THE MURDER OF RAJA KESAVADAS

The Cause of his Death was Arsenic Poisoning

Raja Kesavadas(1745-1799) was the first individual in Travancore to be raised to the position of Dewan, showing an amazing ability in different spheres, as varied as finance, commerce, infrastructure and military. Enjoying complete freedom under Dharmaraja, appointing his relatives to key posts in the palace, he virtually reigned supreme and the British gave him the title, Raja. The death of the King pushed him into misery, losing all his assets, and eventually, the coterie around the new King, poisoned him to death, making him a tragic figure in the history of Travancore.

Accounts of his life indicate that Kesavan was an illegitimate son of a woman called Kaliamma Pillai, of Kunnathur in Vilavamkode. His father is said to be a Chief in the army, who allowed the destitute Kaliamma to stay in his home when she sought a job in the palace. Everything about his father seems to be fiction: he doesn't have a name, and the biographers of Kesavadas escape midway through the story saying his father left his job and became a Sannyasin. Later, she lived with a Thriprayar-born priest of the Munchira Madam temple and had four more children: Kumaran Thampi, Thathi Pillai, Chempakakutty Pillai and Neelamma Pillai. Police Commissioner K Padmanabhan Thampi and Dr K Raman Thampi were from the Thathi Pillai family branch. 

After becoming Dewan, Kesava Das built homes for each of his sisters, at Kunnathur, Kakkurichi and Thevikode, and his mother lived with the younger sister at Kunnathur. Kaliamma had a brother, Raman, whom the historian P Sangunni Menon mistook as the father of Kesavadas, thereby referring to him, as Raman Kesavan, or, the historian just gave a name for the father.

Kesavadas Statue, 2013

Acute poverty drove the uneducated Kesavan at age 12 to win daily bread for the family and he joined as an apprentice accountant of a Chettiar at Puthukkadai. The Chettiar was also a kind of secretary to the influential trader, who owned a fleet of ships, Poovar Pokku Moosa Marikkar, with a large warehouse at Thengapattinam. Kesavan joined Marikkar at Thengapattinam, picked up a few languages from workers of the ships, and the knowledge of Hindi helped him to land a job at the palace when he accompanied Marikkar to see Dharmaraja. The King, on holiday, was miserably trying to prepare a reply in Hindi, to a letter from the Carnatic Nawab. Kesavan was assigned the job to write the palace orders and became Rayasam (Head, Commerce) in 1765 and Samprathi (Head, Finance)  in 1768. 

Palino da San Bartolomeo, the Carmelite missionary who came to India towards the end of July 1776,  in his book,  A Voyage to the East Indies, mentions meeting Kesavadas as Samprathi. Samprathi was an important job in the palace. Paulinus has described a meeting with Dharmaraja from which we understand that the missionary had learnt Amarakosam! Paulinus met the King again in 1784, with Portuguese grammar. He interfered in the conflicts Christian laymen had with the priests, on behalf of the King, in which Kesavadas helped him. He also records, Kesavadas spoke to him about Hindu scriptures.

He was in the position of Samprathi for 20 years, when the attack of Tipu Sultan became imminent. Hyder Ali, after Cochin agreed to give him, two lakhs and eight elephants as tribute,  pressurized Travancore, for 15 lakhs and 30 elephants. Since the state had the support of the English East India Company and Carnatic Nawab, the King rejected the demand. In 1788, when, Krishnan Chempaka Raman was promoted as Dalava, Kesavadas replaced him as Sarvadhikaryakkar, or, Chief Secretary. Dharmaraja retired to Aluva, performed a Yaga and went to Mavelikkara. Krishnan Chempaka Raman passed away, and on 22 September 1789, Kesavadas was made Dalava, but he preferred the title, Dewan, and changed his name to Kesavadas, from Kesava Pillai.

War with Tipu

 

He brought pepper and cardamom under state monopoly, raising funds for war efforts. He bought the Kodungallur, Azhikotta (Ayikotta) Forts from the Dutch on 21 July 1789, for 3 lakhs, blocking the entry of Tipu to Cochin and Travancore. The angry Tipu decided to seize the Forts, started the march from Coimbatore, and entered Cochin in November. He sent a letter to Dharmaraja with three demands. (1) All the Malabar royal family members who have sought asylum should be sent back. (2) The forces from Kodungallur and Azhikotta should be withdrawn since the agreement with the Dutch is invalid. (3) Since Mysore has suzerainty over Cochin, Travancore should demolish the Nedunkotta that it has built in Cochin.

Dharmaraja

Dharmaraja refused to accede to the demands, replying he is related to Malabar; he himself was the son of an adopted Kolathiri Princess. Another threat fell upon Travancore when Governor John Holland declared Travancore buying the Forts, invalid. Raja appointed Kesavadas the Military Chief to devise the war strategy.

Tipu reached Thrissur on 14 December and breached the Fort on the morning of the 29th. They were defeated by the Travancore forces on 1 January 1790. Tipu, who got injured, falling in the trench, became lame for life. His palanquin, crest, rings and the ornaments on his body were confiscated by Travancore. The casualty on the Travancore side was 200;2000 on Tipu's side, if the history written by Dewan T Madhava Rao, could be believed. From Tipu's side, Jeevanna Rao, Buttaiya, one Rajput and five Europeans were taken prisoners. The Europeans were imprisoned at Udayagiri Fort and the others in Padmanabhapuram. Records show all of them were given, rice and ghee. Mohibul Hassan, the historian, has accepted the letter written by Tipu to Governor John Holland, which portrays the war as just a border dispute. Tipu's force was 15,000 strong. One doesn't need such a huge force to negotiate a border dispute.

Paulinus

The furious Tipu came again in April with reinforcements. Nedunkotta, which was built taking 13 years, was demolished within 6 days. The Travancore force retreated to Kodungallur, and the Travancore force under Captain Flory in Kodungalur Fort, fled from the scene. The army of Tipu under M Laly, on 8 May, razed the Fort to the ground. Tipu reached Aluva. Kesavadas returned to Thiruvananthapuram and wrote a letter to the Governor General Cornwallis in Kolkata, against the Holland brothers, John and Edward, who were Governors of Madras from 1789 February to 1790 February,  complaining about the English Force remaining neutral. Edward Holland was Governor for only 7 days. The rampage of the victorious Tipu has been described by Paulinus, who was staying at Varapuzha. There was an exodus of refugees. The Hollands, known for bribes, had been removed, and William Medows had taken over. 

The British declared war against Tipu.

The retreated Kesavadas was asked to go back to the North by the Raja. Tipu, making Aluva his camp, unleashed cruelties in Alangad, Paravur and Kunnathunad.For the fortunate Kesavadas, nature interfered, and monsoon rained early in May. The gunpowder of Tipu became damp. The movement was made impossible by the floods in the Periyar River. When the news came that the English planned to attack Srirangapattana, Tipu returned on May 24. He never came back. Kesavadas went and stayed at Srirangapattana, to help the British in the war. A letter he is supposed to have written from there, requesting more funds, is there in the history written by Sangunni Menon-it has a lot of Islamic words. But the important thing in the letter is the reference to Samprathi Kunjuneelan Pillai, in the last line. It says the letter should be read by Pillai and then, he should brief the Raja. Kunjuneelan Pillai became the central character in the murder of Kesavadas, later.

