The Dreams of Tipu Sultan by Girish Karnad

  

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The Dreams of Tipu Sultan

Girish Karnad

 

Introduction

 Tughlaq, The Dreams of Tipu Sultan and Taledanda are Karnad’s historical plays which ranked him one of the best dramatists of all. History is the source of these plays. The special genius of Karnad lies in the unerring instinct with which he seizes upon the scattered facts of history transmuting its ore through the channels of his own ardent imagination into the subversions of themes and techniques in his plays refined and beautified. In Karnad we have a writer with an intrinsic strength and originality of outlook that places him easily among the most distinguished dramatists of the era.

The Dreams of Tipu Sultan

Karnad’s play ‘The Dreams of Tipu Sultan’ was originally written in English on the invitation of the BBC in 1997 as one of the best historical plays. An arresting blend of depth and simplicity with creative subversions, Karnad’s work serves as a reminder that the historical plays are not esoteric philosophies from an outdated past, but a contemporary issue vitally relevant to our times. Karnad took up the massive task of re-creating the historical Tipu Sultan on the invitation to honor the Golden Jubilee year of Indian independence and the 200th death anniversary of Tipu Sultan. The play which was first staged in front of the famous Dariya Daulat palace built by Tipu Sultan in Srirangapattana grabbed a lot of eyeballs. It is not for nothing that Karnad has been acclaimed widely as the best dramatist and has received the greatest honour for excellence in literature.

Karnad later translated it in to Kannada with slight revisions and it was published under the title “Tipu Sultan Kanda Kanasu” (The Dreams of Tipu Sultan) in the year 2000. Charmed by A.K. Ramanujan’s detail that Tipu Sultan secretly recorded his dreams in writing Karnad developed keen interest in the history of Tipu Sultan. Out of 34 dreams written by Tipu Sultan on his own in his diary, Karnad took only three of them (9, 10, 13) in this play.

The radio play which was broad casted by the BBC was directed by Jatinder Verma of Tara Arts with Saeed Jaffrey as Tipu Sultan. The Kannada version was staged in the precincts of Daria Daulath, Srirangapattana, on 15th, 16th and 17th May 2004.

Nature of Karnad Plays

Karnad’s plays, have been praised for their contemporary and their capacity for capturing the aesthetic senses of the audience and penetrating their consciousness. By combining historical facts with imagination he creates an atmosphere of fantastic recreation and here lies his unassailable greatness. Karnad’s play explores the sense of loss and despair that the Indian disunited rulers underwent right up through the times of Tipu Sultan.

The play “Dreams of Tipu Sultan” portrays Kirmani and Mackenzie’s descriptions of Tipu Sultan’s valour and his downfall due to the treachery of his own people and his dreams regard him as a modern ruler capable of innovation and experimentation.

Beginning of the Play

With the conversation of the two historians the play opens and the year is 1803. Mackenzie has employed Kirmani to write the history as he believes that, one can’t buy genuine court historians in the bazaar, Mir Hussain Ali Khan Kirmani feels immensely grieved in writing. The fall of Tipu Sultan’s capital Srirangapatna had passed before his presence and the death and incidents that followed had produced a psychological depth of pain in him. His strongly affected state of mind finds him in a confounded and confused manner.

Mackenzie’s records have been widely approved and he is supposed to have travelled extensively over Karnataka and amassed a lot of information from local history and folk tales.

Kirmani Recalls of British attack

The scene proceeds with Kirmani recalling the incident of the British attack. The severity of the situation and the clouds reluctant to shower increased the tension of the day. As a brave man and an unfailing spirit Tipu Sultan washed his hands, got up, buckled the sword belt and was ready to face the English that very moment brashly. He hands over a sealed envelope from his pocket to Kirmani asking him to preserve it until his return and it contained his last dream.

Next follows the fourth of May, 1799. The face of the disaster increased in its intensity as it leads us to the scene where the British soldiers are found searching Tipu Sultan’s body amidst the other dead bodies, Qilledar Nadeem Khan another tyrant in the utter darkness and with the help of some torches finds out Raja Khan, the Sultan’s personal assistant. Mackenzie assumes the body to be close by and Nadeem Khan points out to him lying with the gold buckle summoned by fate, uncompromising in dire consequences his strong will power and love for righteousness. Tipu Sultan died a martyr’s death. He visualized the approaching danger of the Britisher’s presence in India and likewise the horrors did not subtract. Tipu Sultan’s strong bravery is ineffable and rests in the endless memories and folk songs which the British fury cannot erase.

