Explained: Tipu Sultan's Jamia Masjid Controversy in Srirangapatna, Karnataka

Bajrang Sene filed petitions in Karnataka High Court seeking right to worship inside Srirangapatna's Jamia Masjid.

Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna, Karnataka

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The right-wing Hindutva group Bajrang Sene backed by Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and the Sri Ram Sene have filed 108 petitions on 4 November 2022, at the Karnataka High Court seeking permission to pray inside the Jamia Masjid at Srirangapatna in Mandya district, claiming it to be a Hanuman temple.

The controversy has been gaining attention and momentum since the Gyanvapi mosque row erupted in Varanasi. It is gradually becoming a communal flashpoint at Srirangapatna. Mandya Police increased security in and around the mosque area to ensure peace.

In this article, The Quint traces the history of the mosque, explains the controversy, and explores the possible politics behind this legal battle.

What Is the History of Jamia Masjid?

According to an officer in Archeological Survey of India, Bengaluru circle, the Srirangapatna fort was first built by Timmanna Nayaka, an army chief under the Vijayanagara Empire in 1454 CE. However, the fort came under the control of the Nawabs of Arcot in 1495, and was subsequently held by the Wodeyars, the Marathas, and finally Tipu Sultan in 1782.

The mosque which is currently embroiled in the controversy is located inside the fort. Built as a place of prayer, the Jamia Masjid, also known as the Masjid-i-Ala is said to have been a dream project of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysuru.

Despite being attacked by the British during the four Anglo-Mysore wars, the fort withstood damage and the mosque continued to have daily prayers.

The mosque complex also houses a madrasa, with a huge corridor connected to several rooms for students and two prominent minarets. The local legend says that Tipu built these minarets to keep a vigil on enemies who could attack the fort.

Unlike other mosques of the time, the Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna is two storeyed and does not have a dome. Instead, the large prayer hall is protected by a flat roof with the support of arches.

Speaking to The Quint, an officer in the ASI Mysuru Circle, who wished to remain anonymous said,

"The architecture of the fort and the mosque showcases a unique blend of Indian and Islamic styles, where rulers of Islamic faith adapted skills of the local workforce. As for the minarets, Tipu Sultan gave importance to not just aesthetics but also his strategic needs. So, the minarets were used by guards to keep an eye on border areas."

However, some Hindutva groups assert that the mosque was originally a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The groups buttress their argument by quoting the annual report of the Archeological Department of Mysore, published in 1935.

The part of the annual archeological report which talks about Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna, published by Department of Archaeology, Mysore. (Pg-61).

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

As per the report accessed by The Quint, experts suggest that Tipu Sultan, who succeeded his father Hyder Ali in 1782, compelled Hindus to remove the idol of Hanuman from the fort and later erected the Jamia Masjid on top of the temple.

The 1935 report states that the walls of the prayer hall have inscriptions from the Quran and one of the dates of its construction corresponds to 1787 AD. The inscriptions also state that Tipu Sultan built the structure.

Responding to the assertions made by the Hindutva groups about Hindu motifs, the officer in Archeological Survey of India said, "Many mosques, not just in this region but across the subcontinent, have adopted Indic styles and designs. This is not enough to establish or deny the existence of a temple here at Jamia masjid. One must probe further to find out, and this can be done only after the central government gives its permission."

As of now, the fort complex and the mosque are maintained by the Archeological Survey of India, as it comes under the Protected Monuments Act of 1958. However, the state Waqf Board in Karnataka continues to run daily events at the mosque and also the madrasa.

What Are Hindutva Groups Demanding?

Hindutva groups led by the Bajrang Sene have filed 108 petitions at the Karnataka High Court, demanding that the state administration give them permission to perform daily puja at the structure, claiming it to be a Hanuman temple.

In an interaction with The Quint, B Manjunath, president of Bajrang Sene, said:

“The plaintiff here is Lord Hanuman himself and 108 people have approached the court on his behalf. We have two demands. One, this is a temple and should be handed over to Hindus. Second, this is the property of Archeology Survey of India. The central government spends over Rs 10 Lakh every month to maintain the structure. But mosque authorities here are running a madrasa with no permission. There should be action against the mosque authorities.”

In January 2022, the chief priest of the Kali Mutt, located in Chikkamagaluru, Rishi Kumar Swami was arrested for giving a call to demolish the mosque in Srirangapatna fort. He was released on bail soon.

