EDACHENA KUNKAN AND THE SIEGE OF PANAMARAM FORT

Captain Dickenson and Lt Maxwell Killed

After the slaying of Pazhassi Raja,while the Sub Collector Thomas Harvey Baber retained the dagger of Pazhassi,his clerk Karunakara Menon carried the sword and the single barrel fowling gun of Pazhassi on his shoulder,which he wrested from the Raja. Raja,in turn had seized the gun from Captain Dickenson,whom Edachena Kunkan,the Raja's Commander had slain,at the Siege of Panamaram Fort.

The capture of Panamaram Fort from the British by Kunkan and his force had been a decisive battle in which the British were taken by surprise and defeated.Such a battle by a Malayali force shoud be etched in golden letters,in  the history of Kerala.

The ruling British increased the taxes on farmers and more than half the rice produced was demanded as revenue, much to the dissatisfaction of the Wyanad people.One day, Edachena Kunkan happened to be in a house belonging to the Kurichiyar tribe when a belted British peon  came and demanded a rice paddy. In response, Edachena Kunkan killed him, after which 150 members of the Kurichiyar tribe under the leadership of Thalakkal Chandu joined Kunkan.With these additions and the support of his two brothers, Kunkan attacked the fort at Panamaram. The fort was guarded by 70 soldiers of I battalion of the Fourth Bombay Infantry under Captain Dickenson and Lieutenant Maxwell. The entire garrison, along with the Captain and Lieutenant were killed on 11 October 1802.After massacring the whole detachment, Kunkan acquired 112 muskets, six boxes of ammunition and Rs. 6,000, and the buildings were razed.This led to widespread revolt in Wayanad against British rule.

Order Attaching Kunkan's property

The Siege of Panamaram Fort

On 11 October 1802 followers of the Pazhassi Rajah attacked the East India Company garrison at Panamaram. Captain Dickenson and another European officer, together with about 50 Sepoys were killed and wounded during the fight.

Panamaram means Palmyra Fort; it appears that the garrison was stationed in a stockade built of palm tree trunks, to guard the point where the road from Sultan's Battery  to Mananthavady and the Peria Pass passes over the Kabani River. The Sepoy's were most probably living in the village along the street that runs down towards the site of the modern bridge. it is probable that Captain Dickenson's house was situated on the high point near the modern beaten earth sports field at the western end of the modern town.

Logan in his Malabar Manual records:

"The first overt act occurred at Panamaram (otherwise called Panamarattakotta, or Panamurtha Cotta, or still shorter Panorta Cota, literally the “palmyra tree fort”) in Wynad. Some five days previous to 11th October 1802, one of the proscribed rebel leaders, Edachenna Kungan, chanced to be present at the house of a Kurchiyan, when a belted peon came up and demanded some paddy from the Kurchiyan. Edachenna Kungan replied by killing the peon, and the Kurchiyars (a jungle tribe) in that neighbourhood, considering themselves thus compromised with the authorities, joined Edachenna Kungan under the leadership of one Talakal Chandu. This band, numbering about 150, joined by Edachenna Kungan and his two brothers, then laid their plans for attacking the military post at Panamaram, held by a detachment of 70 men of the 1st battalion of the 4th Bombay Infantry under Captain Dickenson and Lieutenant Maxwell.They first seized the sentry’s musket the sentry’s musket and killed him with arrows. Captain Dickenson killed and wounded with his pistols, bayonet and sword, 15 of the Kurchiyars, 5 of whom are dead and 10 wounded.The whole detachment was massacred, and the rebels obtained 112 muskets, 6 boxes of ammunition and Rs. 6,000. All the buildings at the post were destroyed."

Captain Lewis,based at Cannanore, sent the following account of events to Governor of Mysore, Colonel Arthur Wellesley on  16 October, 1802 ( Supplementary Despatches and Memoranda of Field Marshall Arthur Wellington. Vol III, Dec. 14, 1801 – Feb.14, 1803. Page 325 & 326 ):

“Ere this reaches you, you doubtless are acquainted with the melancholy occurrence at Panacoorta Cottah. The perpetrators of this accursed act were supposed to amount to between four and five hundred, divided into three parties, one of which secured the barracks of arms, another surrounded the officers’ homes, and the third attacked the sepoys. The cantonments were srt fire to in several places at the same time, and the men cut down as they came out of their huts. Captain Dickenson and Lieutenant Maxwell were mangled in a dreadful manner, twenty sepoys were killed and thirty wounded, few of whom are expected to survive; only one servant of Captain Dickenson’s escaped; all his property (except his mare) was destroyed, and his horse keeper and his wife were found burnt to death. Major Macleod’s Brahmins (of the Cutcherry) are missing. It is said that the Rajah himself, with Coongan and Yemman Nair, were present; but this can be only mere conjecture, as every inhabitant in the vicinity of Pancoota Cottah had deserted their homes. The arms of the detachment were secured by the rebels, but the ammunition being in Captain Dickenson’s house, was fortunately blown up. After this business was over, they were seen on the same morning at the Cootioor Pass, where they robbed and severely mauled every traveller who was unfortunate enough to fall in with them. To what point they directed their course is not yet ascertained."

Arthur Wellesley

The headquarters of the 4th Bombay Infantry Battalion was at Pulinjal, a few miles west of Panamaram. Here 360 men under the command of Major Drummond* remained,without any action.More from Supplementary Despatches:

"An officer within nine miles of him suffers himself to be surprised, and with his whole detachment is cut off; and Major Drummond, instead of putting the battalion under his command into camp, and moving quickly upon the rebels, sits quietly in his cantonment and takes no one step to oppose or stop the insurrection, or for the security of the troops or district under his command. I declare that after such supine conduct, to say no worse of it, I should not be astonished if I were to hear that Major Drummond and the remainder of the battalion had been cut off likewise.

"This is not the mode in which the former rebellion in Wynaad and Cotiote was suppressed; it is not that in which this insurrection is to be stopped; but it is the certain mode of continuing it as long as a British Soldier remains in that part of India.

"Tell Major Drummond that the troops lately sent to his assistance are not to be kept in a fort or cantonment; they are to be in the field in one or more bodies, according to his information of the strength of the enemy; and let him know that whatever may be the enemy’s strength at present, I expect that when he will be joined by these reinforcements he will move out and attack him, and that by his future activity he will remove from my mind the impression which has been made upon it of the certain evil which the public interests will sustain from his late supineness."

Colonel Wellesley was very critical of Drummond.On 3 November 1802, he wrote that the Major was a “kyde”, derived from,Kaithi,a Tamil word for prisoner.( Captain Robert Drummond had sailed to Bombay from Portsmouth on 17 March 1783 on EIC ship,George Elliot,which was launched the previous year.The ship reached Tellicherry on 24 September,Anjengo on 4 October.)

A relief column had to be sent up the Ghats from Calicut consisting of 300 sepoys and 200 men from Captain Watson’s police.

Edachenna Kungan following his victory went on to issue orders from Pulpalli Pagoda calling the inhabitants to arms. About 3,000 men assembled.

The minutes of the Commander in Chief J Stuart on 25 October,said that on the morning of the 11th a detachment of Panoratta, consisting of about 70 men of the Bombay Native Infantry was attacked by a body of Nairs. The post was carried, the Cantonment and Cutchery were burnt and the detachment was cutt off. The commanding Officer, Captn Dickerson, Lieutn Maxwell with 24 Sepoys were killed and about the same number of native troops were wounded... The body of Nairs whose numbers did not exceed three or four hundred men are reported to have dispersed after the affair but it appears that the stockade at the pass of Cotiote was attacked soon after, and the latest accounts contain information that the communication between Cotaparamba and Moutana had been intercepted.The officer commanding in Malabar took immediate steps to reinforce the Troops in Cotiote and Wynaad, and to collect a Detachment for the purpose of acting in these countries should the insurrection prove to be general. He detached 5 Company’s of the 5 Bombay Regiment with two Hundred men of the Police Corps from Calicut to Wynaad, and agreeably to instructions from the Honble Coll Wellesley drew his Majesties 77 Regiment into Malabar from the Province of Canara. The latter Officer has likewise adopted the most active measures for the reestablishment of Tranquillity – he has ordered the first battalion 8th Regiment to proceed from Seringapatam to Kancencottah to escort the Collector Major Macleod** and co-operate with the Troops serving in the Wynaad, and he is preparing to support these troops with further reinforcements should circumstances require them.There will be already fifteen hundred men in Wynaad, exclusively of the force in Cotiote***, his Majesties 77th Regiment two companies of the 81st – and the Bombay European Regiment which Corps has been directed to be detained while its presence may be necessary, will be in readiness to enter this District by the side of Malabar and the Commander in Chief has authorised the movement of two battalions of Native Infantry from the Southern Division of the Army to Mysore should the Hon’ble Colonel Wellesley require their services.

