A pre-poll survey recently stated that the Tipu Jayanti issue would not play out big in the Karnataka assembly elections. While it has evoked mixed reactions in many parts of the state, it plays out in a big manner in this tiny district of Kodagu which is referred to as the Switzerland of India.
The Congress is going to lose the election in the two constituencies of Kodagu over this issue says K S Poovaya, a local planter. The campaign trail has been extensively focused around Tipu and the Kodavas have vowed to defeat the Congress for celebrating Tipu Jayanti. The celebrations had turned violent two years ago and two persons died and this incident has come right back to haunt the Congress.
Kodagu has two constituencies-Madikeri and Virajpet, both of which are held by the BJP. The issue is raised by both BJP candidates, Appachu Ranjan and K G Bopaiah during their campaign trails and it gains traction instantly.
In a recent speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress celebrates jayantis of sultans, but not of the brave sons and daughters of Karnataka such as Madakari Nayaka and Onake Obavva. In another speech he also made references to Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimaya, both of whom are revered as Gods in Kodagu.
The Kodavas are pleased that the PM raked up these issues. These are issues very sensitive to the Kodavas. Over a drink when the these topics come up there is a very passionate debate among the Kodavas. Take the case of General Thimaya, every Kodava believes that had Nehru not interfered with the two Generals there would not have been a Kashmir problem today.
A few years back there was a sustained effort by the Kodavas to vacate the RTO’s office in Madikeri. The RTO office was housed in the residence of General Thimaya and the Kodavas asked why one of the most corrupt offices must be housed in the residence of the great general.
Coming back to the issue of Tipu, the Kodavas say that they were betrayed and he made large scale attempts to convert them to Islam. Tipu had failed several times to take over Kodagu which he viewed as a link to Mangalore. The Kodavas had resisted several times approaches by the Sultan.
The BJP which has ruled this coffee district where the river Cauvery is born is hopeful of another term. There are issues that many Kodavas have with the two candidates, but they are ready to overlook it as they feel that the return of a Congress government only means more minority appeasement.
However the Kodavas would want the BJP to take up core issues such as environment protection, Cauvery clean and also minimum support price. They better work towards that says Anjali Ponappa, a home maker.
Not Tipu the great, Tipu the tyrant:
For every Kodava, Tipu is a tyrant. Almost everyone says in chorus that the Tipu Jayanti celebrations was not in conformity with the sentiments that the people have towards the ruler from Srirangapatana.
Tipu and the Kodavas have always had a bitter rivalry. Tipu wanted to capture Kodagu as he felt he could use it as a gateway to Mangalore which has a port. Not just Tipu, but his father Hyder Ali too made several attempts to capture Kodagu. Various attempts by father and son were a failure as they found it hard to battle in Kodagu which has vast tracts of land and mountains which was very familiar to the locals.
The Kodavas who pride themselves for contributing immensely to the Indian army thanks to Field Marshal K C Kariappa and General K S Thimmaiah were good at guerrilla warfare which gave them an advantage of Tipu’s army. A Wikipedia entry suggests that the Kodavas despite being outnumbered 1:3 always managed to defeat the Tipu army. There were a couple of times that Tipu and his army managed to reach Madikeri, the capital of Kodagu, but was beaten. The Kodavas has sworn never to bow to the Sultan.
However, Tipu once managed to capture Kodagu on one ocassion and is said to have uttered the words, “if you ambush my men, I will honour you all with Islam.” The Kodavas did not take this lying down and beat Tipu and drove him back to Mysore.
Tipu by now realized that his war was going nowhere and beating the Kodavas was not easy. He decided to offer his hand of friendship. The Kodavas made a grave error in trusting Tipu. The Kodavas were in fact happy to offer their hand of friendship as the battle against him was being won, but at a huge cost and the warriors were tired.
The Kodavas are said to have welcomed Tipu. However, they were caught completely off guard when Tipu’s men launched an attack against the Kodavas who were unarmed. He took many as prisoners.
Tipu had even sought the help of the Nawab of Kurnool to launch the attack.
Several thousand Kodavas were captured and taken to Srirangapatana where it is believed they were forcibly converted. Stories of conversion and torture have been narrated by the Kodavas who were in captivity of Tipu. Various historians have given different figures about the number of Kodavas who were converted. Figures range between 60,000 to 85,000.
This history is very much fresh in the minds of the Kodavas and every child is told this story each time he or she passes through Srirangapatana. In a land where each one is programmed to hate Tipu, it appears tough that the Congress could overcome the Tipu Jayanti celebrations and seek a vote.
| Karnataka Assembly Election dates | |||
| Date of notification | April 17 | ||
| Last date to file nominations | April 24 | ||
| Last date to withdraw nominations | April 27 | ||
| Date of polling | May 12 | ||
| Date of counting | May 15 | ||
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