Wellesley

Travancore paid 14 lakhs as war expenses and was asked to pay 10 lakhs every year, for protection. On his return from Srirangapattana, Kesavadas was briefed on the debt, and by his efforts, Governor General Cornwallis waived further payment. Kesavadas concentrated on the rehabilitation of the royal family members from Malabar. Surprisingly, the Zamorin, who was then 70 plus, wished to stay in Travancore again, and the Crown Prince, Krishna Raja was sent to Kozhikode, instead. The continued stay of the Zamorin affected the life of Kesavadas directly, because the Jayanthan brothers of Uthiyeri, Malabar, who plotted against him, had come with the Zamorin, though there is no record to show the Zamorin wished to be adopted to the Venad family!

In the peaceful atmosphere that followed, Kesavadas built the Alapuzha port and stayed there. He built a house for the Chettiar, who gave him his first job. Most of the families of Travancore began naming their male child, Kesavan. He took the initiative in signing the treaty of April 26, 1798, with the British, after Lord Wellesley became Governor General, in May. Wellesley, in appreciation, gave him the title Raja.

Napoleon

Fortunes dwindle

The fortunes of Kesavadas began to dwindle, after the death of Dharmaraja on 17 February 1798. He lived only a year more, poisoned to death on 21 April 1799.

The successor of Dharmaraja, Balarama Varma (1798-1810) was just 16, with no administrative experience because, till that time, Kesavadas was only informing the King, after taking decisions himself. The prince was never part of the administration. Dharmaraja had become a puppet of Kesavadas and the British. The suzerainty of Carnatic Nawab over Travancore was transferred to the British by the treaty of 1798, by Kesavadas. He would have continued to be powerful, had he been successful in improving the financial mess. 

Kesavadas continued to be the Dewan for the next year, till the new King finished observing the obsequies of the dead uncle. The Sraddha, after a year, was celebrated with an extravaganza by Kesavadas, trying to get into the good books of the new King. Dharmaraja had four consorts; the young Balarama Varma also had four women from those four families. The Thampis from those houses advised him, in the absence of Kesavadas, who was stationed at Alapuzha. The distance between them became huge, and Balarama Varma took the reins after the Sraddha. All the key positions were held by the relatives of Kesavadas: his brother-in-law, Padmanabhan Chempaka Raman was, Kizhakumukham Sarvadhikaryakkar. His nephew, Irayimman Thampi(not the poet), was in Thekkumukam, with the title, Peshkar. The army was divided into two, making his brother, Kumaran Thampi, a General and the Chief of one Division. His loyal official Kunjuneelan Pillai was Samprathi. The British, made, Major John Alexander Bannerman, an old friend of Kesavadas, who was the Commander of the Subsidiary Force, a Resident of Travancore and Cochin. Since Bannerman(1759-1819), who captured and hanged, Veerapandya Kattabomman, was staying in Cochin, the friendship with Kesavadas grew since, Alapuzha was, close.

Guanxu

In these circumstances, it was difficult to remove Kesavadas. But Balarama Varma, who depended on the Jaynthan Nambudiri brothers from Uthiyeri (Udayagiri), avoided every encounter, with Kesavadas. The brothers, Jayanthan Sankaran, Jayanthan Jayanthan and Jayanthan Subramanyan had entered the palace service through the good offices of, Zamorin, who had sought asylum in Thiruvananthapuram. Jayanthan Sankaran influenced the King to cede the area known as Karappuram(Cherthala), to Cochin, and the messenger, Thottappaya Nambudiri, with the order was intercepted by Kesavadas at Paravur, Kollam, en route to Cochin, and the order was torn into pieces. When Jayanthan was carried, in a procession, on a palanquin, used by Dharmaraja, Kesavadas admonished him, saying it was seditious. The palanquin after the death of the King had to be abandoned, at the Pallakkupura, at Pondar Street, Sreekanteswaram, because the dead body was carried in the palanquin, to the burial ground. Kesavadas was suspended immediately, and put under house arrest.

Kesavadas

Kesavadas died on the arattu day at Sreevaraham, Thiruvananthapuram, 21 April 1799, in front of a relative's house, after returning from a dinner at the Palace. The French doctor Seytres, who was appointed the Commission to inquire into the death, reported to Resident Colin Campbell Macaulay (1759-1836), who took over in January 1800, that Kesavadas, after dinner, had complained of stomach pain and numbness of the tongue. Though the King was against the inquiry, the Resident ordered the arrest of the accused, Kunjuneelan Pillai. The King vouched for his innocence and even the relatives of Kesavadas didn't accuse him. The doctor's diagnosis was that Kesavadas died of food poisoning. The charge sheet accused Kunjuneelan Pillai of paying Rs 2000 for mixing the poison in the food.

When Macaulay went on military duty to Palayamkottai, all the relatives of Rajakesavadas were murdered, including General Kumaran Thampi, the only brother of Kesavadas and nephew Peshkar Irayimman Thampi. Kunjuneelan Pillai was held responsible for killing both. Though Pillai may have been responsible for killing Kumaran and Irayimman, who were ambitious, the role of Kunjuneelan in the murder of Kesavadas is disputed, because, he was loyal to Kesavadas, was personally recruited by him, and he was not in the good books of the  Dewan Velu Thampi. While Velu Thampi was once loyal to Macaulay, Kunjuneelan was steadfast in his loyalty to Travancore. Kunjuneelan was selected Samprathi by Kesavadas when he left that job for the position of Dewan. Kunjuneelan was removed from that post after the murder of Kesavadas and Jayanthan Subramanyan was appointed instead. If he had poisoned Kesavadas, he would have been in the post, if not promoted.

Veluthampi

The public suspected that the sorcerer Palanattu Nambudiri, married to the sister of the Jayanthan brothers, was behind the murder. He was put on trial for practising black magic and was deported from the state. Kunjuneelan was on very good terms with Balarama Varma, hence, hated by Macaulay. Not only the King, the brother-in-law of Kesavadas, Parassala Padmanabha Pillai, had also exonerated, Kunjuneelan. The four people, who had testified against Kunjuneelan had detracted later. But the Chief of Army, Marthandan Cempaka Raman and Chief Secretary, Krishnan Chempakaraman had held Kunjuneelan guilty, in the murder of Kumaran and Irayimman. 

When the Chief, Marthandan Chempaka Raman had only the position of Colonel, Kumaran Thampi was appointed creating the senior post of General. Likewise, Kesavadas had created the new post of Peshkar to accommodate his nephew. Kumaran Thampi had sent letters of protest to the British when Ayyappan Chempakaraman was made Dewan after Jayanthan Sankaran and when his own brother-in-law Parassala Padmanabha Pillai was appointed Dewan. Kumaran and Irayimman were killed when Kumaran continued to send letters after Velu Thampi became Dewan. The suspicion that Kunjuneelan was behind the King's order to kill Velu Thampi also seems baseless. The jobless Kunjuneelan was called to Thiruvananthapuram, from Padmanabhapuram, by the King, sending a messenger, and reinstated.

Simon Bolivar

In reverse diagnosis by famous Neurologist Dr K Rajasekharan Nair, the cause of the death of Kesavadas has been ascertained as arsenic poisoning,based on the symptoms. He is not in bad company-Napoleon Bonaparte died of arsenic poisoning, 22 years after him, in 1821. The cause of death was found by examining the preserved hair, from his dead body. Simon Bolivar and second to the last emperor of China, Guangxu were also the victims of arsenic, mixed in food. Chempaka Raman Pillai, Foreign Minister in the INA provisional government was, poisoned to death by Hitler. It was a slow death from food poisoning.

