At the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) in Kuala Lumpur, the new exhibition More Than A Day As A Tiger greets visitors with the glint of steel and the weight of history.

Weapons, manuscripts, and remnants of a once-magnificent throne set the stage for the story of two rulers who, in 18th century India, dared to resist the rising tide of colonial empire- building.

Between 1761 and 1799, Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore in southern India, becoming the fiercest obstacle to British expansion. Tipu, remembered for declaring, “it is better to live as a tiger for a day than as a sheep for a hundred years”, fell in battle in 1799 – yet his legacy endures through the objects he left behind.

A detail of a two-shot flintlock gun, made by Asad Khan Muhammad in 1793 in Srirangapatna, India. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin

Running until Jan 15 next year, the exhibition (at IAMM’s Special Gallery II) gathers 93 artefacts – rare survivors of war and looting – including tiger-striped swords and muskets, letters from British generals, and a rare glimpse of Tipu’s throne, which was torn apart for its gold and jewels.

“This is the largest collection of Tipu Sultan’s treasures outside Britain. After his kingdom fell, many of his relics were looted by the British. We felt it was our responsibility to preserve and showcase them here,” says Zulkifli Ishak, IAMM project manager and exhibition co-curator.

A dynasty in three acts

The More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition unfolds in three parts: Mysore’s rise under Haider Ali, its height under Tipu Sultan, and its fall in 1799.

“This dynasty lasted only 38 years, but its impact was huge, especially in the 18th century when European powers were competing in India. Haider Ali laid the foundation, and Tipu Sultan built on it with innovation and fierce resistance,” says Zulkifli.

Steel armour of the Nizam of Hyderabad, reflects both battlefield strength and ruling power. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias

Haider Ali, though less remembered today, was a master strategist. His son Tipu Sultan inherited both his army and his vision of modernisation. With French support, Mysore built advanced weapon factories, producing firearms and rocket technology that outpaced Europe – rockets the British would later copy for themselves.

One striking feature of the exhibition is how swiftly Mysore’s material culture changed under their rule, with Hindu motifs on weapons and coins replaced by Islamic calligraphy and the omnipresent tiger.

“There are no official portraits of Tipu Sultan. Instead, he made the tiger his persona – stripes and claws appear on everything from his swords and guns to his uniforms and even the feet of his throne,” says Zulkifli.

Fallen’s king’s treasures

After Tipu Sultan’s death, his magnificent throne was dismantled, its jewel-studded gold finials scattered across Britain and beyond.

One surviving piece now rests at IAMM, displayed with reverence under soft light.

A visitor admires an 1788 portrait of Tipu’s ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin

“The throne had eight tiger-head finials; only four survive today – three in Britain and one here in Malaysia. Even its wooden feet, carved like tiger paws, were prized by the British. That shows the respect they had for him, even as they looted his palace,” says Zulkifli.

A 2021 British government report valued the 18th-century Tipu Sultan throne finial at £1.5mil (RM8.6mil).

Another highlight is Tipu Sultan’s personal sword, taken from his chamber after his death. Unlike the ornate ceremonial blades, it is strikingly plain, with only a simple Arabic invocation on its hilt.

“I was surprised when I first saw it. It’s not flashy, but it reflects his character – the sword he truly used. After his death, the British seized it and presented it as a trophy to one of their generals,” says Zulkifli.

Tipu Sultan’s magnificent throne was dismantled for its gold and jewels. The exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia features one of the few gem-studded finials that survived the looting - even the throne’s wooden tiger-paw feet were taken by the British. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin

Nearby stand two cannons, their bronze surfaces still marked with tiger motifs. For two centuries they stood outside a Welsh castle before reaching IAMM – proof that even the victors valued Mysore’s craftsmanship.

Both sides of the story

What sets More Than A Day As A Tiger apart from other exhibitions is how it pairs Mysore artefacts with records from both enemies and allies.

“Most of Tipu Sultan’s history was written by the British, who often painted him as a tyrant. The French, his allies, described him with more admiration. Here, we try to balance those views by letting the objects speak for themselves,” says Zulkifli.

A scroll painting of the Battle of Pollilur captures one of Mysore’s greatest victories over the East India Company.

Alongside treasures, weapons, manuscripts, documents, and paintings, the exhibition also showcases royal garments from the era. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin

Split into panels, it shows Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan charging into battle, defeating British generals and taking prisoners – a dramatic scene that once shook colonial confidence.

Elsewhere, a portrait of Tipu’s ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted in 1788 by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (best known for her portraits of Marie Antoinette), highlights another side of his legacy: not just a warrior, but a statesman seeking alliances across the world.

'Napoleon of the East'

The final section of the exhibition carries a sombre tone. Letters from British generals reveal both their fear of Tipu Sultan and their relief at his death.

One from Lord Cornwallis – the same general who surrendered to George Washington – admits Tipu Sultan was “a man of great ability” who had been underestimated.

A large painting of the Battle of Condore (December 1758), showing East India Company troops under Colonel Forde fighting the French and their allies during the Third Carnatic War. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias

A painting of Tipu Sultan’s young sons being handed over as hostages in 1792 marks the beginning of the end. Dressed in fine silk, they surrendered to the British; just seven years later, their father would fall in battle and the dynasty would vanish.

A final British engraving, The Death Of Tipu Sultan, shows his lifeless body discovered among the ruins of Seringapatam – triumphant yet tragic, a reminder that history is often written by the victors.

The gallery reflects this duality. Gold and steel dazzle the eye, while the texts remind visitors of loss and looting. The show captures not only the pride of Mysore but also the shadows of its fall.

Workshops, talks, and conservation sessions accompany the exhibition, inviting visitors to engage with both the objects and the challenges of preserving them.

“Tipu Sultan’s story is still relevant today. Even his enemies admired him, calling him the ‘Napoleon of the East’. Through these objects, we see how he shaped his identity, resisted colonial power, and left a legacy that endured beyond defeat,” concludes Zulkifli.

More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition is showing at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur until Jan 15, 2026.