By Asim Khan,
Many Kings ruled India and died, with their names lost in history forever. A few of them are remembered and revered even to this day, their life enlightens us and their history is preserved for generations to come. Among them is Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore – some remember him as an icon of religious tolerance and others as a brave lion-hearted Muslim King who laid down his life fighting like a soldier against the British occupiers.
Tipu’s legacy lives even after 200 years of his death. Some of his belongings are carefully preserved in the British Royal Collection and the Victoria and Albert Museum. His architectural master-pieces like the Daria Daulat and Jumma Masjid in Srirangapatna attract many visitors from India and various parts of the World.
Jumma Masjid
The Jumma Masjid or Masji-e-Aala was built by Tipu Sultan in the year 1784 AD. It is said that Tipu Sultan himself performed the first Imamath in this Masjid. The monument is a synergy of Hindu – Islamic architecture. The two storied octagonal minarets of the Masjid can be seen from a very long distance, there are 200 steps to the minaret that can give you a bird’s eye view of Srirangapatna. An olden day clock is fixed on the parapet of the first floor that was used to find out the exact time of each prayer. The area of the Masjid is large enough to accommodate 400 to 500 Mussallis (those who pray).
Clock on the parapet of the Masjid
Today the Masjid is in a pathetic state, a visit to the Masjid makes one feel that the maintenance of the Masjid has been ignored for a long time. Chunks of mass have fallen from the pillars and the walls around. The beauty of intricate designs inside the Masjid has been lost due to the poor condition of the walls. Speaking to 65 year old Abdul Khaliq, a local who has been a regular Mussalli at the Masjid revealed that the inside of the building has not been maintained for a very long time, “I have lived here all my life but never seen any maintenance work inside. Many prominent Muslim politicians came here and promised but nothing has changed.”
The Monument comes under the ASI (Archeological Survey of India) and hence it’s the responsibility of the ASI to preserve and maintain the Masjid. One of the madrasa teachers in the Masjid said that the ASI paints the building from outside every five years. The condition of the monument stands witness that five years is too long for a historical place that is visited by so many people throughout the year.
There are serious questions that the people of Karnataka need to ask the ASI. Why is the internal beauty of the Masjid not in its original form? How often is the maintenance activity done in the Masjid? How are the funds being used to maintain the Masjid? Are the ASI officials performing their duty properly?
During Friday prayers the place is full; otherwise very few locals pray at the Masjid, there are only 10 to 15 Mussallis attending regular prayers, so it looks obvious that the people living in the area across the Masjid are not strong enough to raise their voice. It is the responsibility of the Muslim community to increase the number of Mussallis at this historically important Masjid.
Tipu Sultan’s rule brought peace and prosperity to Mysore. He gallantly sacrificed his life defending the freedom of the land. Today the very symbols of peace and prosperity that he left behind are being neglected by his own people. During British rule when the source of water dried up in the Masjid, Lord Wellesely dug up a well for the convenience of the Mussallis. Are we so incompetent today that we can’t even preserve the beauty of the monuments left behind by Tipu Sultan?