CHEMPIL ARAYAN'S ATTACK ON MACAULAY

Chempil Arayan was Admiral of the Fleet in Travancore

The joint adventure of the Dewan of Travancore,Velu Thampi, and the Chief Minister of Cochin,Paliyath Achan,Govinda Menon, against the Resident of Travancore and Cochin,Colin Campbell Macaulay(1760-1836)and their attempt to kill him,in 1808,also saw the Chempil Arayan leading the attack.He was Admiral of the fleet of the Travancore King,Balarama Varma,who had fallen out with the Resident.Both the King and the Dewan thought that the British rule was coming to an end,and killing the Resident would herald freedom.The King of Cochin,in whose territory,the attempt was made,was a silent witness.Macaulay was residing at the Bolgatty Palace,the Residency.

Bolgatty Palace,Macaulay's Residency

Though the name of Arayan has been masked by most of the Kerala historians,the British biographical sketches of Macaulay,do mention,the attempt was by Chempil Anantha Padmanabhan Valiya Arayan Kankumaran.His ancestral home is close to the house of popular Malayalam actor,Mammootty,and the actor's ancestral family was Arayan's tenants,once.Arayan was the first to respond to the Kundara Proclamation of Velu Thampi.

Colin Macaulay,son of a priest,Rev.John Macaulay,minister of the Church of Scotland,was one among 12 children.His grand father,Rev.Aulay was also a Presbyterian minister.Both were involved in the attempt to turn the fugitive,Charles Edward Stewart,over to the authorities,in 1746.Zachary Macaulay,colonial Governor and abolitionist,was Colin's brother,and Thomas Babington Macaulay,the great historian and Whig politician,known as Lord Macaulay,was Zachary's elder son.Indians know Lord Macaulay,Colin's nephew,better,as the first Law member of the Governor General's Supreme Council,who called Sanskrit history trash,in his A Minute on Indian Education,1835.

Thalakkulam Valiya Veedu,Velu Thampi's Home,Thucklay

Colin entered the Indian army of East India Company, was captured by Hyder Ali in 1830 and imprisoned for 4 years,withMajor General David Baird,who later oversaw the siege of Srirangapattana.Colin lived in squalor and barbarity in Prison.In 1799,he was Secretary to Political and Diplomatic Mission,headed by Arthur Wellesley,which accompanied General Harris,on invasion of Mysore.Colin was present at the capture of Srirangapattana.Colin was involved in the controversy surrounding the dismissal of George Vaughan Hart,Commissary of grain to the army of Mysore,for alleged peculation,or misappropriation of public fund,and later sought to vindicate his conduct,in,Two Letters to Lord Harris(1816).Arthur Wellesley's brother,Lord Richard Wellesley,Governor General of Bengal,appointed Colin,Resident of Travancore and Cochin,in 1800,the first Resident,after the treaty of 1795.He was a Major in rank.He proved a failure within a year,as Commander in Palayamkottai,when Veerapandya Kattabomman and other revolutionaries,escaped from the near by prison,while he was having dinner in his Bungalow.Those who escaped,went to Panchalamkurichi,rebuilt the Fort within no time,and the attack on them by Macaulay's forces on March 30,1801 became futile.Macaulay was 'allowed' to resign the command and proceed to Bengal,but Wellesly protected him.The Command was given to Colonel Agnew and Macaulay returned to Thiruvananthapuram.He had his knuckles wrapped 4 years later for making,'unguarded','imperfect' statement of a transaction concerning tobacco.Henry Powney,Resident at Colombo, complained against Colin,in 1804,and asked for compensation,for sustaining losses,when he was forbidden  to import tobacco to Travancore.The Government of Madras took grave exception at Colin's action,but,Governor General Wellesley was anxious to protect his brother's friend, Colin,pardoning the indiscretion,and he continued,till,1810,when he went back to London citing, 'health' reasons.