Edachena Kunkan , was a Wayanad Nayar noble of Tirunelli, who had joined the war efforts of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja in the 1770s and soon rose to become the commander of Raja's army. His younger brothers, Edachena Komappan , Edachena Othenan and Edachena Ammu, joined him in war as junior generals. He became popular in Wayanad through his leadership, creating support among people of many classes for Pazhassi Raja's war against the British East India Company.

Kunkan proved to be an excellent commander and under his leadership, Pazhassi troops fought against Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore as far as the outskirts of Mysore. This enlarged the sphere of influence of Pazhassi Raja, who laid claim to territories as far as Nanjangud, Mysore.

During Hyder's siege of Thalasseri with the help of Chirakkal and Kadathanad ( 1779–1782), Pazhassi Raja sent 1000 troops commanded by Kunkan, who successfully repulsed all assaults by the Mysore army. The siege was later broken by a joint British-Pazhassi attack in 1782.

Koli tree at the Panamaram Fort site

After the capture of Panamaram Fort, Kunkan went to Pulpally pagoda, where he made an appeal to the people to join the rebel ranks. The response was overwhelming, as three thousand men volunteered. From then until early 1804, Pazhassi rebels launched regular guerrilla attacks over British positions throughout Northern Malabar, reaching as far as the coastal towns of Kannur, Thalassery and Calicut.Kunkan confronted the British twice: in 1802 at Wayanad where he tried to block a British army en route to Mananthavadi and in 1803 when he tried to besiege an outpost at Pazhassi. Both ended in failure, but it helped him to revise his strategy as afterwards he concentrated only on guerrilla warfare. The British announced a reward of 1,000 pagodas for those who helped to arrest Kunkan.By November 1805, the rebels were on the run and after Raja's death, Kunkan, 'that determined and incorrigible rebel,' was killed by the British army at Mavilayi Thod  alongwith Pazhassi Raja in 1805.

Kalpully Karunakara Menon,the Kolkaran who betrayed Pazhassi Raja,recorded thus in his report to the Malabar Principal Collector F Clemenston in 1834:

"While I was patrolling the forests of Wayanad and Kottayam with my senior officer Thomas H Baber with the aim of relieving the woods of the scourge of Pazhassi Raja and his men, the revolutionary King himself landed in front of me. From point-blank range, Pazhassi Raja pulled his trigger at me thrice.But by fate or accident, the gun did not pump any bullets.I managed to save myself and eliminate Pazhassi Raja following this.At this juncture, Edachena Kungankutty Nambiar and around a hundred of his soldiers started firing at us.In the resulting crossfire, we managed to eliminate Kungankutty Nambiar and many of his soldiers.Several of his soldiers were also taken prisoners. This includes the late Pazhassi Raja's wife too".

Pazhassi Raja's end came close to Karnataka on the shore of a stream named Mavila or Mavila Thod, on 30 November 1805,not far from Pulpally.Raja and party were caught by surprise and an intense but short fight followed. Six rebels were killed.

Aralathu Kuttyappa Nambiar was the only one among Pazhassi followers,who tried to defend at the grave, then he also was killed by them.The Company army confronted at Pulinjal the agitators and killed Emman, the nephew of Edachena Kunkan. Kunkan was also killed with Pazhassi. The Company army tried to catch Pallur Rayarappan, but he killed one of the Company men then committed suicide.Edachena Komapan caught by the Kolkkaranmar and Mundottil Mootha Nair were also killed. Emman, once the friend of Colonel Arthur Wellesley and others caught by the army and condemned to exile to the Island Prince of Wales, North to Australia.

After the killing od Pazhassi Raja,the East India Company held military trials at Sreerangapatanam during March and April,1806 and tried the captured soldiers.Edachena Komappan was tried on 31 March 1809.He pleaded not guilty.Coondy Kambier who had been a Gomastah belonging to a Cutcherry at Panartocotta at the time, and who had made his escape on the night of the massacre, was called to give evidence for the prosecution,thus:

"Yadachen Compen [Edachena] with his two Brothers, Coongan [Edachena Kunkan] & Yamroo accompanied with three hundred men came to Parrartacottah in the middle of the night on or about Sept 1802 , set fire to the Huts belonging to the Sepoys and killed the Sentries: Captn Dickenson ran out of his House and called the Drummer to beat to arms. About this time he received a wound from an arrow, and fired a fowling piece at the assailant. No sepoys arriving to his assistance Captn Dickenson endeavoured to cross over to a small Guard posted over some treasure – Before he could reach the Guard, however he fell in consequence of his wound, after he fell the Prisoner Yadachen Comapen cut him about the head with a sword, at a small distance another European Officer was killed & about 50 sepoys."

Komappan had also laid an ambush of a detachment under Colonel Montresor, firing into this officer’s column from the flanks.Komappan in his defense,maintained that it was his brother Kunkan, a vakeel for the Pazhassi Raja, who had in fact led the attack. He said that he had been left in the rear because he had a sore foot.Montresor was an associate of James Hartley,who had been army Commander at Kochi,Palakkad and Kannur and later General,Supervisor and Magistrate of Malabar.

The Court Marshall found Komappan guilty. The court sentenced him to death by hanging.

Thomas Baber on 9 April 1807, instructed his vakeel Kulpilly Karunakara Menon to prosecute the case against Paleora Eman Nair,  Kariakaran to Pazhassi Raja. The prisoners were taken to Sreerangapatanam where they were taken before a Court Marshall.Since there is record of an earlier trial date of 7April 1806 for Eman,The Court Marshall found all the men guilty and sentenced them to hang, so it is possible, that the instruction of 9 April refers to an appeal. 

Order attaching Kunkan's Property

The Court Marshall found all the men guilty and sentenced them to hang, which resulted in the men having their sentences commuted to transportation to Prince of Wales Island.

The Nilagiri Special assistant Collector on 17 April 1888 attached the properties of Kunkan.The order was found in the collection of Edachena E P Kunjikrishna Nair by his son K Madhusoodanan.The order says that since Kunkan had fought the British,he committed sedition and his family have no right to own properties in the country.The British,following this,denied land even for the cremation of dead bodies to the family and as a result,the bodies were thrown into river.The members of the family were denied government jobs.Why it took more than 80 years for such an order? No idea.

The Edachena family had migrated to Wynad,during the administrative expansion of the Kottayam dynasty.Kunkan was born at Pannichal,Edavaka in Mananthavadi.

The families, Edachana Kulangara, Edachana Puthenveettil and Edachana Koovammoola are still residing in Wayanad, and are third generation descendants of Edachena Kunkan.

Thalakkal Chanthu, also spelled Thalakkal Chandu, was an archer and commander-in-chief of the Kurichya soldiers of the Pazhassi Raja.Chanthu began his career under Edachena Kunkan.The British forces launched a retaliatory attack and trapped Chanthu on 15 November 1805.He was executed under a Koli tree.The Kerala Government installed a memorial to Chanthu on 22 September 2012, near Panamaram Fort on the banks of the Kabaniriver. In the form of a museum, the memorial displays weapon models used by Chanthu and his tribesmen, the Kurichiya archers and the tribe's traditional agricultural tools.

Failure of Wellesley

Arriving in Calcutta in February 1797 Arthur Wellesley spent several months there, before being sent on a brief expedition to the Philippines, where he established a list of new hygiene precautions for his men to deal with the unfamiliar climate.Returning in November to India, he learnt that his elder brother Richard, now known as Lord Mornington, had been appointed as the new Governor-General of India.In 1798, he changed the spelling of his surname to "Wellesley"; up to this time he was still known as Wesley, which his eldest brother considered the ancient and proper spelling.

Records say that, Colonel Wellesley, (1769-1852), brother of the then British Governor General of India, Richard Wellesley (Marquees Wellesley), was appointed as the Commander of the colonial forces of Malabar, South Canara and Mysore to suppress the growing aggression posed by Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan and Pazhassi Raja of Wayanad."The military control of the province was placed under the Madras government, which appointed Colonel Arthur Wellesley as Commander of the forces in Malabar and Canara as well as in Mysore," says the Malabar Manual.According to the manual, the British commander had made elaborate arrangements to strengthen the military posts and the army presence in the area and ordered the construction of roads to suppress the rebel uprising.