Speaking to reporters in Mandya he had said, "In order to establish the truth in Ayodhya, authorities had to dig beneath the mosque. But, in our Srirangapatna, there is no need for that. Any Hindu who looks at the mosque will be able to identify pillars, Naga Devara Katte (platforms) and the Kalyani inside, which is sufficient to know that it is a temple. I hope that the district administration will vacate Muslims using this space before Hanuman Jayanti celebrations."

Rishi Kumar Swami of Arisekere's Kali Mutt in Srirangapatna.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The call for handing over the mosque to Hindus, got more momentum after the controversy surrounding Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi surfaced.

In May 2022, when an alleged 'Shivling' was found during the video-graphed survey of the mosque in Varanasi, seer Rishikumar Swami of Kali Mutt in Srirangapatna made a video in which he pointed at pillars and a pond inside the mosque claiming it to be a temple.

Priests of Melukote Chaluvanarayana Swami Temple and Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswami of Suttur Mutt also demanded the government close down the mosque in Srirangapatana and hand over the premises to Hindus before Hanuman Jayanti, by taking the legal action.

VHP and Bajrang Dal workers defy prohibitory orders and hold a massive bike rally called Srirangapatna Chalo, claiming that the Jamia Masjid was a Hanuman temple.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Meanwhile, in June 2022, when the Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad, and other right-wing organisations launched Srirangapatna Chalo, the Mandya police stopped them near Srirangapatna fort's Bengaluru Gate and deployed extra security at the mosque.

The Mandya district police also imposed curfew in the area, and took the right-wing Hindutva workers who tried to enter the mosque into preventive custody.

What Is the Response of Karnataka Waqf Board?

Reacting to the Srirangapatna Chalo incident of June 2022, the Tipu Waqf Board secretary Irfan Ahmad, who is responsible for the running the mosque affairs had said that there would be a reaction for every action, and that if anyone tried to come to Jamia Masjid and pray, Muslims would not sit quietly.

In an interaction with The Quint, Maulana Maqsood Imran, member of Imarat-e-shariah Karnataka, a board consisting of senior Imams who interpret Islamic law in the state, said:

"Apart from the Babri dispute, it was accepted that all mosques and temples post 1947 in the country would remain as is. However, just like the Gyanvapi controversy, some anti-social elements are trying to create tension in Srirangapatna. The permission to run the madrasa inside a protected monument complex was given by the archeological department. We appeal to the court to kindly dismiss this petition."

The Imam also pointed out that the mosque was a testament to the secular credentials of Tipu Sultan, as the ruler of Mysore had adopted both traditional Indian and Islamic architecture in building the mosque.

"Anybody who questions the patriotism of Tipu Sultan and his efforts to bring the Hindu and Muslim communities together has a socio-political agenda. But this won't work in our state. Tipu, who built mosques, also patronised Hindu temples in Sringeri and Nanjangud. One cannot dismiss this fact," added Maulana Maqsood Imran.

The Jamia Masjid authorities have also called for a meeting of all senior Imams in the region next week, to ensure that no public statement is given on this matter, to maintain law and order in Srirangapatna.

BJP and Congress Politics Over Jamia Masjid Controversy

The BJP in Karnataka said that it does not have a stand specifically on the Jamia Masjid controversy in Srirangapatna. However, speaking to The Quint, Ganesh Karnik, former MLC and BJP spokesperson in the state, said that the intention of the party was to extend its support to any group that wished to reclaim the legal rights of a temple that was once demolished by Islamic invaders.

"Be it Mathura, Varanasi or Srirangapatna, the BJP will back people who are legally fighting for their places of worship. We do not see any politics in this regard. This is about the majority of the people, who were denied permission by erstwhile governments, who are now being given the same as per the law of the country," added Ganesh Karnik.

However, the Opposition Congress called the Srirangapatna controversy an attempt by the BJP to communalise the electorate. Accusing the Bommai government of tacitly supporting Hindutva organisations in filing their petitions in the Karnataka High Court, the Congress MLA of Shivajinagar Rizwan Arshad said:

"The architecture of the mosque displays a mixture of traditional Indian design and the Islamic design. This was the trend back then and it was used to unite people of this subcontinent. The reason for Hindutva organisations to now approach the court is clearly a political one. They cannot have done this without the support of the BJP."

Claiming that Bommai government did not have any plank of which they could seek votes from the people of Karnataka, the Congress alleged that the BJP's intention was to create disputes among communities in the old Mysuru region, which is in fact a bastion of the Janata Dal (Secular).

Meanwhile, security was beefed up around the Srirangapatna fort area to ensure that peace and harmony is maintained. Extra police personnel were also deployed near the mosque to keep vigil until the court hears the matter on 7 November, 2022.