There is no evidence, but the death of King Balarama Varma (1782-1810), when he was just 28, is suspected to be a murder. Coronated on 18 February 1798, he ruled for 12 years, a country in turmoil, seeing the rebellion and suicide of Velu Thampi, in February 1809. The King died in mysterious circumstances, on November 7, 1810.

Reference:
1. Raja Kesavadas/V R Parameswaran Pillai
2. Marthandavarma Muthal Munro Vare/K Sivasankaran Nair
3. Tragic End of Raja Kesavadas and his Family/Dr B Sobhanan
4. A Voyage to the East Indies/Paulinus

See my Post,MURDER OF KOTTAYAM KERALA VARMA




 





 


 


 

THE MURDER OF KOTTAYAM KERALA VARMA

A Malabar Prince becomes Travancore King

There had been few episodes of members of the royal families in Malabar, seeking asylum in the safety of Travancore,especially during the Mysore Wars, and the Kolathiri family members during the skirmishes with the Ali Raja. But, a Kottayam (Wynad) prince, Kerala Varma (1645-1696), becoming King in Travancore, and getting assassinated finally, was a rare historic moment. He, a predecessor of the famous Pazhassi Raja,was also an exemplary scholar and a poet. A genius, grappling with matters Military, is a rare breed.

There is only a legend to depend on as to the arrival of the Kottayam prince from Malabar by sea to Travancore. Arriving as a pilgrim, he was nurtured by Regent Umayamma Rani, and he stood by her in deep crises and died fighting casteism.

In history,there is a single instance of the Zamorin's forces marching towards Venad,in the 15th century,before the conquest of Kerala by Vijayanagara King DevarayaII(1424-1446). After the conquests in Central Kerala, the Zamorin's forces marched against the Venad King in Kollam, to 'protect' the Nambudiri brahmins there; it was the stated nominal reason.The forces advanced through Chettuva, Kanjoor river, Vypin backwaters, Chiranganad Karappuram,Payyatukad, Alapuzha, Thrikunnapuzha, Karthikapally and entered Odanad. The Kollam King agreed to bear the battle expenses,ceded the area known as,Munjiramukkattam,also agreed to pay annual tribute along with flag of fealty at  Thirunnavaya for Mamankam festival. Some historians are of the view that this was not an expedition,but just a case of Kollam King transferring some land and temple rights, during the official visit of the Zamorin. The land, Munjramukkattam was given to Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple or Mathappuram temple.

Dutch representative Nieuhaf with Umayamma Rani, 1703

At the time of the 'pilgrimage' of Kottayam Kerala Varma,Umayamma Rani(1678-1698) in Travancore was in the midst of a crisis. She was Regent on behalf of her nephew, Ravi Varma.Malabar,after the Dutch treaty with  Zamorin on November 11,1604,was under Dutch rule,the Zamorin had joined the Coalition Force led by the Dutch against the Portuguese and Cochin, in 1661.At the time of Kerala Varma's assassination,it was Dutch terror in Malabar, during the Mamankams of 1694 and 1695. Thus, the 'pilgrimage' was not so innocent. Maybe the political slavery of his area prompted the 'pilgrimage'.

The rivalry between the Dutch and English companies for commercial interests, stirred fights in Travancore,during the reign of Umayamma Rani.

Kottayam Kerala Varma

Desinganad,Kottarakkara,Nedumangad,Karunagappally,Karthikappally,Kayamkulam provinces were under the influence of the Dutch.Since Attingal had no male pro genies,princes had to be adopted.One male and two females were adopted from Kolathunad,in 1684,and subsequently, all adoptions were from Kolathiri family.In 1688,two males and two females were adopted,and Marthanda Varma was the son of one princess.Nanjinad was committed to give Madurai a large sum of tribute twice a year,and if it was pending, the Madurai forces(Vadukappada-they were people from Karnataka,since the Naickers were Carnatic) used to rampage during the harvest season.To the East of Sahya Mountains,in the old Kalakkad swaroopam,Travancore had 12 feudatories, and there was a revenue official in Valliyur,to collect taxes.Umayamma Rani had to close down the treasury,since the tax collection was made impossible there.When Kalkulam Prince Adithya Varma died in 1677, in Dharpankulangara palace,Ravi Varma,adopted from the Cochin royal family ,was made king there.The story that the Ettuveettil Pillai s poisoned Adithya Varma,has been proved baseless.Bringing Ravi Varma, was not to the liking of the Dutch and the powerful Travancore minister Elambayil Pandala and the barons of Ettuveettil Pillai s. They anointed Kerala Varma of the rival branch of Nedumangad,in place of Ravi Varma.Madurai too accepted him.The reason for the interference was the fear that Ravi Varma,being from Cochin,would support the Portuguese.Umayamma Rani, together with  Pillai s of Attingal and Ravi Varma, with the help of the forces from Madurai under Chidambaranatha Pillai,fought with the Dutch led force on the banks of Karamana river,and was, defeated.The Travancore force,which was loyal to the minister, followed the retreated Rani,forcing her to flee to Varkala from Attingal.After the death of Rani Ayilyam Thirunal in 1677,Kollam queen Makayiram Thirunal became the Senior Attingal queen and the Travancore ministers,Edathara Potti and Pandala and the Kottarakkara king, visited the new queen and reached an agreement by which, Nedumangad Kerala Varma was appointed  King of Travancore.But when the queen died next year,Umayamma Rani became Senior and she decided to anoint Ravi Varma again. This time,not only Attingal Pillais, but Kottarakkara Pillais too sided with Umayamma Rani.Madurai forces,for obvious reasons,didn't help the rivals.So Rani was able to seize the Kalkulam Fort and make Ravivarma,the King.Nedumangad Kerala Varma,staying in the Manalikkara palace near by,led blockade of the Fort. It was total anarchy.

Ettuveettil Pillai

The Rani worked out a treaty in 1681, with the Attingal minister,Koduman Pillai and the Travancore minister Pandala, forcing Kerala Varma to accept  a pension,the lease amount from several properties in Nanjinad and Malanad,and he was packed off to Nedumangad.She was looking for an able person,to rescue Nanjinad from Madurai forces,when Kottayam Kerala Varma arrived.On the way to Rameswaram,he got down at the shore of Varkala.He was 36,proficient in martial arts,and a scholar poet.The priest of Varkala temple sent him to Umayamma Rani.The folksong of Malabar on Kottayam Kerala Varma,Puthuvatha Pattu,says,he went on a pilgrimage,heeding to the advise of his mother,after creating a rebellion.The other Kerala Varma was pensioned off,only after adopting Kottayam Kerala Varma,to the Venad royal family,and conferring  the title,Prince of Hiranyasimhanallur,or Eraniel.In Travancore records,he is Puravazhinadu Kerala Varma,whereas in British records,he is Kottayam Kerala Varma.Kottayam was the capital of Puravazhinad.

Within the Fort, new palaces,Valiya Koyikkal for Kerala Varma and Thevarathu Koyikkal,for Umayamma Rani were constructed,dismantling and using the materials of the Puthankotta palace of Ilayaraja and the Fort that enclosed it.Pullikkattu Valiya Koyikkal was to the North of the Thevarathu Koyikkal,close to the now existing Vettakkaruman(wrongly pronounced,Vettaykoru Makan)Temple.