     Once again we are led to the mentioning of the last dream which deviates to the habit of the Sultan of recording dreams in his diary. Dreams act like revelation to some great souls through which indications of coming events are prior noticed. They identify themselves as guiding stars. His handing off of the sealed envelope displays his farsightedness and preparedness amidst a threatening situation. If he returns he would take it and if otherwise the matter was in the hands of a reliable historian. His marvelous dream faculty and achievements are unfolded as his major engagements. The first dream which is recorded in the play is the one which occurred to him on the 3rd day of the month of Thamari and the last night of the month of Ramzan. The next day was Id. He was returning from Farrukhi near Salamabad with his army.

He dreams that he had been on an elephant shikar and on his way back was walking with Poornaiya, the Finance Minster, when we saw a big temple. It was in a dilapidated state and asks Poornaiya to look at that structure which looked quite mysterious. When they go within they see the statues and some of them come alive. The Sultan asks the ladies to keep themselves occupied with thoughts of God and assures of no disturbance and promises rebuilding of the temple.

His dreams indicated his passion for reforming and transforming the mental and physical condition of his subjects by high standards of moral attitudes, which he wanted to communicate. His war was for the sole intention of freedom of the Indian inhabitants. The dreams form the major source of inspiration and his actions to some extent are dictated by them. He dreams further that two old men present him a white elephant and horses as a token of friendship and affection from the Emperor of China. Tipu Sultan interprets it as God Almighty’s will of making him another Alexander. He had many dimensions to his personality. He had an artistic bent of mind, a foresighted person with an immense interest in science. He looks to it that his sons too are adequately involved in the discussions held. He pioneers in flourishing the silk industry of his own.

He is adept in encouraging traders, ambassadors and craftsmen from other countries and the list runs to doctor, surgeon, smelter, carpenter, weaver, blacksmith, locksmith, cutter, gardener etc. His fervor reveals his inclination towards the invention of thermometer. The play criticizes the English philosophy that considers Indians as depraved beings who must constantly wait for the British orders for almost everything.

His next dream reveals the dangers from the native rules. It occurred when he was preparing for a night attack on the Maratha armies of Hari Pant Phadke at Shahnur near Devgiri. The interpretation of the dream that though the Marathas are dressed in male attire, they would in fact prove to be women. He gauged the British intention of placing one native king against another and ruling the country with their divide and rule policy. His firm determination and constant struggle to root out the existence of the British makes him approach and awake the French.

The dialogues exchanged between Nana Phadnavis, the Maratha statesman and Charles Malet, representative of Lord Cornwallis concerns the tactics of English urging the native rulers to enmesh with Tipu Sultan. They plan to vandalize the country’s strength and then rule. Malet begins planting the seed of suspicion by stating that they wished to assure the Maratha rulers that they were good friends who could be relied upon in moments of crisis. Malet succeeds in gaining confidence from other rulers and involves them in the conspiracy against Tipu Sultan.

 The scene that follows next visualizes Tipu Sultan with his family. Sensitive and alert about everything taking place around him he presents to his sons a life like tiger as a toy which tears up a man. The children appreciate the French toy as ingenious and life-like. His vision of progress and eagerness to learn draws our attention when he says that he had two teachers in his life. His father, who taught him war, and the English who taught him trade. They taught him that the era of the camel was over, that it was now the age of the sailing ship.

His modern outlook made him introduce cannon-founding, paper making, glass manufacture, ship building, rearing of silk worms, pearl culture and import of fine asses from Arabia. His optimism sparkles in every aspect of his life. Act one concludes with Mackenzie and Kirmani’s description of the war in 1790 and the English disheartened retreat. Joining hands with the Marathas, Srirangapatnam is attacked and Tipu Sultan is forced to sue for peace.

Act II commences with heightened emotional and treacherous disturbances. The Queen’s death followed by the four conditions imposed by the British were heart rendering. Only a person like Tipu Sultan could face such dire confrontations with perseverance and an outstanding bravery.

The first condition demanded the release of all English prisoners unconditionally.

The second condition impelled the cession of half his domain, adjacent to the territories of the English, the Marathas and the Nizam.

Third was the compensation of six crores.

The last condition was two sons as hostages to be handed over to the English to be kept with them until the terms of the treaty were agreed upon, signed, and sealed.

The shattering news declares the names of Abdul Khaliq and Muizuddin. The commendable tenacity of unyielding before the Britisher’s forced supremacy makes him agree to the conditions with a view to save his kingdom from plunder ad prepare for the attack. He does not bow before the English but sends his sons like heroes of the war. The sons too face the situation bravely. They register their keen apprehension of the tension, division tricks, and injustice that surround them.