In a letter to his fellow army man, Lieutenant Colonel Kirkpatrick, dated 7 April 1800, Wellesley described Wayanad as a country "well calculated for turbulence"."There never was a country which, from its nature, its situation, the manners of its people, and its government, was so well calculated for turbulence," he had said.Expressing displeasure over the complicated geography of Wayanad which made the military operations difficult for the British troops, he described the whole place as a "jungle"."The whole country is one jungle, which may be open in some parts, but in others is so thick that it is impossible to see objects at the distance of two yards; and till roads are made, the country is impracticable for our troops," he said.Wellesley also called the native people as "savage and cruel" in the letter.However, records showed that despite his meticulous planning and strategies, Wellesley could not catch Pazhassi Raja as he wished.The commander had to return to his home country before Raja was defeated by the East India Company.

Both Arthur Wellesley and his brother were asked to return to England in 1805 before the Wayanad mission was completed.He was given the prestigious title of the Duke of Wellington in 1814 for his services and later assigned with the task of taking on Napoleon.As a military commander, Wellesley rose to the zenith of fame by defeating Napoleon in 1815.He was invited by King George IV to form his own government, following which he became the Prime Minister in 1828.

_________________________

*Major Drummond:Probably it was Robert Drummond of the Bombay Medical Establishment of the Company,who wrote Grammar of the Malabar Language in 1799.In its preface,he speaks of his visit to Bishop Luis of Uzula,who presided over the Carmelite mission at Verapoly ( Varapuzha ).He has listed names of other officers who learned Malayalam in Malabar:John William Wye,Affillant Surgeon of Bombay Medical Establishment,Lt Joseph Watson,Hay Clephane of the civil service.

** Major William Macleod,Principal Collector of Malabar

*** Cotiote:Kottayam

Wellesley:Arriving in Calcutta in February 1797 he spent several months there, before being sent on a brief expedition to the Philippines, where he established a list of new hygiene precautions for his men to deal with the unfamiliar climate.Returning in November to India, he learnt that his elder brother Richard, now known as Lord Mornington, had been appointed as the new Governor-General of India.In 1798, he changed the spelling of his surname to "Wellesley"; up to this time he was still known as Wesley, which his eldest brother considered the ancient and proper spelling.

© Ramachandran 

THE SLAYER OF PAZHASSI RAJA

Karunakara Menon Admitted It

Pazhassi Raja was shot dead on 30 November 1805-but by who?

The British didn't get any information on Pazhassi Raja's hide out till 1805,when a Chetti gave information to Thomas Harvey Baber,the Sub Collector who took to field with 100 Kolkars and 50 Sepoys.There is one school of thought that blames Pazhayamviden Chandu as solely responsible for the fall of Raja and end of his revolt. Pazhayamviden worked with British military authority as an "adviser" like Pallore Eman ( Pallur Emman Nair,his tax collector  ), but in reality, spied for Raja.In the autumn of 1805 Pazhayamviden decided to betray all military secrets of his master for a large sum of money.It will not be far-fetched to believe that Chetti who guided British troops to Raja's hideout mentioned by Baber in his letter to his superiors could be a servant or agent of Pazhayamviden Chandu.The key betrayer was Kalpully Karunakara Menon,a clerk with the East India Company ( Caranakara Menoen in Baber's letters and Kulpilly Kareencona Menon British records ).

Pazhassi Raja's end came close to Karnataka on the shore of a stream named Mavila or Mavila Thod,not far from Pulpally. Raja and party were caught by surprise and an intense but short fight followed. Six rebels were killed.The wounded Raja did live long enough for a few more minutes to raise his loaded gun,put it on the breast of Karunakara Menon and then tell him not to come too close to his dying body and pollute it. Raja's contempt and sarcasm for a man who chose to serve an unclean foreigner are evident in this action.It also showed his uncompromising stand towards collaborators and foreign invaders.

Aralathu Kuttyappa Nambiar was the only one among Pazhassi followers,who tried to defend at the grave, then he also was killed by them.The Company army confronted at Pulinjal the agitators and killed Emman, the nephew of Edachena Kunkan. Kunkan was also killed with Pazhassi. The Company army tried to catch Pallur Rayarappan, but he killed one of the Company men then committed suicide.Edachena Komapan caught by the Kolkkaranmar and Mundottil Mootha Nair were also killed. Emman, once the friend of Colonel Arthur Wellesley and others caught by the army and condemned to exile to the Island Prince of Wales, North to Australia.

The nephews of Pazhassi, Ravivarma and Viravarma were sheltered at Samoothiri Kovilakam before the assassination of Pazhassi Raja. The Company army smashed the Samoothiri Kovilakam at Kalladikkod, raided for the hidden storage for the weapons of the agitators, imprisoned the ruler and condemned him to Dindigal. He died during the trial.

The precise nature of Pazhassi Raja's death had been controversial. Folklore insisted that he committed suicide by swallowing a diamond ring to avoid capture after he was wounded,but Baber said he was killed by a clerk named 'Canara Menon'.W. J. Wilson, who wrote  the history of the Madras Regiment, credited Captain Clafam and his six sepoys for killing. Baber was not on good terms with military authority throughout the war.He is alleged to have credited Menon so as to deny credit to Clafam and his superior Colonel Hill.

Kunjani, the wife of Raja who was taken the prisoner, committed suicide in captivity at Kappanaveedu, near Thalassery. As reprisal on his family, property was confiscated and the palace at Pazhassi was demolished and replaced with a highway.

Palanquin of Karunakara Menon

The doubts over who killed Pazhassi Raja should be laid to rest because,a report sent by Karunakara Menon the Head Shirasthadar of Calicut in 1834 to Malabar Principal Collector F Clemenston, admits that he killed Pazhassi Raja.Here is the report:

I Killed Him:

For the information of the Principal Collector of the Malaya*province, Mr. Clemenston, 'Shirasthadar', Kalpulli Karunakara Menon writes,

"As per the orders of your highness, I had travelled to 'Kudak' and was imprisoned for five months.The happenings were reported to Your Highness last April.The affidavits certifying my exemplary services, granted by twelve different luminaries have already been submitted to you. These serve to prove my unquestioned loyalty towards the British Government.During this course, I have been in positions like the 'Thukkidi Shirasthadar' who handles financial matters and still no aspersions were cast on my honesty.I have worked in the district court and the revenue department. I have patrolled the forests and hills with arms.I have been instrumental in wiping out Pazhassi Raja and his men. I hope you remember that these men were a real challenge to your administration. Let me share those experiences.

"While I was patrolling the forests of Wayanad and Kottayam with my senior officer Thomas H Baber with the aim of relieving the woods of the scourge of Pazhassi Raja and his men, the revolutionary King himself landed in front of me. From point-blank range, Pazhassi Raja pulled his trigger at me thrice.But by fate or accident, the gun did not pump any bullets.I managed to save myself and eliminate Pazhassi Raja following this.At this juncture, Edachena Kungankutty Nambiar and around a hundred of his soldiers started firing at us.In the resulting crossfire, we managed to eliminate Kungankutty Nambiar and many of his soldiers.Several of his soldiers were also taken prisoners. This includes the late Pazhassi Raja's wife too.The sepoy detachment including me and other associated with us were rewarded Rs. 10,500 by the British Government.Following this I presented myself in the office of the governor, Lord Benedick along with the Collector.He was delighted at the short account of the assault that brought Pazhassi Raja down. We also presented before him the several arms and ammunition that we had confiscated during the battle.The Governor was pleased and rewarded us well.He also insisted that the arms thus confiscated should be kept in my custody and gifted them to me.Not only had we killed Pazhassi Raja, but had also eliminated Kannoth Nambiar and his accomplices.Wayanad regained its peace after this and this situation continued till 1812.

"In 1812, two of Pazhassi Raja's nephews, who were incarcerated in the Kannur Fort, escaped and reached the Wayanad Hills.They actively mobilized the tribes like Kurichyar, Kadar and other hill people to revolt against the British.They took refuge in the Wayanad Hills and murdered government officials and disrupted the postal services via Wayanad.They effectively took over the administration of Wayanad stationing themselves at Mananthavadi.Upon this, the district Judge, Baber sent me and 60 soldiers to tackle them. Upon reaching Manathavadi, I realized that the rebels were stationed in the Puthiyedath Hills near Mananthavadi.Havaldar Chandukkutti and a Naik, accompanied by 20 personnel, were sent to the banks of the Bavali River to reopen the disrupted postal channel.Of the several Kurichyar who stood watching them, two who were dressed as velichappadu (the temple oracle) came forward and imprisoned the Naik and Havaldar, taking them by their hand.They also imprisoned others, who were accompanying the officers.The prisoners were immediately taken to the Puthiyedath Hills.This convinced me that the rebels were disguised as velichappadu.They were also plotting attacks on the British forces camping in Mananthavadi.Mr. Baber entrusted me the responsibility of crushing these rebels too.I along with Subedar Mavila Kannan and Subedar Ahmed Kutty and 70 personnel set out on the mission.Baber also entrusted a copy of the proclamation and a royal decree to be handed over to the rebel leader Vengalan Kelu.With these preparations, we set out for the Puthityedath Hills.