Though scholarly,he enjoyed clinging to power,and the barons who had enjoyed freedom in Travancore didn't like the new developments.Ravi Varma,too hated him.Umayamma Rani,accepted him whole heartedly,and according to Dutch records,slept with him, following the system of polyandry.Though the feudal lords complained to the queen several times,she spurned them.She kicked off, Ravi Varma as King to Kollam in 1684,making Kerala Varma,the King of Travancore.Though this is in the Dynasty records,official historians seldom refer to it.

The rituals in the Padmanabhaswamy temple had come to a standstill, due to continuing quarrels.The fines enforced by the temple's trustees,Ettarayogam,were not remitted and the festival got stopped in 1632.It was customary for the eldest person in the Travancore royal family,Mootha Thiruvadikal of Thrippappur Swaroopam to lead the Arattu procession on the final day of the festival and the ongoing frictions, resulted in the absence of  the Thiruvadikal.From 1662 to 1677,there were not even daily pujas,after a theft came to light.After the death of Adithya Varma in 1677,Umayamma Rani interfered,pujas were restored,but the festival remained unobserved,because,of the removal of the Thantri Tharanalallur Namboodiripad,by the Rani,for colluding with Nedumamgad Kerala Varma.Umayamma Rani was not recognized as the Senior of the royal family by Ettarayogam,and the pujas were stopped again in 1682.Puja s were invalid in the absence of a Thantri,and the appointment of the Thantri had to be done by the Senior in the royal family.The Periya Nambi of the temple fled to Munchira after charges of theft were levelled against him.Though messengers of the Rani went to assuage him,they were blocked at Neyyattinkara by the public,who had assembled outside the Fort, against Kottayam Kerala Varma.

Ravi Varma was made the King of Desinganad(Kollam),as part of Rani's strategy to solve the temple issue,and he was appointed Mootha Thiruvadi in January,1685.But the Thantri appointed by him was not accepted by the priests.Rani, on being  informed that Karanakkanakkan and Pandarakkanakkan were behind the conspiracy,ordered  arrest of them.It created a furore,since the royal family had no right to punish brahmins.As a result the temple was set to fire in January,1686,destroying even the Sreekovil.The temple remained closed for next 47 years,and thus, the name of Ravi Varma disappeared from historical records.He died  a sanyasi in 1704.

Even as the Crown Prince at Eraniel,Kottayam Kerala Varma had seized power of the country and had started plotting against the barons.Though they organized a public assembly at Neyyattinkara ,the Rani didn't pay heed to it.Though he was made King of Travancore in 1684,no records  of the coronation  exist,but he is mentioned in later records as Vira Kerala Varma Chirava Moothavar, meaning,the King.He constituted a personal army to handle the attacks against him by the barons, and the ousted Nedumangad Kerala Varma. To finance it,he hiked commercial taxes and established own mint.

Umayamma Rani

When Umayamma Rani began to govern the Elayidathu Swaroopam of Kottarakkara,directly in 1694,Kerala Varma and his loyalists used to go there and render help.The King of Kayamkulam with his forces,marched against Karunagappally, when the King of Karunagappally died in April,1696.Kottayam Kerala Varma went and defeated them.

R Sathyanatha Iyer,in his book,The History of the Nayaks of Madura,has quoted a letter written by a missionary of Kottar,Peter Martin,which mentions,Kottayam Kerala Varma.

The famous story of Kerala Varma defeating the forces of Mukilan,which finds a place in A Sreedhara Menon's A Survey of Kerala History,has been proved a fiction by the letter of Martin.Menon says,a Muslim adventurer,Mughal Sirdar invaded the Southern Travancore during Umayamma Rani's reign, over ran Nanjinad and reached the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram.He encamped at Manacaud and extended his foray upto Edava.The Rani sought refuge at Nedumangad,and was fortunate in getting the service of Kottayam Kerala Varma,who was on a pilgrimage.He pursued Sirdar and defeated and killed him at the battle in Tiruvattar.Umayamma Rani was brought in triumph from Nedumangad to Thiruvananthapuram.

The real story is,different,and there is no one called Mukilan.Kottayam Kerala Varma plotted against the barons,seeking help from the Muslim Commander of the Madurai force.The plan was that,Kerala Varma would face the Madurai force in a fake battle,will retreat after feigning defeat,and the Commander should lay siege to the Kalkulam Fort,and then kill the 18 barons,calling them to the Fort.Kerala Varma guaranteed to pay the arrears of the tribute after  execution of this plan.During  execution of the plan,when two barons were killed,the other 16 agreed to pay the tribute and the Muslim Commander decided to stay put at Kalkulam,with the help of them.The revengeful Kerala Varma,marched to the Fort one night and massacred the entire force.The southern folksong,Iravikutty Pilla Poru mentions there were 72 Muslim soldiers in Madurai Force.Some historians mistook the term,Mughal/Mukilan,for an individual's name.There is no mention of this incident in the northern folk song on Kerala Varma,Puthuvatha Pattu.It was impossible for any Muslim force to rampage Travancore,without concurrence of the Madurai Naicker.After the massacre,Kerala Varma built the Ramaswamy temple at Padmanabhapuram.

Koyikkal Palace of Umayamma Rani/Nedumangad

Kerala Varma has been branded a bold social reformer,  who banned the archaic,abhorrent, custom of Pulappedi and Mannappedi,in 1696,by historians like Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai.It is claimed to have given relief to large sections of people from fear of molestation by Pulayas, Mannans and Parayas.Every year,it is said,in the Malayalam month of Karkadakam(July/August),Pulaya, Mannan and Paraya males were allowed to molest and appropriate the higher caste Nair women,who went out after dusk,strayed outside or lived unprotected.The defiled women were excommunicated and sent out with the molesters.If the defiler refused to accept her, he was killed;if she refused to go,she was killed.The molester need not physically touch her; he was free to do it by a twig, throwing a stone or just sighting her and hollering, "kande, kande"(I saw,I saw).This custom,it was claimed, was to guarantee the existence of the working class,and to punish the immoral women.The Portuguese traveler Barbosa wrote, on hearsay, that this custom was being misused by some, deliberately attacking even the sleeping females.Pillai wrote about this, in the Mathrubhumi weekly, January,1957. Even a Marxist historian like Dr K N Ganesh  believed in it, without verifying, seeing scope for a class struggle. No historical accounts exist on the custom. It is possible that the Nair chiefs used the scare to control their women,or to scare the working class,by ordering them to defile,women of rival families, and punishing them, in action or inaction. Both ways, the lower class or the women, were victims.

In the proclamation, banning the custom,which was engraved on a rock on the wayside in Thiruvithamkode, Kanyakumari, Kerala Varma said, if a Nair woman was defiled by a lower caste male,the taboo will dissolve,if she takes a bath. Execution awaited the lower caste males,who dared to violate the ban. The King appointed a person called Valiyakesi to kill the pulayas who violated the ban.There is a southern folk song,Valiyakesi katha, describing the murder of Valiyakesi by pulayas with the help of the Nair nobles.