Veluthampi was very cordial with Macaulay,for 7 years,in his tenure of 10 years in Travancore.The King Balarama Varma hated Macaulay from the beginning onwards,because,Macaulay expressed his displeasure in the absence of the Dewan,in the first meeting.The King,asked the Samprathi(Head,Finance),in Malayalam:Iyalkku Dewan Undenkil Mathrame Nakku Pongukayullo?(his tongue will wag,only if Dewan is there,is it?).The King even didn't like the friend ship between Macaulay and Velu Thampi,who had buit a Residency at Kollam,for Macaulay,shifting himself to Kollam,from Alapuzha.Kollam became the administrative capital.The King was involved only in religious activities.Using his influence on Macaulay,Velu Thampi reinstated Paliath Achan in Cochin,where,Sakthan Thampuran had removed the powerful Komi Achan from minister ship,in 1779.The King who succeeded Sakthan,Rama Varma X,was weak.The Achan,Govindan Valiyachan, was also new,the one whom Sakthan considered his enemy,had died.Velu Thampi,visited the King in Tripunithura Palace,to realize his plan.Achan took over the reins,and Velu Thampi sent a detachment of Travancore troops to guard the King at the Tripunithura palace,thus making him a hostage.

Govindan Valiyachan,Paliyam,the plotter

Things went on as usual between Macaulay and Velu Thampi,for two years,even after the treaty of 1805.The King had written to the Governor General,Cornwallis, to remove Macaulay.Thampi fell out with Macaulay on the question of paying  extra tribute,as per the new treaty.Balarama Varma had paid the entire tribute of 42,914 pounds,from 1798,till,1805.In the 1805 treaty,the tribute was enhanced by 4 lakhs,which remained unpaid,due to the King's resentment.Velu Thampi found himself between Scylla and Charybdis,between the King and the Resident.In 1807 February,Macaulay became aggressive on the unpaid extra tribute,writing a strong letter to the King's representative in the Residency,Subbayyan,who was playing games against Velu Thampi.In the letter,Macaulay threatened to throw the Dewan , into the sea,at Valiyathura,and to remove the King from the throne.

Sword of Velu Thampi

When Velu Thampi got information on Subbayyan's intrigues from his wife's house of Arumana,he called Subbayyan to Alapuzha.He was killed by the King sending mercenaries,and,news was spread that Subbayyan died of,'snake bite'.Ramalinga Muthaliyar,Secretary,Commerce,who had encouraged the fearful Subbayyan to go to Alapuzha,fled to Cochin,from Thiruvananthapuram.

Velu Thampi wrote to the Governor General,Lord Minto,against Macaulay,in June,1808,his first letter to him.In the reply,he was advised to write through the Resident .The shocked Velu Thampi,wrote a letter of apology to Macaulay,saying,he was acting only on the instructions of the King.He sent coins worth 60,ooo with the letter,and then Dr Kenneth Macaulay,Macaulay's brother's son,on October 30,met the King for arrears.He insisted the tribute should be paid at once,a demand the King rejected.Velu Thampi met Dr Kenneth at Kollam, and guaranteed payment by March.Maybe it was a ploy,because Velu Thampi had devised a plan to send back the Subsidiary troop stationed at Kollam,immediately.He began training the Nairs,under Kizhakkumukham Secretary,Krishnan Chempaka Raman.The Crown prince,Kerala Varma,en rout to Kumaranallur,to take part in the Karthika festival,got down at Kollam,and held a strategy session with Velu Thampi,his brother,Chempaka Raman Thampi and Commerce Secretary,Vaikam Padmanabha Pillai.Krishnan Chempaka Raman and Padinjarumukham Secretary,Mathevan Chempaka Raman Pillai were called to Alapuzha and asked to implement the King's instruction to call back the troops from Kollam.Mathevan Pillai was asked to block the British Force at Cochin from entering Travancore.Thekkumukham Secretary,Kumaran Chempaka Raman was instructed to keep the Kollam troops from going beyond,Aralvaimozhi.