"My conscience forced me to go to the site the same night. Colonel Welsh and his 80 sepoys were left with no choice but to march along with me.As we closed in on Ganapathyvattom we came under intense fire from the revolutionaries.We estimated that there must be around 500 of them.An intense encounter ensued. The revolutionaries withdrew into the forests following extensive casualties on their side.Colonel Welsh suffered an arrow injury on his back and was in intense pain. We spent the night at the armoury.We moved to Parakkady next morning and received information that the revolutionaries had left the camps and gone back to their homes.We had to capture the leaders and so camped at Mananthavadi. My old colleagues Havaldar Kandankutty and Naik Peringodan Kannan were among those we were searching for.

"These were men sent to the banks of the river Bavali for surveillance but changed sides to that of the revolutionaries from the British Army.

"Mr.Baber and Colonel Welsh showered me with praises and sent a report to the government regarding my gallantry and service.Following this the government sanctioned me a palanquin and granted Rs.70 as monthly allowance as wages for the palanquin bearers. The rebels we captured in Wayanad were tried in the Thalassery court and most of them were deported to the 'Prince of Wales' island.Recurring fever troubled me during my stay in Wayanad. Despite the earnest efforts of the physician Dr. Dyer, my health was severely affected.After the capture and conviction of the rebels in 1812, Wayanad stayed calm till 1815.Rebellions and riots hit Mangalore and Baber, who was then appointed the Mangalore district Judge, sought my services to manage the situation.Upon his request and with the permission of the Thalassery District Judge Wilson, I set off to suppress the riot.

"I successfully contained the rebellions at Bilki, Aleyan and Sambrani.But the King of Bilki had escaped to Pune and was under the protection of the Pune noble, Venkatarao.He was camping in a place called Jamuthi. He had abducted three women, two men and two children, who were protected by Baber.Baber assigned me with the task of rescuing the hostages and bringing the king back. I set off with 60 sepoys and a letter for Venkatarao.

"Venkatarao had preempted our arrival and met us at the riverbank in Jamuthi with 300 sepoys and a 200 strong horse-mounted force. He ordered us not to cross the river.

"I handed over the letter from Mr. Baber to Mr. Venkatarao. He took me and four other sepoys to the camp.He informed us that the King of Bilki was not living in Jamuthi and there were no hostages either.I stayed at the camp for another seven days and during this time built a strong rapport with Venkatarao.He handed over all except a young woman among those kidnapped back to me.I realised the missing woman was in the custody of Venkatarao's nephews.It took extensive deliberations and finally she was also handed over with great reluctance. I went to Sula where Baber was staying and handed over the rescued persons to him.It was only upon further correspondence with the Pune Resident that we realised that Venkatarao was a rebel and a known bad character. 

"In 1816, I was assigned to assist the new Malabar commissioner, Thomas Munro, who had written a letter to Baber seeking a person, who knows the Malabar area very well.Baber had suggested me for the post.Even after Mr. Munro was transferred to Madras, we were regularly in touch through friendly correspondence.. Thereafter I assisted Gramme when he was posted as the commissioner of Malabar and Canara.It was I, who helped him organise the Malabar Survey and establish the 'Desavazhy' system in 1828.The next officer to assume that post was Vogan and he too sought my service. I worked with him till 1825 and then till 1831 under Sheffield. I had put in praiseworthy service even in the service of the next collector, Huddleston.

"Thereafter I had been working under your highness. I am strongly convinced that there are no black marks on my service record under you either.I was incarcerated for five months by the King of Coorg while on your mission there.I had supplied you with intelligence regarding the King's movements on October 18, 20, 24 and 28 in the year 1833. I was imprisoned as I put myself at an extremely vulnerable position defending Graeme during his Madikkara visit.I would like to remind your Highness that despite having several committed soldiers, you have just one who risks his life constantly in the service of the British Empire and that is me.Due to all these reasons I cultivated plenty of enemies and their tribe just keeps growing with each passing day. This has forced me to carry arms on a regular basis for self-defense.

"I offer free food to Brahmin pilgrims once every year.I also engage in feeding the poor five months in a year and have constructed a structure for the same.With all these in mind, I request the esteemed Empire to kindly declare the land I was gifted with during different instances of my 33 years of service to be tax-free.I also request you to kindly grant me a handsome pension that will take care of the well-being and security of my descendants and me."

Menon,From Rags to Riches

The life of Karunakara Menon,a stooge of Baber,who began as a petty Kolkaran in the East India Company,is a rags to riches story.He was a resident of Ramanattukara,who it is said,left his home in his teens.

There was a Dewan called Swaminatha Iyer from Palghat in the service of the Zamorin of Calicut,who had been also an agent of the British.It was his idea to have a native batallion,for the British to fight the local war lords,and the Kolkars batallion was formed.The Kolkars consisted mainly of Nairs,and was commanded by Captain Joseph Watson.

When Pazhassi Raja was killed by him,Menon possibly was a Kolkaran.Baber in his detailed report of the final battle, to the Pricipal Collector William Macleod on 31 December 1805,has mentioned one Subedar Charan,alongwith Menon.The report narrates how the body of the fallen king was carried in the palanquin of Baber and his ailing lady in the palanquin of Baber's captain,Hay Clephane. The king was given a proper funeral, despite English hostility. Baber wrote: "I was induced to this conduct from the consideration that although a rebel, he (Pazhassi Raja) was one of the natural chieftains of the country, and might be considered on that account rather as a fallen enemy."

When Menon found Pazhassi Raja,he had been wounded by an initial gun shot,probably from the gun of Charan.So,Menon the traitor grappled with a hapless Raja,who,hence considered him an untouchable,apart from a traitor.

Menon,in the letter quoted above,has admitted he and his group received Rs 10,500.The British had declared a reward of 2500 pagodas for the capture of Pazhassi Raja.A scheming Baber had definitely an eye on the reward.Menon has said that he was gifted the arms and ammunition confiscated.While Baber retained the dagger of Pazhassi,Menon carried the sword and the single barrel fowling gun of Pazhassi on his shoulder,which he wrested from the Raja after the murder .Pazhassi Raja,in turn had seized the gun from Captain Dickenson,whom the Raja had slain,at the Siege of Panamaram Fort.

Captain Clafam got the waist chain of Pazhassi,as gift.

Baber promoted Menon even in later years,as is evident from Menon's report.He retained Menon as his Registrar at Tellicherry and introduced him to Colonel James Welsh,who met Baber in 1812,seven years after Pazhassi's death.Welsh remembered Menon in his memoirs,as a rough person,in British army uniform,carrying sword and gun of Pazhassi.He spoke Hindi and Kannada fluently.Menon was the guide of Welsh,who had come to Malabar,to deal with the insurgency at Wynad.

Menon records that he was imprisoned at Coorg-he had been taken hostage by the king of Coorg,Chikkaveera Rajendra,when he went there as an envoy of the Collector.Chikkaveera had killed his own sister Devamma,her family and his tutor,Muddayya.British Resident in Mysore, J A Casamajor had warned Chikkaveera against his nefarious and inhuman activities.Menon was made a hostage,after the death of Pazhassi Raja.Infact,he had retired and was recalled to do a mission.He also went to Pune to rescue five people kidnapped by a local ruler of Bilki.The Venkat Rao mentioned in his letter maybe,Venkat Rao Ghorpade,husband of Anu Bai,the daughter of the Maratha Peshwa,Balaji Vishwanath.Venkat Rao riled Ichalkaranji,Kolhapur.

Both Baber and Menon died during the same period.

Prema Jayakumar,reputed translator,is a direct descendent of Karunakara Menon.