There was  Nair rebellion after the proclamation. Barons and the nobles attacked the execution clause in the order. Those who  attacked were severely punished.When the actions spread,the Travancore ministers,Elambayil Pandala,Edathara Potti and the remaining 16 of the barons conspired to kill Kerala Varma.The Rani,gave them her silent nod,going by the Puthuvatha Pattu account.The proclamation had said that the ban would be applicable in the area,from Kanyakumari to Kannetti,meaning,he went beyond his brief, and territory, trespassing into the territory and interests of Umayamma Rani.Kottayam Kerala Varma was returning to his palace,Pullikkottu Koyikkal, after a discussion with the Rani in Thiruvananthapuram, when he was assassinated by the conspirators, with knives and daggers.It was an August night,1696. The Rani had warned him not to go.His obsequies were done by Adithya Varma,Kolathiri prince, adopted in 1682.

T K Velu Pillai,in the first edition of the Travancore State Manual,wrote,Umayamma Rani killed,Kerala Varma.It was corrected in the next edition.I quote Velu Pillai:"Kerala Varma met with a tragic fate as the result of his high handed acts,to which the ministers and other leaders of the people would not submit". 

Valiya Koyikkal palace remained uninhabited for a long time,considering it a haunted house. A large number of propitiatory rites had to be performed to liberate it from the ghost of Kerala Varma. The Vettakkaruman(wrongly pronounced,Vettaykoru Makan) temple was built and an offering of thenga erichil was introduced as part of the rites.The last Raja of Kollam, who was taken prisoner, was interned in this palace,but soon escaped under the advice of the Raja of Kayamkulam.

There was an arsenal at Valiya Koyikkal,in 1746,and a thatched chavadi,attached to it, which was used as a kalari, by the princes.The palace was thoroughly rebuilt in 1780. It caught fire in 1857,and the temple was also reduced to ashes. The area of the palace,1.48 acres, became a poramboke, in revenue records, because of the temple, open to public. 

Kottayam Kerala Varma translated Valmiki Ramayana, as Valmiki Ramayanam Kilipattu, standing at the feet of the Padmanabha idol in the temple.He wrote Pathala Ramayanam,Padasthuthi,Vairagya Chndrodhayam,Hamsa pattu and Padmanabha Keerthanam, a raga malika.He introduced himself, Vanchi Kerala Varma Bhupala in his compositions, invited scholars from outside, and established Kathakali Yogas. He is believed to have composed, seven Bhasha ganangal,called, Dhyaye Manisham. Kalaye Gambodi, is a ragamalika of his, set in 30 ragas. Vidwan Kottayathu Thampuran,Ravi Varma,who wrote Attakkathas for Kathakali, lived in the same century.

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Reference:
1.A Survey of Kerala History/A Sreedhara Menon
2.Venadinte Parinamam/K Sivasankaran Nair
3.Sancharikal Kanda Keralam/Velayudhan Panikkasseri
4. Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore/Mark De Lannoy
5.The History of Nayaks of Madura/R Sathyanatha Iyer
6.Travancore Dynasty Records
7.Valiyakesi Katha/Ed.Dr G Thrivikraman Thampi 
8.Keralathinte Innalekal/Dr K N Ganesh
9.Pulappedi:Puthiya Oranweshanam/P P Sudhakaran/Kerala Padanangal 4 

9.Essays on Travancore/Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer 

© Ramachandran 

See my Post,MURDER OF KUNJU THAMPI BROTHERS




 

THE MURDER OF KUNJU THAMPI BROTHERS

The Brutality of Marthanda Varma: The Beginning

Malabar G Sankaran Nair tried to expose the brutal Marthanda Varma, Travancore King(1729-1758) in the Mithavadi annual number of 1928, by retelling the story of the murder of two brothers in 1730, the sons of his uncle, Ramavarma, the predecessor of him on the throne. It was an episode, the loyal historians of the royal family always tried to evade.

Sankaran Nair ventures into the story, thanking the famous Chithira Thirunal Library in Thiruvananthapuram, for providing him the required information, and he pegs the story on a woman from Ayodhya.

The Kunju Thampi brothers, Pappu Thampi and Raman Thampi were born to King Ramavarma II (who died 0n August 30, 1729), to a woman from Ayodhya, Abhirami, who had fled her country during a famine, with her brother Krishnan, and a maid. The king, who was staying at Eraniel Palace, saw her at the Suchindram Car festival in December and was struck by her beauty. Violating tradition, he publicly married her in Nagercoil. Her name was changed to Krishnathamma, and her brother became Krishnan Thampi.

Her two sons were known as Kunju Thampis-they and their sister Kochummini Thanka stayed in Eraniel with their mother, and the Kunju Thampis matured with all facilities, with proper education. Ramavarma died of smallpox, and on his deathbed, he called his nephew Marthandavarma and instructed him to look after Krishnathamma and her family well. Her family continued at Eraniel, while Marthandavarma shifted to Padmanabhapuram.

Marthanda Varma

Once Marthandavarma went to Eraniel and was charmed by the beauty of his niece, Kochummini Thanka. He went back, called the Thampi brothers to his Nagercoil palace, and shared with them his wish to marry her. They agreed on the condition that the son in the relationship should be his successor. Marthandavarma became furious, sent out the brothers and began harassing them, and their family. He forcibly took away everything from their home, stopped the privileges provided to them, and asked them to leave the state.

They left Eraniel, took refuge in the home of a Kurukkal in Suchindram, went to Madurai, and complained to Alagappa Mudaliar, Dewan and Commander of Madurai Naicker. The bribed Mudaliar marched towards Travancore with his men. In the ensuing battle, the young Thampi, who drew his sword to kill Marthandavarma, was pacified by his brother and Mudaliar. A treaty was worked out by Mudaliar between the king and the Thampis who were asked to swear before the idol at the Neelakantaswamy temple, Padmanabhapuram. After the Thampis swore to be loyal to him, Marthandavarma too swore but played a trick by placing a house fly between his palms. He swore: "As long as THIS LIFE lasts, I will be on good terms with the Thampis." 

He killed the fly immediately, making the pledge invalid.

Eraniel Palace, dilapidated, now

After Mudaliar left for Madurai, Marthandavarma restored the privileges to the Thampis, and they once again started living at Eraniel. The king who was waiting for the right opportunity, one day called the brothers to Nagercoil palace. The younger brother, Raman got down near Kaniyakulam and went to Thazhakudi to see his properties there. When Pappu reached the palace alone, Marthandavarma, after receiving him, took the sword from him, praised its design, and began speaking about Mudaliar. Continuing the conversation, the king suddenly pretended to be furious, the soldiers came from everywhere as planned, and in the ensuing battle, the king chopped off Pappu Thampi's head with his sword. Hearing the news, Raman Thampi arrived, and the sword that he flung at him, accidentally hit on the ceiling, and Marthandavarma killed him at once. Krishnan Thampi, their uncle, after reaching the palace, stabbed himself in his belly and died; the mother and sister of the Thampis, died pulling out their tongue and bleeding. The scar on the ceiling was visible, till the palace was razed to the ground, years ago.

Fact and fiction

Historically, most of this is fiction, but the murder happened, for other reasons. In history, the brothers are, Thampi Raman Raman and Thampi Raman Adichan, commonly referred to as Kunju Thampis.

