Mysorean Rockets and Tipu Sultan

Recent archaeological excavations from the silt of an abandoned well at a village in Shivamogga district in Karnataka have unearthed over 1000 Mysorean rockets. They are the not the first ones however as similar rockets belonging to Tipu Sultan had been excavated earlier some of which are preserved at London Musuem. Indian rocket science under Tipu Sultan had made great strides as historians of all dispensations acknowledge that the rockets made in his rule popularly known as ‘Mysorean Rockets’ were far advanced than the ‘fire-arrows’ or rockets in use in Europe since the 15^th century. Infact the famous Congreve Rocket that was widely used by the British in the early 19^th century, is now believed to have originated in the Rocket Corps of Tipu Sultan though earlier it was credited to an English Army personnel Sir William Congreve, after whom they were named. Contemporary records reveal the decisive nature of the Mysorean rockets that combined all the best features of iron, steel and gunpowder with their superb mechanical structure. Those Indian rockets used special gunpowder with a distinct sound and noise and unlike rockets found henceforth in Europe, China or India, Tipu’s rockets could cover very long distances. According to the Fathul Mujahidin (The triumphs of the holy warriors), a military manual written under the supervision of Tipu Sultan, a company of rocket men or ‘jauk’ was supposed to be attached to each regiment. Historical records show that rocket corps were a regular feature in the Mysore army since the days of Hyder Ali which reached a strength of about 5000 men in Tipu’s army. Analyzing the loss of Mysore in the penultimate Anglo-Mysore War despite the presence of these rockets, historians note that the British triumph was a result of diplomacy rather than superior military prowess as the War witnessed the valiant sacrifice of the Tiger of Mysore who fought the enemy till the very end.