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Mysorean Rockets
- major505 5y agoI love the fact that someone in the drawing just put a bayonet in a rocket. That's some taticool thing over there...
- major505 5y agoBy attaching these blades to rockets they became very unstable towards the end of their flight causing the blades to spin around like flying scythes, cutting down soldiers in their path.
- account-5 5y agoThanks, I love this sort of thing. I'm always amazed how advanced we were throughout history, mostly with war.
- OneTimePetes 5y agoWar makes the rulers forget for one moment, the fragile system of controlled stagnation on the inside and allow those who would otherwise be condemned to rot in forgotten labs to shine for a second. War removes the anti-disruption brakes inherent to any power system.
- account-5 5y agoIs that a quote, or something you came up with?
- qart 5y agoDoes anyone here know who developed this technology? A frequent complaint I have with Indian historiography is that the actual inventors and developers are forgotten, and kings get all the credit. All that my middle-school textbooks said was Tipu Sultan used them against the Brits.
- knadh 5y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rockets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rockets
- qart 5y agoThis was one of the first links in the article on Mysorean Rockets. In what way do you believe this answers my question?
- hiyer 5y agoAccording to this book[1] war rockets were used in India at least as early as the 14th century, and mughal emperor Akbar used metal-headed ones in the 16th. So it would seem neither rockets nor metal ones were invented by Tipu. However it doesn't answer your question of who did invent the war rocket :-) 1. The Mughal Empire at War: Babur, Akbar and the Indian Military Revolution, 1500-1605 (Asian States and Empires) https://www.amazon.in/dp/B01EX69NJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_DMX081B37S5TXT5MHKTK https://www.amazon.in/dp/B01EX69NJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_DMX... Edit: added the link
- hiyer 5y agoBut IIUC what you want to who under Tipu's rule invented (or revived) this rocket. You're probably right in thinking it wasn't Tipu himself who did this, since he was a king and not a scientist. But i suspect the real inventor's name is lost to history.
- qart 5y ago> IIUC what you want to who under Tipu's rule invented (or revived) this rocket. Precisely. Tipu's subjects, but also subjects from other Indian kingdoms who invented and developed stuff.
- kamaal 5y ago>>All that my middle-school textbooks said was Tipu Sultan used them against the Brits. The area that is now Karnataka, or erst while state of Mysore/Deccan has a rich culture of knowledge and art that has been pervasive regardless of the political entities that have ruled over them. Its also understandable as that area has relatively more peace, stability and tolerance compared to other areas in the sub-continent, hence economic-knowledge prosperity follows from there. Tipu like many before him was the beneficiary of a long going positive social inertia. No doubt he was good, but he had a lot going for him. Even as of now. Karnataka has done relatively compared to bulk of India since Independence.
- fmajid 5y agoIn The Star-Spangled Banner, the “rocket’s red glare” refers to British Congreve rockets that were copies of Mysore’s rockets made when they captured the arsenals after defeating Tipu Sultan by treachery.
- lazyninja987 5y agoTipu Sultan was a cruel ruler, and got soundly defeated by a superior, well supplied force despite Tipu having access to rockets. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Mysore_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Mysore_Wars What is this treachery you are talking about ?
- saimiam 5y agoThe link you supplied makes no mention of Tipu Sultan being a cruel ruler. Even Tipu Sultan's own wiki page @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan does not contain the word 'cruel'. Not sure how to read your comment but this is what I found.
- naruvimama 5y agoTipu like his contemporary Islamic rulers carried out frequent massacres of Hindus. Perhaps because it was too common among the islamic rulers that it is often not considered unique enough to Tipu. There has also been plenty of whitewashingg of both Islamic & colonial-christian history under a "secular independent India". But social media is starting to open up alternative voices, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLMjUk9utaU&t=75s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLMjUk9utaU&t=75s
- pkd 5y agoClaims about Tipu Sultan's "cruelty" come primarily from English "scholars" who were actually fighting against him. It was a well-known policy of the British to portray their enemies as tyrants to gather legitimacy for their warmongering. Any such claims should be taken with a massive dollop of salt. I'm surprised how many of these "alternative voices" reject western narratives about India but are all too happy to parrot colonial talking points about Muslims.
