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Abstract
Interpretation of history by historians and historical playwrights is nothing but two sides of the same coin. Both endeavour in exposing the past to the contemporary generation. But in terms of the degree of freedom in writing the history, the historians are restricted. On the other side, the historical playwrights have got a higher degree of freedom in reinterpreting the history to the audience. For example they may modify the elements of history; they may blend the chronology or may discuss an incidence in a stretched manner . Karnad in his play ‘The Dreams of Tipu Sultan’ (1997) has opted an amalgamation of history and its interpretation in the play in conveying a legitimate identity to the play. This play is based on the story of a monarch, Tipu Sultan , of Mysore (India), who reigned from 1782-1799.It brings the focus to the dreams which were seen by Tipu Sultan and had been great inspiration for him as they inspired him to endeavour against wrongs, evils, hypocrites and especially the British and also persuaded him to raise wars against them. Karnad in the present play emphasize the fact that Tipu Sultan was a ruler who was misrepresented in History and showcases another side of history that was not chronicled by the British Historians. In this work Tipu Sultan is projected as a visionary and a person ahead of his times. So, the aim of this research paper is to critically analyze the reinterpretation of the history related to the historical character Tipu Sultan by Girish Karnad in the play ‘The Dreams of Tipu Sultan’.