The Sad Tale of Sandalwood
The story of sandalwood is far more interesting and extends over a far longer period than I’d known, as I learnt when I read Missing in Action by Pranay Kotasthane. Even 200+ years back, sandalwood was in demand. In China! Not surprisingly, the East India Company wanted to export it to China. But there was a problem – most of the sandalwood was grown in Tipu Sultan controlled Mysore state. Recognizing its commercial value, Tipu forbade his subjects from trading it with the British. He went a step further and declared it a “royal tree”, thereby monopolizing sandalwood trade. This then was one of the factors in the Anglo-Mysore wars. Once the British won, they continued the sandalwood trade monopoly rule, with them in control. “The conception of sandalwood as a source of government revenue strengthened.” After Independence, the state government continued this practice and denied property rights to sandalwood growers. Even if the trees grew on private la...