Marthandavarma was not the natural successor, when the reigning king, his uncle Ramavarma died in 1729. He was just 23, and only the third among successors-the other two,  Ramavarma's brother, king of Eraniel and the Madathinkoor king at Karunagappally, were very much alive. Both of them mysteriously died within 8 months, after Marthandavarma ascended the throne. It was the beginning of the killing spree.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Born in 1706, Marthandvarma became the king of Neyyatinkara, when he was just 15. The elder Thampi Raman Raman was a samprathi or accountant, in the palace of Ramavarma, an expert in preparing documents. He had prepared the letter which Ramavarma sent to the Nanchinad Chieftain, Periyaveetu Mudaliyar, requesting him to fight back the army of Anantoji Naicker of Madurai, who entered Travancore without the knowledge of the king. Again, it was Thampi Raman, who prepared the draft of the agreement to be signed between the Travancore king and the English Chief at Anchuthengu (Anjengo), Dr Alexander Orme to build a Fort At Kulachal and to establish a mint, on April 25, 1723. In place of the king, it was the Neyyatinkara prince Marthandavarma, who signed the agreement with Alexander Orme, proving Marthandavarma was in charge very early. He had also signed in 1726 an agreement with the Madurai Naicker to send the mercenary Muslim force. But when he appointed a foreigner, Arumukham Pillai of Veerappanellur, Tirunelveli as the Dewan, his minister, the powerful Ilambayil Pandala and the chieftains, Ettuveettil Pillais, left the state. It is assumed that Marthandvarma got rid of the two successors of Ramavarma, with the help of Arumukham Pillai.  Kunju Thampi brothers were against the camaraderie between Marthandavarma and the Dewan.

Suchindram Temple

The story that the mother of the Thampi brothers was from Ayodhya is pure fiction-in history, their uncle is Kochukumara Pillai, belonging to the Vellala Pillai caste, from which the Travancore kings and princes used to take their women before Nair women became the concubines. Being patriarchal, the Thampis had the right of inheritance to wealth, but no right to succession. Since the elder brother is Kanakku Thampi Raman Raman in records, it is evident that he was an official and not a Kshatriya by caste. The prefix, Kanakku, is for a Pillai. Travancore State Manual of T K Velu Pillai asserts that the Thampi brothers fell out with Marthandavarma, for 'various reasons'. What would be the reasons?

Padmanabhapuram Palace/1943

There has been a protest when Arumukham Pillai was made the Dewan. It is possible that Thampi Raman Raman had a part to play in Marthandavarma calling the mercenary Muslim force from Madurai. After becoming king, Marthandavarma refused to pay Madurai Naicker the tribute agreed upon, and the force in turn made Arumukham Pillai a hostage at Kalakkadu Fort when Marthandavarma asked them to get the amount from the Dewan. Marthandavarma rescued the Dewan from there, making the Madurai Naicker furious, sending his commander Dewan Alagappa Mudaliar to Travancore in 1730, to get the amount by force. Thus, it was not to help the Thampi brothers he came, though the brothers were on his side.

The brothers were killed within a year after Marthandavarma took over, a period of great political turmoil. There is every chance Thampi Raman Raman lost his job and he complained to Mudaliar.

Another reason is the wealth-since Thampi's mother belonged to the Vellala Pillai caste that followed the patri lineal form of inheritance, her sons had rights in their fathers' property and the family was gifted property when Ramavarma was the king of Eraniel in 1706. Marthandavarma may have denied them the right of ownership, and Mudaliar would have interfered as Dewan of Madurai, which had suzerainty over Travancore.

The mystery of Ummini Thanka has been unravelled by Historian Marks De Lannoy, who hails from the family of Eustachius De Lannoy, in his book, The Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore. He has unearthed a letter written by Marthanda Varma to Paliath Achan, Chief Minister of Cochin, on March 23, 1742, in which he says, the son of his elder brother, a Thampi, too rebelled against him (with the other two Thampis). 

It means that Ummini Thanka (maybe whom Marthanda Varma loved)was married to Marthanda Varma's elder brother, and she had a son. Her hate of Marthandavarma was justified because, her husband, natural heir to the throne, was killed by Marthanda Varma to usurp the throne. Ummini Thanka and her son, Raman Thampi, were kept under house arrest by Marthanda Varma, after the attack on Eraniel Fort, on January 20,1730, by the Thampi brothers and the Pillais. They escaped and joined the brothers. The Fort was the property of the father of the Thampis, Rama Varma. Marthanda Varma defeated them, and the Thampi brothers complained to Mudaliar.

The first armed force in Kerala was formed by Marthandavarma at this point, under the leadership of the freed Arumukham Pillai, with Tamil Maravas. When it was defeated by Mudaliar, Marthandavarma held peace talks with Mudaliar's Commanders, Kanimia and Chokalingam Pillai. He swore to give money due to the Thampis, arrears to Madurai, and relinquish administration till he returns with money from Kollam. Mudaliar, who sent a protective force with him, waited a few weeks in vain for his return, then went back to Madurai, giving the responsibility of administration to the Thampi brothers.

Mudaliar and Thampi Raman Raman started extorting money from the rich. Though they demanded 10,000 panam from the Dutch Factory at Thengapattanam, the Commander refused to yield. Thampi Raman Raman, in 1730, tried to seize the wealth of the Padmanabha Swamy temple, to pay Mudaliar. Since the treasure was under the senior person in the family, the Attingal queen was in charge, and her minister, Vanchimuttam Pillai had entrusted the treasury to the city chieftains. They resisted Thampi Raman Raman, who went back frustrated, to Kalkulam. The Thampis continued to administer Travancore, on Mudaliyar's behalf. Marthandavarma returned from Kollam with local chieftains and soldiers of the defeated army, and laid siege to the Kalkulam Fort, making Thampis flee for life.

When Mudaliyar came for help, Marthandavarma bribed him, and a treaty was worked out, with the Dharmapuram chieftain, as mediator. After Mudaliar went back, with definite clauses to pay Madurai Naicker and the Thampis in agreement, Marthandavarma refused to comply, and he invited the Thamps to meet him at the Nagercoil palace, after asking his henchmen to quarrel with him, at the arrival of the brothers. 

On October 28, 1730, Thampi Raman Raman arrived and ignorant of the enemy's plan, confronted the henchmen, and they killed him. The younger Adichan Thampi, who came in, shocked by screams, was killed with a dagger by Marthandavarma. The news was spread that the brothers died in an encounter. A total of 82 people, who were loyal to the brothers were hanged at the Mekkamandapam, and the women in the families were sold to fishermen.

Marthandavarma was only 24, with ample time to swim in an ocean of blood, which he did.

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Reference:

1. Marthandavarma Muthal Munro Vare/K Sivasankaran Nair

2. Raja Kesavadas/V R Parameswaran Pillai

3. Sree Vanchi Rajya Charithram/M Rajaraja Varma

4.Travancore Dynastic Records

5. Mathilakam scrolls

6. A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Other Papers of Importance

7. Thiruvithamkur Charithram/Pachu Moothath

8. Travancore State Manual/T K Velu Pillai
9. Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore/Marks De Lannoy

See my Post,A BRAIN CHAOS:THE DEATH OF SWATI THIRUNAL

THE MYSTERY OF CHERAMAN PERUMAL AND MAHABALI

The Muslim Perumal And the Hindu Mahabali

There is a reference to a Sankara Varman or Chengal Perumal (621-640), meeting Muhammad Nabi (C.570-632), around AD 627. Nabi was 57 then. In the Muslim chronicles, there is another reference to a Zamorin of Kozhikode getting converted to Islam, as Abdu Rahman Zamiri (for Samoodiri), in CE 638. It was when the third Khalifa, son-in-law of Nabi, Uthman ibn Affan sent a delegation under Mughira Shu'ba, a companion of the prophet, to Kozhikode. On his return journey from Mecca, Zamiri died at Zafar, then in Yemen, now Dhofar, in Southern Oman. His qabr is still there. Afterwards, it was customary for the Zamorin, to dress up as a Muslim, during the Ariyittuvazhcha, or anointing ceremony, and take an oath saying he was a representative of the Perumal who went to Mecca.