Kollam Residency

Macaulay got information of the movement, on 5 December,from Anchuthengu (Anjengo) Fort.20,000 people,including 6000 Nairs from Kulachal, were trained on weaponry,and cannons were being manufactured at Udayagiri Fort,with iron ore from Aralvaimozhi.The terminated soldiers were called back to service.Macaulay alerted Kollam Commander,Colonel Chamers,sought permission of the Madras Council,to arrest Velu Thampi and  requested the Council to sent,troops from the East and North.The Council voted to sent troops from Kozhikode and Tiruchirappally,at the call of Macaulay.He was given permission to take all necessary steps.

Three Armenians who had been in Thiruvanthapuram in November,briefed the King that Russia and France would attack India in January,and the Marathas and the French will move against the East India Company immediately.Both the King and Thampi believed in the theory,unaware of the International political dynamics.Only the Paliath Achan of Cochin, and Chempil Arayan,stood by Velu Thampi,in the hour of crisis.

Thomas Macaulay

The ambitious Paliath Achan  saw a threat to his machinations,in the Cochin Financial Secretary,Nadavarambu Kunjikrishna Menon,and cooked up false cases against him.The Cochin King,fearing an attempt on the life of Menon by Achan,requested Macaulay,to protect him,and Menon began staying in the Bolgatty palace with Macaulay.Achan sought Velu Thampi's help in choking Menon,out of Residency.Thampi,thinking a war could be avoided if Macaulay was killed,agreed to sent troops from Travancore.A plan to attack the Residency on the night of December 28,was chalked out,and the mission was assigned to a section of the Travancore troops,under,Secretary,Commerce,Vaikam Padmanabha Pillai,and a 3000/4000 strong force of Achan.Arayan's fleet was called to join by Padmanabha Pillai,who was from the same area.

Zachary

Macaulay badge

Meanwhile,on 24th,Velu Thampi  met Macaulay with mediator,Head of Carnatic Brigade,Major Dali,and conveyed his decision to resign,if no waiver was given.Macaulay refused amends,but guaranteed pension and asylum,to Thampi,if he resigned.Thampi wrote a letter, agreeing to resign,on 27th ,but dated 28th(since Macauly will be assassinated on 28th!),to Macaulay,and thanked Ramalinga Muthaliyar for rescuing him,by putting in, his word.He asked for a palanquin to be sent,to take him to Malabar,and a cash of Rs 2000.Major Dali delivered Macaulay's reply,same day at Alapuzha,to Velu Thampi,with soldiers to accompany,Velu Thampi to Malabar.Thampi asked Padmanabha Pillai,to prepare the resignation letter.He told Dali,he will leave on 29 night,meaning,he would wait for the result of the Residency attack of 28th.Dali realized,he was cheated,when he met Thampi,on the evening of 29th.Thampi described the war preparations,and said,Macaulay was a fool."The head of Macaulay will be rolling on the Cochin roads now",Thampi boasted.Dali had entrusted Rs 12000 with Thampi,which he feared,has been lost.But when he reached his place,the voucher was there.

Paliyam Kovilakam

Macaulay's head was intact.Chempil Arayan's fleet reached Bolgatty after midnight on 28 December,1808,in Odi boats.600 men commanded by Achan and two officers of Thampi surrounded the palace and opened fire.They over powered the guard,entered and pillaged the building,and destroyed public records.They could not find Macaulay or Menon.The Resident concealed himself,in a recess in the lower chamber,and in the morning,escaped in the British ship,Peacemont,which was just embarking,with reinforcements from Malabar.Menon,who had gone to Mattancherry, joined Macaulay in the morning,and they together shifted to the ship,Snow,in the outer sea.They returned to Cochin,after  a fortnight,when information came that the rebellion has been crushed.There is copy of a letter dated January 10,Macaulay has written,From the Sea,in his Desultory Notes.

