Iconic bedchamber sword of Tipu Sultan, formerly owned by Vijay Mallya, auctioned for Rs 145 crore
London: The renowned bedchamber sword of Tipu Sultan, which was auctioned by Bonhams in London on Tuesday, had an intriguing past. It was revealed that the sword was once owned by Vijay Mallya, the fugitive liquor baron. During a 2018 hearing at the London High Court, Mallya's lawyer claimed to be unaware of the sword's whereabouts, reported News 9.
The historical significance of the sword was confirmed by researcher and historian Nidhin Olikara, who stated, "This is the very same sword that Vijay Mallya had acquired in 2004.
According to the report, Mallya purchased it for a price of 1.5 crore rupees, and yesterday, the sword was auctioned for a staggering 145 crores." In 2016, a consortium of 13 Indian banks had attempted to prevent the London High Court from lifting a freeze order on Mallya's global assets. In the same year, Mallya had mentioned that he had given away the sword due to the ill fortune it had brought to his family.
When News9 contacted Bonhams, the UK-based auction house, to inquire about the sword's previous owners. However, the auction house declined to provide any information regarding the past or present owner, citing their privacy policy. Enrica Medugno, Sale Coordinator at Bonhams, stated, "We are not authorized to disclose the identity of our sellers and buyers."
Both the sword purchased by Vijay Mallya in 2004 and the one recently auctioned share similar inscriptions. The inscription on the recently auctioned Tipu Sultan sword reads:
"THE SWORD OF TIPPOO SULTAUN (SOURCE: BONHAMS) Found in his Bed Chamber after SERINGAPATAM was taken by Storm 4th May 1799 and Presented by the ARMY to MAJOR GENERAL BAIRD… as a token of their high opinion of his Courage and Conduct in the Assault which he Commanded, and in which TIPPOO SULTAUN was slain." The spine of the sword bears the inscription "shamshir-e malik'' or "The sword of the king," while the hilt is engraved with "ya allah! ya nasir! ya fattah! ya nasir! ya mu'in! ya zahir!" which translates to "O Allah!, O the Helper! O the Ever-opener! O the Aider! O The Helper! O The Evident!".
The sword itself was looted from Tipu Sultan's palace by troops of the East India Company after the fall of Seringapatam, where the valiant Tiger of Mysore met his demise in battle. Over the years, the sword has changed hands multiple times before finding its way to Vijay Mallya.
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Two more Hindu priests arrested in Bangladesh: ISKCON Kolkata
Kolkata, Nov 30: Two more Hindu priests were arrested in Bangladesh, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das claimed on Saturday.
Speaking to PTI, Radharamn said, "I have received information that two more ISKCON monks have been arrested by police in Bangladesh."
In a post on X on Friday night, Radharamn said, "In the meantime, bad news has come: two devotees who went with prasad for Chinmaya Prabhu were arrested on their way back to the temple, and Chinmaya prabhu's secretary is also missing. Please pray for them."
Earlier on Friday, Radharamn had posted, "Another Brahmachari, Sri Shyam Das Prabhu, was arrested by Chattogram Police today."
"Does he look like a terrorist? #FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing," Radharamn posted on X on Saturday. His comments comes comes in the backdrop of unconfirmed reports of arrest of three more ISKCON monks, days after the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmay Das.
Chinmay Das, who also served as a spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday while en route to Chattogram to attend a rally. He was denied bail and sent to jail on Tuesday by the Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
Historically, Hindus made up approximately 22 per cent of Bangladesh's population during the 1971 Liberation War.
The Hindu population, once a substantial demographic in Bangladesh, has experienced a significant decline in recent decades, with the minority community now comprising only around 8 per cent of the country's total population.
This drop is largely attributed to a combination of socio-political marginalisation, exodus and sporadic violence over the years.
In the meantime, bad news has come: two devotees who went with prasad for Chinmaya Prabhu were arrested on their way back to the temple, and Chinmaya prabhu's secretary is also missing. Please pray for them. #Bangladesh #ISKCON pic.twitter.com/NLX8hNZmpN
— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) November 29, 2024
Does he look like a terrorist?#FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing. pic.twitter.com/VG6u7jlnXB
— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) November 30, 2024