James Welsh

Welsh on Menon

James Welsh,in his Military Reminiscences Volume 2 records meeting Menon thus:

One of the bravest,most inteelligent,most indefatigable,most liberal,and most honourable men,I ever knew in life,was a native of Malabar;a Naire by birth and education,but divested of all their prejudices,and retaining their high spirit only,tempered with discretion and Christian charity.Much above the middle size,he was formed for strength and activity,with a countenance bespeaking his intelligence and goodness of heart.At our first interview,he appeared to me a rough manly fellow;I had then never been on the Malabar coast,and knew nothing about its inhabitants;and on the night of the 17 th,observing him very active in conversing in Canarese,with natives whom he sent away,I suspected him of treachery,in leading us for shelter from the rain,into houses so situated for a surprise;whilst my fatigued comrades were all enjoying a refreshing sleep,I,therefore,watched him narrowly during the whole night,determing,on the first alarm,to put him to death.

A soldier at heart,though not my profession,he had long been accustommed to such service,and had attended Mr Baber for years on similar wars,both on the coast and in Wynad.He was clad in the plainest garb;and on the march,wore a brown cloth waist coat,buttoned over his angrekaha or white jacket,and had an English hunting white cap on his head;carrying a single barrelled fowling piece over his shoulder,and a sword by his side.It was not till the next morning,when we arrived at Panawortahcottah,that I found out the object of his solicitude the night before,by seeing a quantity of grain,fruit and fowls,sufficient for our whole party,collected ready for our arrival;and taking me aside,he told me his scouts had actually traced the enemy,and he hoped to lead us to them that very day.This man no sooner opened his mouth,than his countenance displayed that candour and benevolence,which were the true inmates of his soul.I have known him intimately in all situatins for years since that period,and have never had occasion to alter the opinion then formed,of my friend Canararahmenoen,as he is generally called;indeed I am proud to call such a man my friend.Fortunately he talked the Hindoostanee like a Moorman,as I was not conversant with Canarese,or the Malabar language of the western Coast.

Arrived at Poorakandy,he got further intelligence,which he immediately imparted,and which deprived us of the meal,all hands were anticipating.When we got up with the enemy,he was the foremost man;and I was even annoyed at his always contriving to be in my front.The fowling-piece he always carries,he took in action from the Pyche Rajah,who after he had discharged it at him,and while struggling in his arms,intending him to take prisoner only,was killed by one of our people,who thought Canarahmeneoen's life in danger.It had originally belonged to Captain Davidson,who was treacherously slain by the Rajah at Panawortahcottah.**

From this account by Welsh,it is clear that the killing shot was not fired by Menon but "one of our people".It has to be Clafam.As Menon claimed,he was INSTRUMENTAL in killing the Raja.

James Welsh

He was born on 12 March 1775, the son of Sir John Welsh, who sat on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Calcutta, and his wife Primrose Hook Gascoigne, the sister of the industrialist Sir Charles Gascoigne and daughter of Capt. George Woodroffe Gascoigne and his wife the Hon. Grizel Elphinstone. Grizel was the daughter of Charles, 9th Lord Elphinstone, and thus an aunt to several eminent imperial officials, including the admiral George Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith and the colonial administrator Mountstuart Elphinstone, who twice refused the post of governor-general of India, preferring to finish writing his book The History of India instead. Through her mother, Grizel was a great-aunt of the 5th Earl of Rosebery, who married Hannah de Rothschild and held, successively, the offices of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister.

With the assistance of his grandmother's Elphinstone relations, Welsh obtained a commission as ensign in the army of the East India Company on 22 May 1790, and arrived at Madras on 23 January 1791. He joined the 3rd European regiment at Vellore, and in November went with Colonel Floyd's detachment to serve in the grand army under Lord Cornwallis.On 6 February 1821 Welsh was appointed to command the troops in the provinces of Malabar and Kanara; on 6 May 1823 to command at Vellore; on 23 January 1824 to command in Travancore and Cochin.In between he went through a harrowing court martial.Early in 1829 Welsh went to England on furlough and was promoted colonel on 5 June. He published his informative Military Reminiscences (2 vols., 1830) with more than ninety illustrations, and also A Memorial, Addressed to the Court of Directors of the East India Company (1830), presenting, with commentary, an account of his actions at Palayammcottai in 1806, his court martial and unsuccessful attempts to obtain a complete vindication of his conduct, together with the government's refusal to allow him to act as a prize agent at Travancore in 1809.

Baber's Account

Thomas Harvey Baber ( 1771-1843 ) was born on 29 September 1771 at Slingsby Rectory,Yorkshire,England to Thomas Draper Baber and Elizabet Berriman;arrived in the new year of 1797, in Bombay.He came to Tellicherry and worked in the revenue department;became Sub Collector of Malabar,in 1804 under Thomas Warden.He was district Judge during 1808-1816 in Tellicherry and then was transferred to Mangalore,where he served as the third judge in the western provincial court,till 1824.He then moved to Bombay with health problems and then to Dharwar as Political Agent and Principal Collector,till 1827.He then became first Judge,retired in 1938,settled in Tellicherry.He deposed in the House of Lords in 1830,on EIC matters.He was married to Helen Somerville Fearon and had four children:,Thomas Francis Baber, John William Baber,Edward Henry Baber,and Henry Fearon Baber.Baber died on 5 August 1843 at Kannur.Helen was the daughter of James Somerville Fearon and Mary Douglas,of Richmond,Surrey.She was born in October 1777 and died on 10 April 1840 at Tellicherry.Baber's son Henry Fearon Baber was born at Tellicherry on 24 July 1819.He married Maria Jane Harris on 25 September 1841 and had four children.Henry died in Kursiani,near Darjeeling on 18 May 1861.

Baber’s letter from Kannur to the Principal Collector of Malabar Major William Macleod on 31 December 1805, reveals that” the British excelled in mind games. They isolated Pazhassi and party by gleaning away supporters and snapping the lines of subsistence ( Correspondence relating to Pyachi Rajas rebellion,july,23,1805,p.17).The capture of Thalakkal Chanthu was a turning point. Baber visited the locality where Chanthu was hid captive and distributed goodies to those who lent helping hands in the capture. He writes about that “to the Kolkars the reward you authorized.” He goes on, “I did not fail haranguing the inhabitants on the occasion and in particular enlarged on the magnitude of the crimes of Chanthu and I have no doubt the circumstances will have a lasting impression.” 

Baber  took stock of the sentiments of the people towards Pazhassi. He continues: “Throughout the Northern and Western parts of the districts, I found the sentiments in our favors , at the same time a considerable disinclination to afford the smallest information of the ‘Pychi Rajah’ or his partisans.” He also understood the regard for Pazhassi in most regions. “In all classes I observed a decided interest for the’Pychi Rajah’, towards whom the inhabitants entertained a regard and respect bordering on veneration which not even his death can deface.” He meticulously details the war-plan, the steepest task being information gathering. His most arduous task was to tame the Chettiars.The wealthy of the region were the Chettiars and the Goundas. He called a meeting of all communities to warn them against helping Pazhassi. He nevertheless understood that they presented themselves “from no other impulse than a dread of the consequences of absenting themselves, neither did they thereby throw off their connections with the rebels".

Wellesley Bungalow,where Baber Lived

Baber also believed that the Chettiars arrived for the meeting after getting a sanction from Pazhassi. He particularly targets the Chettiars and warns them that he is out to find out their real loyalties. “I warned them against giving me the smallest shadow to suspect they were continuing in the rebels interest.” Baber slowly made himself a frequent figure in the region, taking marches day and night. He notes the changes in the people’s demeanor. “They began evidently to alter their conduct and in some instances they came forward with information."

The “rebels”, he writes, sensing the change, retreated from Parakameetil to the eastern extremities of Waynad. Stepping up his offensive, Baber took the search to the next level. He chokes the lifeline of their subsistence as Pazhassi is confined to the eastern frontier, close to Mysore. He writes to the Resident at Mysore who in turn imposed severe penalties on people who facilitated movement of goods and articles. Pazhassi’s gang began to feel the pinch. With the “rebels” confined to “Wayanad Holy”, Baber decided to begin the quest. He recounts marching down Pulpally with his men and not seeing even a single inhabitant on the road. Most of them had fled to the mountains, sensing the climax was close. Here, Baber adopted a different tactic. Instead of causing harm to the habitation of the natives, he chose to send them invitations to come back. With the move, he hoped to sever their ties with the “rebels” and also gather information about Pazhassi’s exact whereabouts.

 

His days at Pulpally were action-packed. But Baber was putting together a plan with the trickling information from the villagers who have returned. He says “exhortations and occasional presents” finally induced many to part with information. “I took the precaution of swearing all of them to secrecy,” he writes. Finally, he gathered that Pazhassi’s men were on the opposite side of Kaynara River. Baber set out with Lieutenant Colonel Mill and the troop in total secrecy. After a trek of almost 10 hours, Baber describes that Charen Subedar who was leading a party suddenly halted. Baber rushed to the spot and found, “about 10 persons unsuspecting of danger, on the banks of the Mavila, Toda or Nulla”. He ordered an advance and thirty men dashed into the unsuspecting Raja’s party. The contest was short. Most of Pazhassi’s men fell. Baber heard a gunshot and found a new group of Pazhassi’s men who he says were Coongan’s party. They retreated after shots were fired at them.