The earliest available manuscript on Islam in Kerala, Tariq Zuhar Al Islam fil Malibar, by Muhammad Malik, mentions, the pilgrim leader, Zahiruddin Taqiuddin meeting the Perumal at Kodungallur, while on a journey to Srilanka, to see the Foot of Adam, or Adam's Peak. He met the Perumal again on his return. Perumal went with them to Arabia and the Perumal met Nabi in Jeddah, on Shawwal 27, Thursday, six years before Hijra, which is AD 617. He was converted to Islam as Thajudin and returned to Malabar after a few years. On the journey, he passed away in Sahar Mukalla, Yemen, on Muharram 1, Monday. It was the first year of Hijra, that is, CE 622.

Al Mukalla is the main seaport and capital city of Hadhramount in Yemen, a southern port of Arabia, on the Gulf of Eden, close to the Arabian Sea, 480 Kilometres east of Eden. It was founded in 1035, as a fishing settlement. Till the middle of the 11th century, it was part of Oman.

The old city is seen from Mukalla Port

Umar Muhammad Suhravardi says the Perumal was converted under the influence of the King of Mahal dweep, Maldives, Kilimanjaro. The Mahal King was known to Malik Dinar of Basra, and the King read out the accounts of Nabi's amazing deed of splitting the moon, to the Perumal and his minister, Krishnan Munjad. They decided to visit the Qabr of Nabi. But, when Munjad spurned Perumal's wife's lustful advances, she cooked up a molestation story against Munjad and the Perumal plotted to kill him. Realizing the sin, Perumal decided to join Islam and go to Mecca. Maybe it was a ploy by Sreedevi to discourage the Perumal from embracing Islam, under the influence of Munjad.

Munjad, who escaped, went to Male and got converted as Husain Khwaja and the Perumal went along with his nephew Kohinoor, to Mecca, in AD 701, during the Caliphate of Walid. The Perumal was joined in Kozhikode by Munjad's relatives, Mustha Mudukad, Neelinishada, Sharipad and their servants Marjan and Aswad, residing at Chaliyam. They were received in Basra by Malik Dinar and Jaffer Sulayman presided over the conversion. From there they went to Arabia, stayed for 12 years and the Perumal died in Sahar Mukalla, on his return journey to Malabar.

Still, there is a ritual of offering, Vattala payasam, to Krishna at the Chirakkal Kadalayi temple to expiate Perumal's sin. He had four wives in four different royal families, and Sreedevi belonged to the Kolathiri swaroopam. He listened to her word, committed a sin, hence had to go to Mecca-the offering is to expiate that sin.

Shaikh Zainudin in  Tuhfatul Mujahideen gives the period of Perumal's conversion being 200 years after Hijra began, so, in the year 822. Keralotpathi insists it was Palli Bana Perumal, not  Cheraman Perumal, who went to Mecca. Bana Perumal got converted first to Buddhism and then to Christianity and Islam. Cheraman was the fifth Perumal after him. The book alleges that it was the Muslims who concocted the myth that Cheraman got converted. We can see politics interfering here. The book has CE 332 as the year in which Perumal met Nabi. But Nabi began his religious work only after CE600, thus bulldozing the very foundations of the book. There are other versions which say Perumal went to Mecca in 825. 

The Caliphate showing Khorasan, CE 750

Maybe two Perumals got converted and went to Mecca. Sankara Varma during Nabi and the last Perumal Ramavarma Kulasekhara after Nabi.

Maybe both died in Arabia and Ramavarma was instrumental in Malik Dinar's visit to Kerala.MGS Narayanan opines that Perumal's conversion would have been in 1122. There is every chance since Yemen history says Mukalla was founded only in 1035. Maybe, it was a second Perumal conversion, as we will see later.

Madayi Mosque

There are several people with the name, Malik Dinar. The name denotes an Iranian, not an Arab, according to A Shusterry. If that he journeyed from Kodungallur to Khorasan in Iran, and died en route is true, it might be the disciple of the famous Sufi of Basra, Hassan, who died in 744. Then the reference in Rihlat al Muluk that Malik Dinar started off to Kodungallur in 701, becomes logical and we are given to believe Kalady, where Adi Sankara was born, was administered by an Islamic Perumal. It was absolute anarchy in Kerala then.

In the legend, Perumal, before leaving for Mecca, instructs the Zamorin to look after the Muslims and the Qasi, well. If there was a Qasi, there was a mosque, before the Perumal.

It is said that Malik Dinar had Perumal's letters with him, and when shown, the King gave him a Buddha vihara, where the Cheraman mosque was erected. The Vihara was constructed by Palli Bana Perumal. There is a version that says the Arathalli temple was gifted and converted into a mosque in 629. The Madayi mosque in Kannur, the third mosque in Kerala, was constructed with the help of the King of Kolathunad. The history of the Arakkal Muslim Kingdom of Kannur says the mosque was built by Kohinoor, the nephew of Cheraman Perumal. There is also a version which gives its credit to the Nair minister of Kolathiri, who got converted to Islam. Ibn Battuta, the 14th-century traveller, records meeting a King, whose grandfather did convert to Islam and built the Valapattanam mosque.

Malik Dinar Mosque,Thalangara

In the Arakkal history, the nephew of Cheraman is not Kohinoor, but Saifuddin Muhammad Ali, who was known as Mahabali earlier, son of Cheraman's sister Sreedevi, living at Dharmadam, North of Thalassery. He was converted by Perumal and Malik Dinar, on their way from Kodungallur to Basra, via Dharmadam. They travelled to Mecca from the erstwhile Poynadu, comprising, Edakkad, Ancharakkandi and Mavilayi, governed by Randuthara Achans.Perumal got down at Sahar Mukalla,went to see Nabi at Jeddah.He called Saifuddin Muhammad Ali at the time of his death and advised him not to visit Kodungallur or Travancore. Mahal king, Munjad and Malik Dinar met Perumal at Mukalla and got letters from him. On return, Malik Dinar embarked at Dharmadam, and sent Perumal's letters through the trader, Gulam Syed Muhammad, to the King of Kodungallur. He built the Madayi mosque.

Before the conversion of the Perumal, there was Islam in Kannur, the Arakkal branch had stemmed from a princess of the Kolathiri family who had married the Nair minister, an Arayan Kulangara Nair, who got converted. Their successors were called Mammali kidavu s, meaning children of Muhammad Ali, or Mahabali, meaning, Perumal's sister had married an Arayan Kulangara Nair. Then, it was not Malik Dinar, but Kohinoor, or Saifuddin Muhammad Ali, who built the Madayi mosque. 

Inside Cheraman Masjid,Kodungallur

The legend that Kerala Muslims adore, is the one in which the Perumal is Thajudin. He went from Kodungallur, Koyilandi Kollam, and Dharmadam to Sahar Mukalla Bandr (port), went to Jeddah and met Nabi who converted and named him, Thajudin. Malik Dinar married Perumal's daughter, Rajiyat. The Perumal died of fever and was interred in Sahar Mukalla Mosque. His fourth son, Thaqiudin went to Madurai and built 22 mosques, including the one at Kodungallur.