Observing that they were left alone inside the tent the sons busy themselves examining their mechanisms. Kirmani bears witness to the intellectual genius of the princes, who desire to develop a sophisticated understanding of the developments around them. The third dream acts as an interpreter of Tipu Sultan’s feelings confronted with his father’s dislike towards his sending off of his sons. The dream also depicts the British’s solidarity in fighting for a cause or selfish motive, which the Indians do not possess. Their internal disunity paves way for their total destruction. Tipu Sultan points out to their spirit of oneness and the internal conspiracy among the natives.

Due to Lack of a strong company, Tipu Sultan had to struggle against both the forces internal and external. Yet he approaches Hari Pant to caution him. The discussions held by Momington, Kirkpatrick and Richard Wellesley accompanied by his younger brother Arthur Wellesley illustrate deliberately unrelenting demands that aim at ruining Tipu Sultan. Conspiracy is hatched for he poses a danger to their existence in India. His growing strength is viewed with an intention to curb.

The English return his two sons aged seven and eight after two years of imprisonment. The next demand was four of his sons as hostages and half of his kingdom again. The fourth dream sounds more real and whatever the vision appears it speaks of the shocking reality in reality contrasted to the dream. The Nizam and the Marathas bring in news of triumph and happiness and assure him of victory from all quarters.

The English retreating without any disturbances adds further joy. While Tipu Sultan is rejoicing at the success of his country and united force Mir Sadiq, Poornaiya and Nadeem Khan convince him that they were happy to have him as their triumphant king. Karnad’s depiction of ambivalence in Poornaiya’s feelings of love and hate for Tipu Sultan and his father may be traced when he falsifies his own words and joins hands in washing hands with Tipu Sultan’s blood.

He wakes up from the dream and the reality stands in contradiction to it and that very afternoon he died a matyr’s death and the treacherous acts of Nadeem Khan, Mir Sadiq, Poornamaiya and Qamaruddin were rewarded by the British.

The roaring of tigers is silenced by their being shot dead and the mechanical tiger shipped off to London. Arthur Wellesley is crowned as the Duke of Wellington, the conqueror of Napoleon, Prime Minister of England. The sons of Tipu Sultan under strict observation are kept out of Srirangapatnam. Within a span of twenty years the Maratha Empire is annexed to the British Empire. All’s well that ends well and here, nothing is well as the end is not well.

The play is divided into three acts and it has sixteen scenes. Act one revolves around Basavanna the accusations and the consequences of those acts. The play commences in the Brahmin quarter of the city of Kalyan. Sambashiva Shastri on his deathbed is eagerly waiting for his son. The son Jagadeva is busy safe guarding the treasury in the absence of Basavanna as a Sharana neglecting to attend his father.

SUBMERSION IN THE TECHNIQUE

Not strictly historical, Karnad’s play ‘The Dreams of Tipu Sultan appeals to the audience for its admixture of facts and fictions. The subversions posit the growth of fundamentalism and prejudiced feelings toward communal integration. The play presents the contrast between dream and reality. It tears the mask of hypocrites and cowards who fear to face a fair deal like the tiger. Historians Kirmani and Mackenzie have been approved of giving authenticity to the historical facts of Tipu Sultan. Karnad presents them dramatically and Mackenzie has employed Kirmani to write about Tipu Sultan’s history. Kirmani malingers for he wants to be dismissed as he is shattered with the way Tipu Sultan was martyred. History has portrayed Tipu Sultan with no good colours as it was written by the British historians. Karnad has modified it by employing Mackenzie, a Britisher to employ Kirmani to write actual facts.

Sultan as a sublime personality, holding religious Tolerance

Tipu Sultan is projected as a sublime personality holding the view of religious tolerance. This aspect Karnad depicts in Tipu Sultan’s first dream when he was returning along with his army from Farrukhi near Salamabad. With sonorous majesty on his way back from an elephant Shikar accompanied by Poornaiya, he comes across a big temple. The exhilaration of the elephant Shikar turns into a mysterious air when he views it is a dilapidated state. Inside they find some idols and Poornamaiya mentions them as strange figures moving their eyes. Two figures amidst them stand up and identify themselves as living women in the quest of total isolation in order to quench their thirst by seeking salvation. He orders for temples to be built,

 

“....and the many

faiths in my kingdom will depend upon me for protection and succor.”

(The Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Act One, 20).

Tipu Sultan’s personality is far more sublime and modest. His dreams are directions towards the real facts of the fake hypocritical world. The next dream portrays the real power of Tipu Sultan to be betrayed by the Marathas. The disguise of the Marathas represents the disguised venom filled with vengeance. In a fit of rage Tipu Sultan pours out:

“You’ve tricked me. You’ve inveigled the Padshah into

giving you audience, into talking to you. Get out of here!

Out!” (The Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Act One, 30).

Tipu Sultan is projected as a man with modem capabilities. His personality is viewed as the scene progresses as a remarkable genius who even submits his sons to the English for a period to save the nation.