- wanderingmind 5y ago"Towards the end of my visit at NASA, I went to the Wallops Flights Facility at Wallops Island in East coast, Virginia. This place was the base for NASA's sounding rocket programme. Here I saw a painting prominently displayed in the reception lobby. It depicted a battle scene with a few rockets flying in the background. A painting with this theme should be the most common place thing at a flight facility, but the painting caught my eye, because the soldiers on the side launching the rockets were not white but were dark skinned, with racial features found in South Asia. It turned out to be Tipu Sultans army fighting the British. The painting depicted a fact forgotten in Tipu's own country but commemorated here on the other side of the planet." Source — Wings of fire, an autobiography of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
- overtomanu 5y agoAPJ Abdul Kalam was also known as the 'Missile Man of India' for his contribution to the development of India's missile projects, Prithvi and Agni missiles. India became a nuclear power under Kalam who was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister between 1992 and 1999
- blocked_again 5y agoHe also served as the president of India and was by far the most popular president India had.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- anitil 5y agoThere's an interesting episode about Tipu Sultan on the podcast 'Stuff the British Stole' by Marc Fenell ('that movie... guy' for any aussies of a certain age), if anyone is interested. https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/stuff-the-british-stole/a-tiger-and-a-scream/12867626 https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/stuff-the-brit...
- vishnugupta 5y agoWhile we are at it, don't miss this reference to Bangalores[1] in Saving Private Ryan[2]. Interestingly enough, the unit in question, Madras Sappers[3] and MEG (Madras Engineers Group, I think) still exists in Bangalore when the city in question (Madras) itself has changed its name to Chennai ;-) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore_torpedo [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlCItO2jEJw [3] https://goo.gl/maps/3EKcbYuNbJ9Ury7h9
- phekunde 5y agoOne thing that is curious about the Indian sub-continent is their mythological texts. There are two well-known epic texts: The Mahabhrat and The Ramayan. Both these texts talk about aeroplanes, teleportations, rockets, test-tube baby, body preservation and medicines that heal serious battle injuries. And it is talked about in a matter-of-fact way, as if there is no novelty in these technologies. The frustrating part of these texts is the mixing of facts with fiction. So it becomes difficult to know what was really available back then. But the sheer thought that ancient humans atleast dreamt these advance ideas makes one wonder what type of civilisation was there back then?
- bladewolf47 5y agoI could be wrong because I haven't read unabridged versions of either. My sense is we tend to relate what was described abstractly with advancements we see around us. For e.g. with flying vehicles in ancient epics I'm skeptical that they describe in any detail how flight was achieved besides magic or divine power.
- phekunde 5y ago> My sense is we tend to relate what was described abstractly with advancements we see around us. How is the mention of ""vaayu yaan" abstract? Can we similarly say that to the mention of present day "aeroplane" abstract and dismiss it as non-existent? > For e.g. with flying vehicles in ancient epics I'm skeptical that they describe in any detail how flight was achieved besides magic or divine power. In present day writings(fiction or otherwise) when we mention flights or aeroplane, we don't mention every nut and bolt of the aeroplane. So saying the ancient text did not give much details is unfair to those texts. As I mentioned in my original post, these advance ideas were mentioned in a matter-of-fact way as if it is not a novelty, similar to how we now mention air travel or space flights.
- blackoil 5y agoThere is a lack of consistency and continuity. We had aeroplane in stories but no similar ground vehicle like Car/train, which should have been invented earlier if technology was present. We had vision across space/time but no knowledge of places outside India.
- aaron695 5y agoRecreated and flown - https://ne-np.facebook.com/peaceworld313/videos/tipu-sultan-d1799-indian-weapon-research/881515145380990 https://ne-np.facebook.com/peaceworld313/videos/tipu-sultan-...
- sandGorgon 5y agoThis is so cool. Never knew this ! Tipu Sultan was awesome.
- teleforce 5y agoFun facts, the Mysorean rocket was the main reasons that Britsh was defeated several times in the battle against Kingdom of Mysore [1]. The leader of the British army at the time is none other than Arthur Wellesley, better known as 1st Duke of Wellington who later defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and ended Napoleonic Era in Europe. The British was so impressed by the technology, then decided to purposely created a new company to improve on the Mysore rocket technology to be used in war and created Royal Arsenal Woolwich in 1801 that later became Arsenal football club. The original name of Arsenal footbal club was Woolwich football club. Royal Arsenal were very successful that during WW1 it employed 80,000 workers. I think it's not an exxageration to say that Napolean was defeated by British partly due to Congereve rockets produced by the new company, that were improved from Mysorean rocket [2]. Another fun fact is that the Tipu Sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore also ruled Bangalore, now considered the Silicon of Valley of India. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congreve_rocket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congreve_rocket [2]https://ageofrevolution.org/200-object/congreve-rocket/ https://ageofrevolution.org/200-object/congreve-rocket/