Baber writes: “From one of the rebels … I learnt that the Raja was amongst those whom we first observed on the banks of the Nulla.” Pazhassi, he writes, was among the first to fall.One of Baber’s servants, Canara Menon, cornered Pazhassi and at this moment “the Raja having put his mosque to his breast” is said to have spoken in a “most dignified and commanding manner to Menon ‘not to approach and defile his person’.”A gold knife and waist chain were retrieved from the arena. “The former I have now in my possession, the latter I presented to Captain Clephen.”“The Raja’s body was taken up and put into my palanquin while the lady who was dreadfully reduced from sickness was put into Captain Clephen’s.”***

Thomas Munro

“The following day the Raja’s body was dispatched under a strong escort to ‘Mananthavady’ and the Sheristadaar sent with orders to assemble all the Brahmins and to see that the customary honours were performed at the funeral.” Finally comes Baber’s salute to Pazhassi: “He was one of the natural chieftains of the country and might be considered on that account rather as a fallen enemy...Thus terminated the career of a man who had been enabled to persevere in hostilities against the Company for near nine years”. Pazhassi’s “annihilation became necessary for the stability and security of the Government.” Baber calls Pazhassi an “extraordinary and singular character” and “the records of India and England will convey to posterity a just idea of him.”

Thomas Munro

Menon claims he had assisted Thomas Munro.Thomas Munro ( 1761-1827 ) was, like so many other administrators of Madras Presidency, a Scot. Born in 1761, he had studied at the University of Glasgow and come to Madras in 1789 having secured an Infantry cadetship here. He was to see action in the war against Tipu Sultan that ended in 1792 with the latter having to cede districts of South India to the British. Cornwallis, the Governor-General and the man who had led the war from the British side, gave the responsibility of administering the new territory of Baramahal (present day Salem and its environs) to Captain Alexander Read and his lieutenant, Thomas Munro. Both men embarked on the task of assessing the revenue of the area and Munro was to write, “this is so teazing (sic) a business that it leaves room for nothing else. One man had a long story of a debt of thirty years' standing contracted by his father. Another tells me that his brother made away with his property when he was absent during the war; and a third tells me that he cannot afford to pay his usual rent because his wife is dead, she used to do more work than his best bullock.”

Having surveyed the territory completely, Munro came to the conclusion that the ‘King's share of revenue' from the land was too high, an assessment that was to shock his masters. He demanded a reduction in the rents to be fixed, arguing that what was lost that way would be more than compensated by better collection methods and ‘more exactness in accounting' (read less corruption).

At the end of his seven years tenure at the Baramahal, Munro had to reluctantly leave the area he loved, to assist in the final war against Tipu. By then the people there had come to love him too, and it was not common to find children named Munrolappa! Following Tipu's defeat and death in 1799, Munro was put in charge of West Canara.He was Governor of Madras during 1820-1827.

The palanquin of Karunakara Menon is kept at the History museum of Calicut University.

_____________________

*Malabar

** Panamaram Fort;it was not Davidson,but Dickenson

*** Captain Clephen:he is mentioned by Robert Drummond,who wrote,Grammar of the Malabar Language,as Hay Clephane,who belonged to the civil service of the Bombay establishment of the Company.His name is wrongly spelt as Clepham or Clefam is articles.

© Ramachandran 

DEWAN OF ZAMORIN STABBED BY A PRINCE

He Was Saved by a British Doctor

I just finished reading the book, From Cauvery to Neela: A History of the Tamil Agraharams of Palakkad, by K N Lakshminarayanan. It is an excellent reference work on the Tamil brahmins of Palakkad, especially Kalpathi. It has nothing on two Tamil brahmin luminaries of Palakkad, L K Ananthakrishna Iyer and A S Panchapakesa Iyer. It does mention Swaminatha Pattar, the Dewan or Prime Minister of the Zamorin of Calicut, omitting the attempt on his life by the idiots of Padinjare Kovilakam of Calicut.

The book records:

"The agraharam residents are proud of their ancestors, who have left a trail of glory. Uddanda Sastrigal, Ramayyan Dalava, Swaminatha Pattar and other immigrants were honoured by the rulers of Kerala for their valour...Natives of the agraharam played an important part in the field of politics and statecraft. In the 1800s Subba Iyer and his army were sent to help the ruler of Travancore fight the British.General Nurani Venkatanarayana Iyer guarded the Mysore border. Swaminatha Pattar became Dewan to the Zamorin of Calicut in 1793. His descendants, bearing the title of 'Kariakar', live today in Chathapuram Agraharam."

The book mentions Shamnoth, Minister of the Zamorin, not knowing the person is none other than Swaminatha Pattar. The author quotes K Haridasan, who wrote, Palakkadan Charithram: "According to Shamnoth, Minister of the Zamorin,the roads pertaining to Palakkad constructed under Tipu's rule ran from Palakkad to Dindigul via Thathamangalam, Pollachi and Palani; from Feroke to Coimbatore via Angadipuram, Mannarkad and Palakkad".

In British records and Logan's Malabar Manual, Swaminatha Iyer or Swminatha Pattar is mentioned as Shamnath, not Shamnoth.

Logan has briefly described in the Malabar Manual, the attempt by  Ravivarma, a nephew in Zamorin's western Palace, suspecting Swaminatha Patter to be a double agent. Ofcourse, Swaminatha Iyer facilitated ceding the Zamorin territory to the British. But it was after the British had established themselves in Malabar after the treaty of Srirangapatna, by which Tipu was dethroned. The Zamorin had escaped to Travancore.

The Srirangapatna treaty, ending the rule of Tipu was signed on 22 February 1792. Following this, a number of treaties were signed by the British with Indian kings. On 18 August 1792, by a treaty with the Zamorin of Calicut, he was given the right to collect revenue and administer justice for one year. On 21 June 1793, an agreement was signed at the Palakkad Fort between Palakkad Raja Itti Kombi Achan and the Malabar Commissioners of the East India Company, William Gamul Farmer and Major Alexander Walker to restore the land to the Raja to rule. W G Farmer from Bombay presidency had been sworn in as Malabar Supervisor on 18 March 1792. Prior to that, Alexander Dow, W G farmer, William Page and Charles Boddam were sent as commissioners to Malabar, to study and give a report. Dow was the Military Commander at Tellicherry.

Ravi Varma (1745–1793) was a Samanta Nair warrior prince of the Royal House of Zamorins from Calicut who fought a two-decade long revolt against the Mysore Sultanate under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan between 1766–1768 and 1774–1791, and later against the British East India Company in 1793. Born in 1745, Ravi Varma belonged to the Padinjare Kovilakam (Mankavu Palace), of the Zamorins Royal Family (Nediyirippu Swarupam), which had been ruling the Kingdom of Calicut for 600 years. The incumbent Raja of this family was popularly referred to as Zamorin or Samoothiri.Unlike his more famous contemporary and close personal friend Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, the prince-regent of Kottayam, very little is known about the personal lives of Ravi Varma and the other princes of the Padinjare Kovilakam.

Hyder Ali's invasion of Malabar in 1766 was met with stiff opposition by the local Nairs, who led by the Zamorin of Calicut, rose up in rebellion against the oppressive policies implemented by his regime. During Hyder's third invasion in 1767, as the Mysorean army was approaching the city gates, the Zamorin sent all his relatives to safe haven in Ponnani and immolated himself to avoid the humiliation of surrender and forced conversion to Islam. His nephew and successor, Krishna Varma continued the war until 1774, when he fled to Travancore. The abrupt end of the 600-year reign of the Zamorins created a leadership vacuum in the kingdom of Calicut, which resulted in the Eralppad (second-in-line successor to the throne)  Krishna Varma's assumption of the throne. Together with his nephew Ravi Varma and a small band of Nair warriors, Krishna Varma swore revenge against Hyder and Tipu. The ensuing insurgency struggle against the Mysorean army lasted until 1791.

Krishna Varma appointed Ravi Varma as the Commander of the armed forces of Calicut and for two decades tried in vain to thwart all efforts by Hyder and Tipu to subjugate his kingdom. Ravi Varma was, perhaps, the only Malabar prince to rise up in 1788 against the forced conversions and deportation of Nairs to Srirangapatna conducted by Tipu.