There is a story of the massacre of Dr Hume and 33 British soldiers,next day,December 29,in the Pallathuruthy river.It is said,they were captured,at Purakkad,on their journey from Kollam to Alapuzha,and Velu Thampi ordered  the massacre.British records have a testimony of the Writer of Veluthampi,Kochu Sankara Pillai,saying he took down the order.The story spread,as an eyewitness account  of the servant,Ramalingam,who was with the team.It got repeated by V  Nagam Aiya and T K Velu Pillai,who wrote the State Manuals,taking the description by James Grant,who wrote,History of India,to be true.Some historians argue,it is possible that they were captured,but there is no evidence of a massacre.Historian Sangunni Menon says,the team consisted of one lady,Dr Hume,12 Britishers and 34 native soldiers.The lady was,the wife of Colonel Chlamers,Commander of the Division,which included the 12th Regiment,and there is proof that the sick Lady Chalmers was sent from Kollam to Cochin,with full protection,at the order of Velu Thampi.Major Dali,who was with Velu Thampi,till late evening on 29th,has not mentioned the 'massacre',in his report to Macaulay.There is also a letter, which Colonel Chalmers sent to  Velu Thampi,asking him to set free the captured,including Dr Hume.

In his reply to Chalmers,Thampi criticized  the firing by the British troops against women and children,at Azheekkal.There is no chance for such a correspondence,after a terrible massacre,historians who reject the massacre theory,point out.Dewan Munro had collected statements,in 1816,from all the officials in the service, during the administration of Thampi.There is no mention of a massacre,though,both the killing of Subbayyan and,the attack against Macaulay find mention.But,Letter From Court of Dirctors,29 September,1809,On Political State of the Travancore Territory,in,Parliamentary Papers,(East India Company),Fourth Part,Volume X,(page 130),which I have seen,records:the design of Dalawa,in 1806 , Col Macaulay to have poisoned,was a prelude to the murder in cold blood,which he afterwards ordered of Dr Hume and 33 soldiers of His Majesty's 12th Regiment....If it was Dr John Robert Hume,who joined the British Army in 1800,he was in the service,till 1826,and was Surgeon of the Duke of Wellington,Arthur Wellesley,whom Colin Macaulay knew very well.But,Macaulay,in his Desultory notes(page 30),confirms the massacre.

Arayan's descendants claim,it was Arayan's fleet that captured Dr Hume and his team.If true,he raced through  the back waters,to Kollam after the failed attack on Macaulay.It is also said,his house was searched,he was held,but freed on a ransom.Even after it,he had vowed to present Macaulay's head to the King.

The Madras council's permission to arrest Thampi had been withdrawn,3 days before the Bolgatty attack,on December 25.Governor General Lord Minto informed London in a confidential report,on December 29,that the Company has lost confidence in Macaulay.But the Kundara proclamation, of 12 January,1809,by Thampi,was a blunder,giving the British ample grounds to arrest him.Thampi played wrong politics,by owning up the rebellion against the British,exonerating the equally responsible,or irresponsible,King.The British had feared a public upsurge,if they had moved against the King.So,the British declared war,removed Macaulay and transferred the Resident of Thanjavur,Blackburn to Travancore.Blackburn was in charge of the peaceful negotiations,with Thampi.Travancore forces got defeated on 19 January.Blackburn left for thanjavur,and Macaulay was reinstated.Paliath Achan surrendered to the British on 10,February.Thampi met the King on February 19,and resigned.

There is a folklore on Thampi's final days:Thampi had a magician friend called Kadayatt Unnithan.When Macaulay asked for the arrears of the tribute,Thampi offered to pay in gold,took Unnithan with him to Macaulay,carrying a box.Unnithan opened the box before the eyes of Macaulay;he was amazed to find glittering gold inside the box and was satisfied.Hours later,he could find only stones inside the box-Unnithan had just performed a magic!

