Exploring the Untold History in Girish Karnad’s Play The Dreams of Tipu Sultan

Abstract

The Dreams of Tipu Sultan is a play written by Girish Karnad. The play deals with the 18th Century ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. Karnad emphasis the fact that Tipu Sultan was a ruler who was misrepresented in History. It showcases another side of history that was not chronicled by the British Historians. In this work Tipu Sultan is projected as a visionary and a person ahead of his times. It actually displays the petty mindedness of British rulers who couldn’t tolerate an efficient ruler like Tipu Sultan. Tipu was a soul who wanted to take his nation to a superior heights but people couldn’t match his ideas and thus got a controversial image. Karnad has opted an amalgamation of history and characteristics of a dream play in conveying a legitimate identity to the play. This research paper endeavors to analyze the retold history portrayed by Karnad in The Dreams of Tipu Sultan.