Krishnan Varma continued his fight against the invading Mysorean forces from South Malabar. He marched to Ponnani and then Tanur, and forced Hyder's troops to retreat. By the time he had fled to Travancore in 1774, Krishna Varma had managed to force Hyder Ali to cede many parts of Malabar to local rulers, who were supported by the East India Company.

The Mysorean invasion of Malabar had forced most of the royal Nair households to flee to Travancore, where they were helped to rehabilitate themselves by Dharma Raja. With most of royals in exile, the young princes of Padinjare Kovilakam took charge. Their immediate goal was to oust Mysorean garrisons from Calicut. Krishna Varma was the eldest man of this western branch – but it was his adventurous nephew Ravi Varma who took a role in military affairs. This uncle and nephew together with their junior male relatives prepared for war. Hyder's policy of torture and financial extortion of residents of Zamorin country also caused widespread resentment among masses and this drove people into arms of rebels. Mysorean exploitation thus gave birth to an 18-year cycle of reprisals and revolts.

During the monsoon of 1766, the whole of Zamorin domain rose in revolt but were disastrously defeated at Puthiyangadi near Ponnani after which they chose to fight only guerrilla warfare. To crush the rebellion, Hyder unleashed a reign of terror in which he murdered as many as 10,000 people in Zamorin country. But that proved to be of no use as rebels led by Ravi Varma once more rose up in 1767 and Hyder's army of some 15,000 men were trapped inside their stockaded camps across Zamorin country. 

A prince seventh in line of succession, the rebellion in the Southern Malabar was led by Ravi Varma. He also helped 30,000 Brahmins flee to Travancore.

In 1768, Hyder pulled out his troops from Zamorin country as well as from all of Malabar since they were on verge of defeat. Also Hyder was threatened with imminent attack by Marathas and Nizam and so he withdrew from Malabar. Hyder restored possessions to Rajas on condition that they pay him tribute. 

The new Zamorin who was in exile came back and took power in 1768 and princes of Padinjare Kovilakam were eclipsed till 1774. The Zamorin learnt little from past disasters—instead of building up his military force to meet Mysorean threat or paying tribute to Hyder to purchase peace and safety, he did neither. Instead he plunged his country into another war with Cochin – this was also last war between Cochin and Calicut (K V Krishna Ayyar).

In 1774, once more Hyder's troops invaded Malabar and Zamorin Raja fled to Travancore and thus princes of Padinjare Kovilakam once more rose to prominence. Krishna Varma became overall head and Ravi Varma, the commandant of rebel force. Ravi Varma's rebels made shrewd use of forest and mountainous landscape that covered most of Zamorin country. 

Ravi Varma moved his military HQ away from vulnerable Calicut and Ponnani to Kalladikode in Nedunganad province (Modern Ottapalam taluk). They also took war into enemy territories in Coimbatore district, one of the richest parts of Hyder's domain, which they looted and devastated in retaliation to Mysorean reprisals.

In November 1788, the Mysore forces under Tipu attacked Calicut and captured the Karanavappad of Manjeri. Their assaults were met with resistance by the Nairs of Calicut and southern Malabar led by Ravi Varma and other princes of the Padinjare Kovilakam. Tipu sent 6,000 troops under his French commander, M. Lally to raise the siege, but failed to defeat Ravi Varma. By 1779, Hyder had enough of war with Ravi Varma and invited him for talks to his camp in Calicut. But some unusual troop movements around the guest-house where he was staying roused his suspicions that Hyder was planning to arrest him and so he left immediately to Kalladikode.

During the 1780s, Ravi Varma led a successful rebellion against the Mysore forces. Though Tipu conferred on him a jaghir (vast area of tax-free land) mainly to appease him, the Zamorin prince, after promptly taking charge of the jaghir, continued his revolt against the Mysore power, more vigorously and with wider support. He soon moved to Calicut, his traditional area of influence and authority, for better co-ordination. Tipu sent a large Mysore army under the command of M. Lally and Mir Asrali Khan to defeat the Zamorin prince at Calicut. It is believed that Ravi Varma assisted several members of the priestly community (almost 30,000 Nambudiris) to flee the country and take refuge in Travancore.

In 1782, Ravi Varma's men recaptured all of Zamorin country and even helped British to capture forts of Calicut and Palakkad. But in 1784, Tippu got Malabar back by the Treaty of Mangalore and once more Ravi Varma had to deal with Mysorean troops.

There was widespread disturbance after hefty land tax was introduced in Malabar by Arshad Beg Khan, Tipu's Governor. Athan Kurikkal of Manjeri rose in protest with riots. Arshad Beg sought the help of Ravivarma to deal with the rioters.Varma joined hands with the Coorg Muslims and chopped off the hands and legs of the Mappila rioters. Beg rewarded him with a pension and the position of a jagirdar.

Tipu bribed Ravi Varma in hope that he will give up war and submit to Mysore authority. But Ravi Varma's dream was  restoration of  former prestige. So he kept up irregular warfare to harass Mysore army of occupation. But even so, prospects of peace became brighter by 1788 when Krishna Varma even visited Tipu in Calicut for peace talks. Krishna Varma sent an agent for peace talks. (Ayyar)

Tipu's promise was restoration of Zamorin country to the Zamorin on one condition – Zamorin must help him in conquest of Travancore. Tipu even sent a large sum to Krishna Varma to bribe him. But even so Varma refused to agree. Some account says that his refusal was because of Tipu's forcible conversions.( Ayyar )

Tipu angry at his failure in negotiations unleashed a wave of savage religious persecution and Ravi Varma and rebels rose up and seized whole of Southern Malabar, marched and captured Calicut in 1788. Even though a Mysore army under French general Lally recaptured Calicut the same year, Ravi Varma and his rebels still dominated most of Zamorin country.

Mankav Kovilakam/Harimohan

According to Logan, In 1789, Tipu came with a vast army and Ravi Varma and men were forced to flee to forests. Towns and villages were seized by Tipu's troops but they reached nowhere in jungle warfare with Ravi Varma and his partisans. In 1790, Tipu invaded Travancore only to be checked by Dharma Raja's troops and this provoked British to attack Mysore in retaliation.Travancore was under British protection as per Mangalore Treaty. Soon rebels of Malabar also joined hands with British. 

In 1790, a British force of 2,000 men under Colonel James Hartley landed in South Malabar to deal with Mysore army of 9,000 Sepoys and 4,000 Mappilas. Ravi Varma rushed to aid with 5,000 of his best Nairs and that helped to turn tide in favour of British. Hartley in his letter to Governor-General Charles Cornwallis, stated that this victory was of decisive importance to British success in Third Anglo-Mysore War. Hartley received command of a detachment sent to the coast of Cochin to aid the company's ally, the Raja of Travancore. In May, Hartley received orders to invest Palakkad, an important fortress dominating the pass which leads through the western Ghauts into Mysore. On arriving within forty miles of the place, Hartley heard that it had already surrendered.

He, however, continued his march, and occupied himself partly in collecting supplies for the main army at Tiruchirapally, and partly in watching any movement of Tipu's troops to the south-west. On 10 December, he inflicted a crushing defeat on vastly superior forces under Hussein Ali, Tipu's general, at Calicut. The remnant of the beaten army was pursued to Feroke, where it surrendered, and that fortress was occupied by the British. On the outbreak of War with France in 1793, Hartley held command of the expedition which captured the French settlement of Mahé in Malabar ( In May 1796, he was made a Major-general, and appointed to the staff in India. He returned to Bombay in 1797. In addition to his military rank he was now made a supervisor and magistrate for the Province of Malabar.He died after a very short illness on 4 October 1799, at Kannur).

Ravi Varma and his uncle Krishna Varma were angered when the faint hearted Zamorin  in exile agreed to terms that made Calicut a dependency of the British. They were even more angered by the fact that it was Swaminatha Pattar, the prime minister of the exiled Zamorin who persuaded latter to surrender to the British. From their stronghold in Nedumganad, Ravi Varma and his men contacted Pazhassi Raja and his partisans. He even sheltered a large number of Pazhassi fugitives and even began to collect tax from the Zamorin country without British permission. He warned Swaminatha Pattar not to betray his country to British any more and even threatened death if the latter did not mend his ways. The British soon accused Ravi Varma of conspiracy to undermine the British rule and warned that severe punishment would be given to Ravi Varma and nephews if they harmed Swaminatha Pattar or if they tried to rule the country without British permission. The British government asked Ravi Varma to pay 100,000 rupees immediately.

