in it. The palanquin was then conveyed to the palace where it was laid in state. He was then given a State burial with the British troops escorting his body to the Place where his father Hyder Ali, was buried.

When Tipu’s body was about to be buried, the skies opened up and it began raining so heavily that one of the British officer,  Lieutenant Richard Bayly of the British 12th regiment wrote, “I have experienced hurricanes, typhoons, and gales of wind at sea, but never in the whole course of my existence had I seen anything comparable to this desolating visitation.”

It seems even Nature had conspired against Tipu. Had the rains struck Srirangapatna a day earlier, there could have been no chance of the British fording the river.

However, one of the most outstanding tributes to Tipu was paid by Sir Walter Scot, the novelist, who referring to the abdication of the throne of France by Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Although I never supposed that Napoleon possessed, allowing for some difference of education, the liberality of conduct and political views which were sometimes exhibited by old Hyde Ali, yet I did think he might have shown the same resolved and dogged spirit of resolution which induced Tipu Sahib to die manfully upon the breach of his capital city with his sabre clenched in his hand.”

What the post would like to say is that unlike other Emperors and Kings, Tipu neither bent nor bowed before the British. He could have entered into a peace treaty with the British and kept his Kingdom. He did not and we have to appreciate this aspect. He fought to the end and he died a martyr’s death. You can love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. To this day, even more than 200 years after his death, Tipu continues to inflame extreme views and passions. What is lost in this confrontation is his everlasting contribution to Mysore State and the jolt he and his father gave the British several times.