After resigning,Thampi went in seatrch of Unnithan on a horse back.As he approached the house,he saw Unnithan's house in flames-he had committed self immolation.

Thampi had the habit of eating the meals,on two tender banana leaves,one upon other.After resignation he fled to Mavelikara,where a friend denied him asylum.From there he went to Vallikkod in Pathanamthitta,wher on the banks of Achankovil river,he found asylum in a home.Two policemen who were taking bath in the river saw two tender banana leaves on the river on an after noon and began a search.Thampi escaped to Mannadi. 

When he committed suicide,on 21 March,cutting his neck himself,when his brother refused to do it,he was a free man.Kerala historians aver,the new Dewan,Ummini Thampi,avowed enemy of Thampi,insulted even the dead body,by an order to hang it.But,India Office,London,records,which I referred(IOR/F/4/338/7687),show that,Colin Macaulay was asked by authorities to explain,why he ordered to expose the corpse of Thampi,on a gibbet,and why he publicly degraded the officers of the Carnatic Brigade.The place where Thampi's corpse was hanged,near Ullur,is known now, as,Dhalavakunnu.I had been there few times,to meet Dr K N Raj and I S Gulati,economists,who had built their houses,there.

There were protests against the British,on the day of the Kundara proclamation,and Chempil Arayan was one among the firsts,to respond.He was killed, survived by a son,Thanu Arayan.His traditional Ettukettu(eight halled with two court yards) house and 20,000 acres of forest land in Erumeli,Edakkunnam and Ranni villages, under his possession,were attached  by the Alapuzha District Court,on January 31,1928.

Paliath Achan was deported to Madras,and kept prisoner at Fort St George for 12 years.He was then taken to Bombay,remained there for 13 years,and died at Benares.

Colin Macaulay went back to London,after his tenure in Travancore,met his nephew and brother in law,Thomas Babington in Leicester shire,bought a property there,but spent much of his time,at Calpham.Babington was a child prodigy.Colin recorded in January,1811:"If I could support sitting at night,I will become a member of the House of Commons,but I must relinquish all thoughts of this,during winter".He did become an MP from Saltash in 1826,seldom attended the Parliament,and never made a speech.He as a devotee of Lord Wellesley,now Duke of Wellington,accompanied him to several places.In 1827,he gave evidence before the Select Committee of Parliament,inquiring into the claims of John Hutchinson,who was Commercial Resident at Anchuthengu(Anjengo),for payment of balance of a debt due to his Estate from the Raja of Travancore.He published his testimony,in,Desultory Notes.

According to Hanna More,English religious writer,poet and playwright,"he was a first rate man with great manners",who brought home,"after all his hair breadth escapades,an ample fortune and a sober mind."

Yes,his brother's son,Dr Kenneth Macaulay,was staying at Kollam,extorting money,as I wrote in my post,The Rise and Fall of Thachil Mathu Tharakan.Colin Macaulay died in Clifton,on February 20, 1836,after a visit to Italy.He directed his Estate be sold and Thomas be paid 10,000 pounds and residue to Zachary.His personality was sworn,under 8000 pounds.India Office records,London, reveal,he owed the Company,a debt of 361 pagodas,on account of allowances overdrawn by him.

Reference:

1.Veluthampi Dalava/V R Parameswaran Pillai
2.Cochin State Manual/C Achyutha Menon
3.Kerala History/A Sreedhara Menon
4.Marthanda Varma Muthal Munro Vare/K Sivasankaran Nair
5.Sakthan Thampuran/Puthezhathu Raman Menon
6.Dewan Velu Thampi and the British/Dr B Sobhanan
7.A Fresh look at Velu Thampi/Dr B Sobhanan 
8.India Office records
9.Parliamentary Papers
10.Desultory Notes/Colin Macaulay 
11.A Political and General History of the District of Tirunelveli/Bishop Caldwell

See my Post,THE RISE AND FALL OF THACHIL MATHU THARAKAN