In May 2014, the world of antiques was captivated when a fine, heavy gold ring belonging to the legendary Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan was sold at Christie's auction house in London. Weighing an impressive 41.2 grams, the artifact fetched £145,000 (roughly ₹1.4 crore)—over ten times its pre-sale estimate of £10,000 to £15,000. Beyond its astounding monetary value, the auction brought to light a fascinating piece of Indian history, marked by cultural paradoxes, colonial plunder, and widespread debate over the repatriation of heritage artifacts.
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| Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan,en.wikipedia.org |
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| Tipu Sultan's Gold ring with Hindu God Ram engraved abplive.com |
Above images: Tipu Sultan(Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu) 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore (Tiger of Mysore),ruled the kingdom from 1782 until his death in 1799.A pioneer of rocket artillery,first ever introduced by him,he expanded the iron-cased Mysorean rockets and commissioned the military manual Fathul Mujahidin(?). An arch enemy of the British he had military alliance with the French Army in India.Known for his good administration and leadership, he deployed rockets against advances of British forces and their allies during the Anglo-Mysore Wars, including the Battle of Pollilur and Siege of Srirangapatna in 1799.It is often said he was superstitious and wore Navaratna ring as suggested by his Hindu astrologer, besides thich gold ring with Hindu God's name RAM. However, till death,he had remained a controversial ruler among the Christians and Hindus.........
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| Tipu Sultan instagram.com |
The most extraordinary feature of this jeweled gold ring is its central inscription: the name of the Hindu deity "RAM" raised in clear Devanagari script. Known historically as the "Tiger of Mysore," Tipu Sultan was a devout Muslim ruler who fiercely resisted British expansionism in South India. The presence of a Hindu deity's name on his personal ring has intrigued historians for generations. Some attribute this to Tipu’s strong reliance on Hindu astrologers, whom he consulted frequently during military campaigns, wearing talismanic or Navaratna (nine-gem) rings to ensure divine favor. Others view it as evidence of his complex, multi-faith governance, reflected in his recorded patronage and generous land grants to prominent Hindu temples such as the Sringeri Sharada Peetham.
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| bharatuntoldstory.wordpress.com |
The journey of the ring from India to the auction block in London is a direct consequence of colonial conflict. During the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in May 1799, Tipu Sultan fell fighting heroically in defense of his fortress at Srirangapatna. Following his death, Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) retrieved the ring directly from the slain ruler’s body as a trophy of war. Wellesley later gifted the prized ring as a wedding present to his favorite niece, Emily, upon her marriage to Lord FitzRoy Somerset. The relic remained in the Somerset family for over two centuries until FitzRoy John Somerset, the 5th Baron Raglan, put the collection up for auction to settle family estate affairs.
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| Fall of Tipu Sultan 1799Srirangapatna fort image by H. Singleton en.wikepedia.org |
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| Place where Tipu died Srirangapatna Fort,Karnataka en.wikipedia.org |
https://bharatuntoldstory.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/the-ring-taken-off-the-finger-of-the-dead
http://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2014/12/tipu-sultans-gold-ring-and-lord.html
https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2019/09/what-is-so-special-about-tipu-sultans.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan
K. N. Jayaraman (Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com)