Thajudhin(Tajudhin) is mentioned in the report of Rahmatullahi Ahaihi in his Musthadarak a Hadeeth, narrated by Abu Saeed Al Khudry. He describes Thajudin Al Hindi meeting Nabi and presenting a container of a pickle with ginger in it." Nabi fed his companions ginger and I also was fed a piece from it", records Rahmatullah. It becomes an eyewitness account thus. Thajudin, in this account, heard of Nabi's miracles from traders and met him through them, and witnessed the splitting of the moon, by Nabi. This incident was in Hijra 5. So, it was in AD 627, and if we take this as history, the converted Perumal was Sankara Varman, who ruled from,621-640.So,it was not the last Perumal,Ramavarma Kulasekhara.

Thajudin passed away in the Oman port city of Salalah, en route to his return to India. The qabr of Thajudin is there in Hazrat Syedina Tajuddin Dargah, in Al Baleed, Salalah. He went to Jeddah from Mukalla, and on his return, fell sick at Salalah, and died in the port of Zafar, now Dhofar, on the Eastern border of Yemen, in Southern Oman.In local parlance, he is Chakrawati Farmas. By a strange coincidence, here, Sankara Varma the Perumal, who became Thajuddin, gets identified as Abdurahman Zamiri, the Zamorin, whom I mentioned at the beginning. The qabr is in the same city. Salalah is a greenish area like Kerala, with coconut trees, Plantain, Papaya and pepper. It is claimed by the local people that, it is the result of the dua made by Thajudin to Allah, to make the land his own home place. The distance between Mukalla and Dhofar is 680 Kilometers,10 hours.

Qabr of Thajudin in Salalah

The confusion about the Perumal who became a Muslim got confounded when the term, Cheraman Perumal was taken as an individual. It was a common term for the ruler, meaning, Chera's Perumal for Kerala. The Perumal, when first brought to rule, were not in Kodungallur. They were stationed at Thalyur, North of Thaliparambu, in Kannur. The Perumal sent by the Chola king stayed at Chozhakkara palace and the one sent by the Pandya king at Pandivampana, according to Keralotpathi. Palli Bana Perumal, who became Muslim, stayed at Banapuram. His father was from the Kodungallur Perunkovilakam. That he got converted makes sense, because the mosque, Palli, is attached to his name, which, definitely was a later addition. Palli is also a Buddhist word, hinting at a mix-up.

Cheraman Masjid/C.AD 625

What was the motive behind the conversion?
He had a quarrel with the Brahmin priests, his tongue was pulled out, he was dethroned and went to Mecca. Another version is that he murdered Bhutharaya Perumal, with the help of the Nambudiris after his defeat at the hands of the latter, forcing him to abdicate the throne. This made Nambudiris decorate him as a glamorous Kshatriya King. Keralotpathi brings in Parasurama, saying, the Perumal sought a solution to enjoy the wealth of Parasurama illegally. 

The Brahmin diviners told him, he has the solution only in Islam, and he will get an excuse when he kills Commander Nair, for an illicit relationship with his wife. He gifted 28 provinces to 29 kings before sailing to Mecca. When at last Mangat Unnikumara Menon came to see the Perumal at Thrikkariyur, he had only the land where the cock crows (Kozhikode?) and a bushy land (chullikkad). The place where the Perumal lived in this story, is Thrikkariyur, where Thunjath Ezhuthachan was born, much later. He knew better.

I have also read, the Perumal went to Mecca from Eraniel in Travancore. During the close of the temple festival there, an elephant is driven to the pond and asked to search for the Perumal. Here the story is, after Varaguna Pandyan defeated the Perumal in a battle at Vizhinjam in Travancore, the frustrated Perumal went to Mecca. In this chronicle, Kohinoor is not his nephew, but the Travancore Queen's son.

Mannar Koil

Fine. The last Perumal, Ramavarma, towards the end, lived not in Kodungallur, but Kollam.M G S Narayanan has proved that the Chera Perumals ruled during 800-1124. In the fierce war with the Cholas, Kulothunga Chola destroyed Perumal's capital Mahodayapuram, near Kudungallur and he shifted the capital to Kollam, around 1100. He had pressure from the Nambudiri brahmins. In the political turmoil, the Perumal abdicated in favour of his son, Kotha Varma(1102-1125). Perumal rule by that time had ended, Kollam had been captured by Kulothunga Chola in 1096, and Venad had become independent. It is believed that Perumal's sister had married a prince of the Perumbadapu royal family in Ponnani. The inscription, dated 1102 in the Rameswarathu temple in Kollam, records that the Perumal lived in the Panamkovil Palace. 

So, it is certain that it was not a Perumal who got converted in 627 or 638, even if the conversion account is true. If we take into account the evidence provided by MGS, it was not the Perumal, it was his son, King Kotha Varma, who may have embraced Islam. Hence, we find a nephew, not the Perumal's son, in the chronicles. For the benefit of chroniclers, Maldives is closer to Kollam than Kodungallur. The Perumal, being a friend of Sundara Murthy Nayanar, leading a monastic life after the abdication, makes sense. He is not Thajuddin, anyway. 

Koil idol

It takes us to the Mannar Rajagoplaswamy Kulasekhara Perumal Temple,40 kilometres west of Tirunelveli, near Ambasamudram, on the banks of the Tamiraibharani and Karuna rivers. The history of the temple with several inscriptions records that the Perumal stayed 30 years there, and died worshipping the Rama idol there. 

From the myriad myths, the one inference one can arrive at is that one Perumal/Perumal's son, did embrace Islam, and the legend is a concoction of Buddhism and Islam. In the olden days, Hindus seldom differentiated between the two,calling Muslims, Boudhas. I have always felt the story of Vamana dethroning Mahabali is based on the Cheraman myth, and there is a Mahabali, Saifuddin Muhammad Ali, in the story. Vamana destabilizing Mahabali is symbolic of, Nambudiri Brahmins dethroning the Perumal, after his attempt on the life of Munjad. Even in the Muslim chronicles, there is a reference to a rebellion by the Nair chieftains against the Perumal.

Embracing Islam was an escape route for him. Only the excommunicated sought conversion. In my childhood in Tripunithura, during Onam, a Muslim used to arrive, from Nettur, singing, paeans to the Perumal. Later I read the song in one short story, Vilapangal, by N S Madhavan. Thus, Onam always brings to my mind, a Muslim.

Reference:

1.Caste invades Kerala:A Social History of India/S N Sadasivan
2.Tuhfatul Mujahideen/Zaindudin
3. Keralotpathi
4. Outline of Islamic Culture/A Shusterry
5. Kerala Muslim Charitram/P A Said Muhammad
6. A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar/Francis Buchanan
7. The Southern Gates of Arabia/Freya Stark
8. Genesis and Growth of the Mappila Community/Dr Hussein Randathani
9.Muhammad Rasulullah/M Hamidullah 
10.Perumals of Kerala/MGS Narayanan 
11.Tadkirat-al Kiran Tarik -i,Khulufa-i-Arab/Sayyid Shah Kabir Tanaferi 
12.Islam in Kerala/Syed Mohideen Shah
13.Muslimingalum Kerala Samskaravum/P K Muhammad Kunji

See my Post,ARAKKAL ALI RAJA'S ATTACK OF MALDIVES