That and a flimsy lock lie between thieves and Tipu Sultan's just-discovered death dress, his rosary and a Quran with his handwriting
That and a flimsy lock lie between thieves and Tipu Sultan's just-discovered death dress, his rosary and a Quran with his handwriting
On May 4, this paper broke the story of how a bloodstained silk kurta thatu00a0 warrior-king Tipu Sultan wore the day he died fighting the British 210 years ago, had been found in the Srirangapatna palace.
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Lone ranger: He is the only security guard posted outside the domed room at Srirangapatna that houses the treasure. Pics/Vinod Kumar T |
Karnataka government officials and the ASI met and, quite naturally, decided to secure the memorabilia, which would be displayed at the palace from May 24. That security, shockingly, is a pathetic lock and an unarmed guard.
Minister too busy to inspect Tipu's memorabiliaA flimsy lock that costs less than Rs 100 is all they have to protect Tipu memorabilia worth about
Rs 40 crore.
The only other security measure the Tipu estate has put in place is an unarmed guard at the door of the domed room at Srirangapatna that houses the treasure.
At night, the place is vulnerable to burglars, a guide said. "We have one guard during the day and one at night," said Kumar, a guide at Gumbaz. Both are unarmed.
National treasure
A day after the Tipu Sultan Wakf Estate met to discuss the security of the national treasure, MiD DAY found very little protection for the piece of history they had recently stumbled upon. On Monday, MiD DAY broke the story of how officials had accidentally found the robe Tipu wore the day he died.
The quilted upper garment was found on the floor when workers were sweeping an old room in the palace.
Researchers accompanying the workers were astounded to find the dress Tipu wore the day he died fighting the British inside the Srirangapatna fort.
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Lock shock: This is all that needs to be broken to reach the room |
All items secure
They also found British documentation to authenticate the historical significance of the dress. Officials have also found the rosary beads Tipu used for his last prayer, gold coins, and a Quran bearing his handwriting. Estate officials were reluctant to comment on the security.
"We have preserved all items in the treasury," said Ayub Khan, a staffer managing the Gumbaz. "They are secure." The building where the memorabilia is kept also houses the bodies of Tipu Sultan, his father Hyder Ali and mother Fatima Begum.
Easy access
Tourists visiting the Gumbaz have easy access to the room, and the only comfort is that it is locked.
Estate members held meetings with archaeology officials on Tuesday, but nothing much had come of it till yesterday.
Onus on Wakf
Experts say the responsibility of keeping the treasure safe lies with the estate and not the Archaeological Survey of India.
"It's clearly the estate's responsibility," said Talkad Chikkarange Gowda, a scholar researching ancient history. "Article 29 (1) of the Indian Constitution makes that clear."