The third dream illustrates his frustration over parting with the sons as hostages to the British. It also illustrates the passion of the English towards their country. This dream Tipu Sultan wanted his people to imbibe for the nation in reality.

Tipu’s stem father Haidar Ali lashes his son mercilessly on account of his mistakes and Tipu Sultan reports to duty the next day. This obedience and love fills our heart with sympathy when Haidar Ali says that Tipu Sultan had maimed him. Tipu Sultan lashes himself for his father as a punishment.

The fourth dream appears a contrast to reality. Traitors surround him and his confidence of victory brought him into deep waters. He dies a heroic death with the sword in his hand. Karnad utilizes history to show the capturing of a great hero in the adverse axis of his own people.

By subverting the historical facts Karnad presents Tipu Sultan as an amiable character. The aftermath of the last battle fought by Tipu Sultan heroically is presented dramatically through the barbaric act of English and the natives.

The brutality of the soldiers winning the battle is put into action by portraying the clipping off of the moustache in Karnad’s play. The dead have to be respected and a martyr has to be adored in a far greater attitude. Mackenzie persistently requests Kirmani to write about Tipu Sultan’s embassy to Mauritius the Malarctic adventure. He claims Tipu Sultan of befriending Napoleon and Kirmani objects his claim mentioning that the Malarctic deal never took place in reality.

The dreaming of Governor General of India is ironic for it speaks of its intended falsity and Tipu Sultan’s dreams and his life are inter-related and speak of his fearless and duty-bounded personality. Mentioning the horrors of the soldiers’ rampage and fury of the rain which lashed Kirmani, “Doors and windows in the city had already been tom down by the British soldiers. Most houses were roofless. And now, through the night, the rain lashed with a fury that made the soldiers rampage seem like child’s play. It destroyed all my papers, wiped away every word written in ink. Within a night all my recorded facts became memory.”

It is the memory in Karnad’s play which paves way for the dreams. Only four dreams are mentioned through Kirmani’s memory as the records were effaced. In history there is no such incident.

Techniques in Dreams of Tipu Sultan :

Most of the plays are developed by plots and characters systematically. Even Karnad’s plays have plots and character but in Karnad’s dreams of Tipu Sultan there is modification. The traditional theory of an introduction - rising action - climax and denouement is missing. There is no plot division and it has only two acts. The quick shifting of scenes from one setting to another too can be traced as modified in Tipu Sultan.

The two historians who discuss about the facts in the play form the Frame’ of the play which shifts and alternates with the main story of Tipu Sultan. Then the scene shifts to the day of the death of Tipu Sultan and this is followed by his dream which is interpreted by him that he was to be a powerful ruler like Alexander. The scene shifts to a discussion over meals of the trade, industry and business. Tipu Sultan is keen on his sons participation. The introduction of tigers is another technique to expose the brave spirit of Tipu Sultan. In the last dream there is the mentioning of the tiger being silent. He says,

“Why are the tigers restless? Have they

been fed?... He is growing up. He needs more food than the others. Tell

that to the zoo-keeper.”   In Act Two.

The long silence, Tipu’s concern of the tiger’s growl and the shooting of the tigers at the end is a technique to depict the shooting of Tipu Sultan and this marked the beginning of a new era. Tipu Sultan had laid the foundation of the freedom struggle in India. Through the flashback technique and the dreams Tipu Sultan’s military achievements and his overall personality is portrayed.

In order to mark his play with emotional depth he uses Montage technique. The flashback technique of the battlefield where the soldiers are mutiliated, the act of indecency on the part of British soldiers and the fourth dream which remains a dream in reality draw a great amount of pathos from the heart’s core of the audience. The tragedy of Tipu Sultan equates with the tragedy of the nation. The technique of the frame play is used to interrogate the historical facts and prove its authenticity in the light of post colonialism. Karnad has modified the play with scenes which are not connected with one another and they also lack cause and effect relationship.

Conclusion

Karnad’s play ‘The Dreams ofTipu Sultan ’ exemplifies his idea of subversions in the themes and technique and show how with the slightest change in the tackling of characterization, the texture, structure and so on, it can be modified and given a different twist significantly. The play is revived and adds new life by Karnad to emphasize the injustice and idea of divide and rule policy employed by the English. The play exposes the fact that no profit is attained by the traitors in the long run and the country had to face a long battle before independence. The torture of slavery many generators had to face due to internal senselessness and rivalry. The dreams and their interpretations move towards subversive and contrasted reality; and when he wakes up that very afternoon he dies fighting in the battle. Tipu Sultan’s portrayal of unyielding assertive spirit once again announces the master craftsmanship in Karnad.