05-04-2005, 02:56 PM
Looted Indian treasure to go under hammer
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Looted Indian treasure to go under hammer
NT Bureau
Chennai, May 4:
Â
Field cannon from Tipu's palace with barrels in the form of roaring tigers.Â
An exotic gem-set trophy sword is among the auction pieces.
    The Britishers, when they ruled India, virtually walked away with many rare artefacts and treasures from the various kings and empires. It was literally a royal loot and scoot.
    The items which symbolise the rich cultural heritage of India had somehow found their way to many homes and are now with Sotheby's, the well-known British auction house.
    And sadly, Sothebys London has deemed it fit to put under the hammer rich treasures from India. It is holding a special series of auctions on the 25 and 26 May. Sotheby's has proudly announced its auction as 'Tipu Takes The Throne At Sotheby's'.
    The series of four auctions planned by Sotheby's has angered many of the local Indians in London. The NRI community, it is learnt, is planning to stage some kind of protest against the auction. What has got their goat is Sotheby's has given a spin to its auction as 'a cultural interplay of East and West'.
    Sotheby's has said that is offering 'collectors an exciting and rare opportunity to acquire a range of works of art, weaponry, textiles, books and photographs relating to India and the Far East, in a series of four auctions which will focus on the cultural interplay between East and West.' The pride of the treasures that is to be auctioned off is the 'Tipu Sultan Collection'. It will include an outstanding group of weaponry and other rarities captured after the British stormed Tipu Sultan's palace at Seringapatam in May 1799.
    NRIs are unhappy that the treasures that were once looted from India are now being auctioned with fanfare. Just as they are planning to rise in protest they want Indians to join in support.
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Added later:
By posting this story, I am not in anyway feeling proud of Tipu's legacy. He is no less a pirate as compared to the mughals. He killed a lot of hindus and forced conversions to islam in south india.
Still, the Tipu legacy is ours to denounce, and not be sold by some avaricious auctioneer. And what about the other Indian treasures looted by the British?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Looted Indian treasure to go under hammer
NT Bureau
Chennai, May 4:
Â
Field cannon from Tipu's palace with barrels in the form of roaring tigers.Â
An exotic gem-set trophy sword is among the auction pieces.
    The Britishers, when they ruled India, virtually walked away with many rare artefacts and treasures from the various kings and empires. It was literally a royal loot and scoot.
    The items which symbolise the rich cultural heritage of India had somehow found their way to many homes and are now with Sotheby's, the well-known British auction house.
    And sadly, Sothebys London has deemed it fit to put under the hammer rich treasures from India. It is holding a special series of auctions on the 25 and 26 May. Sotheby's has proudly announced its auction as 'Tipu Takes The Throne At Sotheby's'.
    The series of four auctions planned by Sotheby's has angered many of the local Indians in London. The NRI community, it is learnt, is planning to stage some kind of protest against the auction. What has got their goat is Sotheby's has given a spin to its auction as 'a cultural interplay of East and West'.
    Sotheby's has said that is offering 'collectors an exciting and rare opportunity to acquire a range of works of art, weaponry, textiles, books and photographs relating to India and the Far East, in a series of four auctions which will focus on the cultural interplay between East and West.' The pride of the treasures that is to be auctioned off is the 'Tipu Sultan Collection'. It will include an outstanding group of weaponry and other rarities captured after the British stormed Tipu Sultan's palace at Seringapatam in May 1799.
    NRIs are unhappy that the treasures that were once looted from India are now being auctioned with fanfare. Just as they are planning to rise in protest they want Indians to join in support.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Added later:
By posting this story, I am not in anyway feeling proud of Tipu's legacy. He is no less a pirate as compared to the mughals. He killed a lot of hindus and forced conversions to islam in south india.
Still, the Tipu legacy is ours to denounce, and not be sold by some avaricious auctioneer. And what about the other Indian treasures looted by the British?