In 1793, Krishna Varma died at Karimpuzha in Nedunganad. Ravi Varma decided to continue the war with the British and so he contacted Pazhassi Raja and Mappila rebels of Southern Malabar along with the discontented princes of Palakkad and even with his old enemy Tipu  for joint action- his aim was to oust the British from Malabar. The British offered rewards for information about the whereabouts of Pazhassi Raja (3000 pagodas), Vira Varma Raja (1000 pagodas), and Ravi Varma Raja (1000 pagodas).

The Mappilas under Manjeri Athan Kurikkal captured Arshad Beg Khan,Tipu's Commander.Tipu offered the Zamorins their power back if Khan is released, and if he is helped to capture Travancore. They refused. Swaminatha Pattar was sent to Mysore to Negotiate, in January, 1789. In the next year he handed over appeals of Veluthampi Dalawa, the rebel Dewan of Travancore, to the British.

The Zamorin, who had returned from Travancore, tried to channel all trade through himself, taking a cue from Travancore. At Thalassery, Swaminatha Pattar had an argument with Chakkara Moosa ( Choucara Moosa in British records) and Moosa threatened him. Pattar promptly lodged a complaint with the British. Moosa, in addition to timber, had agreed to supply 20 candys of cardomom to the Company, but had failed.

Patttar took part in the discussions on the final treaty with the Zamorin Manavikrama Raja and the British Malabar Supervisor W G Farmer on 18 August 1792. Pattar had convinced the Zamorin to sign the treaty. Pattar became the Agent of the british to collect pepper and the Zamorin removed him from his service for not sharing the pepper revenue. By the next year, Pattar became an administrator of the Company. Pattar also secured the plush revenue from export and customs of Calicut Port. He was paid one percent from the Zamorin's revenue collections. Zamorin thus lost all the revenue income. This infuriated the idiots of the Padinjare Kovilakam. Pattar had promised restoration of the Palakkad land to the Kovilakam and trade ties with the British. But as legal attorney to the Zamorin, he took away even the remaining revenue of the Zamorin. Pattar became very nervous when Ravivarma and others began collaborathing with Pazhassi Raja. Pattar sought protecton of the British and the Malabar Supervisor James Stevens in turn, warned Ravivarma.

A year later, Ravivarma invited  Swaminatha Pattar, to Padinjare Kovilakam in Mankavu. The palace has a Bhagavathy Temple in the middle. The Trisala temple was built by a Zamorin popularly known as Karyasthan Thampuran. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Bala Durga. The Devi is worshipped as a small girl playing with a ball in one hand. It is believed that Trisala Bhagavathi is the younger sister of Sree Valayanad Devi, the family deity of the Zamorin’s Swaroopam.

Trisala Bhagavathy Temple

During the Hyder and Tipu invasions, the members of the Padinjare Kovilakam escaped to  Travancore where the then Maharaja , Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma ( Dharma Raja) welcomed them and gave Kunnathur Kovilakam in Kollam for their domicile. When the situation in Calicut became normal and peaceful, the Zamorin rehabilitated his family members to a place in Calicut close to the Valayanad Devi temple. At that time, this area was in the custody of Mangalassery Nair family,and they  had given this plot to the Zamorin for building the kovilakam. At that time this place was a wilderness. There was an ancient temple of Bala Durga which was demolished at the time of the Muslim invasion of Malabar. The lore is that, at the time of clearing the trees for building the kovilakam, the hatchet of one of the labourers touched a stone and blood oozed from it. Seeing this strange phenomenon, the matter was reported to the Zamorin. At the deva prasna it was revealed that the sila was the idol of Bala Durga. Accordingly, a temple was built on the spot and the worship began. The sankalpa of the deity is that of the devi of Kanyakumari.

Ravivarma and his nephew Ravi Varma Unni Raja II (Ravi Varma Unni Nambi) lured Pattar to the temple and confronted him there. An irate Ravivarma and his nephew stabbed the Dewan. He was saved by treatment of a British surgeon named Wye, according to Logan. John William Wye was the Acting Collecotor of Valluvanad, and was Assistant Surgeon of the Bombay Medical Establishment of the Company.The Rani, agonized by this terrible act that amounted to brahmahathya, consulted the astrologers, conducted a puja and a Brahmarakshas idol was installed.

After this, Ravi Varma fled towards Wynad to join the Pazhassi Raja. He was joined by the  notorious Mappila bandit chief Unni Mootha Mooppan, few Coimbatore Gounders and Palakkad Kunhi Achan. Mooppan was a relative of Athan Kurikkal. Ravivarma was followed on the way by Captain Burchall and his men to Anamalai.They escaped to Travancore. The Company offered Rs 5000 for their capture. Ravivarma joined Pazhassi Raja in the second revolt. In 1793 he was caught and sent to Cherpulassery where he died in captivity. Official version for the death Ravivarma was, complications that arose from an old bullet injury. Very unlikely. Ravi Varma's nephew Ravi Varma junior along with his four brothers also died in suspicious circumstances during their imprisonment.There is no evidence either to prove that Ravi Varma the elder and his five nephews were executed in captivity, though it is a strong possibility. He was cremated at his stronghold of Kalladikode. Rebel leaders of Malabar – Pazhassi Raja included – mourned the death of Ravi Varma.

The rest of Padinjare Kovilakam princes evaded British capture and kept a large part of Southern Malabar in a state of chronic disturbance. It was only in 1797 that they agreed to surrender to the British. This four-year-long rebellion by Calicut princes is not a well recorded event in Malabar history. 

James Hartley

During the war with Mysore troops, Ravi Varma commanded the largest rebel force in Malabar and it  proved to be vital for British victory in Third Anglo-Mysore War. In spite of all these factors, Ravi Varma belongs to that class of leaders who are almost lost to history.

It was Swaminatha Pattar's idea to form a native batallion of Nairs called Kolkars to fight the local war lords, that the British implemented. It was commanded by Captain Joseph Watson. Pazhassi Raja was finally confronted by Watson and the Kolkars including Kanara Menon.

Logan's Malabar Manual, in the same context, has referred to some anti social Mappila bandits. In March 1799, the Puthiyangadi Thangal,descendant of an arab family got continuance of an exemption from the payment of revenue in his property, originally granted to him by the second Raja of Calicut in 1791.This was to restrain Mappilas by him, from resorting to 'lawless habits'. The ring leaders of these anti social Mappilas were, Unni Mootha Mooppan, Athan Kurikkal and Chemban Pokkar. A formidable combination was formed by them instigated by a spirit of revenge for the punishment inflicted on some of their connections, especially on Adam Khan, the brother in law of Kurikkal, who was executed for murder. The combination became alarming after an abortive attempt made by the Assistant Collector T H Baber to seize Chemban Pokkar, who had escaped from the Palakkad Fort. Baber's party was repulsed. This encouraged Pokkar to make a daring attempt on the life of G Waddel, the Southern Superintendent, while he was proceeding from Angadippuram to Orampuram. In this, Pokkar was secretly abetted by Kurikkal, who had in 1790,  joined the Company's service as the head of police in Eranad.

To put the record straight, Travancore Dewan Ramayyan Dalawa was not from Palakkad. Ramayyan (Death January 1756 ) was born in Yerwadi, a village in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, to which his family originally belonged. When he was six years of age, his poor father gave up his native village and came to Thiruvattar and settled at a hamlet known as Aruvikara in the Kalkulam Taluk in the modern-day Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. When he was twenty years old, he lost his parents, who he survived along with their other three sons and one daughter.

Ramayyan

After the death of his parents, Ramayyan frequently visited Thiruvananthapuram, attracted to it by the never ending festivities and celebrations, which always drew great crowds of Tamil Brahmins from all over Travancore and neighbouring regions of modern-day Tamil Nadu. On one occasion he decided to stay back and seek some employment, in which, owing to his superior intelligence and ability, he was successful. He was employed as an assistant to the Athiyara Potti  of Vanchiyoor, a member of the Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half who controlled the Padmanabhaswamy temple and a man of great power and influence.

One evening, when the Maharaja Marthanda Varma was dining at Atthyara, he noticed Ramayyan, who impressed him by dealing with a minor yet significant incident with great sense and intelligence. The pleased Marthanda Varma asked  Athiyara Potti to let him take the young boy into his service. Ramayyan became a servant of the Maharaja. Ramayyan from being appointed at a minor post in the Palace management, soon rose in the Maharaja's favour and was appointed Palace Rayasom or Under Secretary. When the then Dalawa / Dewan of Travancore, Arumukham Pillai died in 1736, Ramayyan replaced him.

The entire territorial extent of Travancore , between the river Periyar and Cape Comorin was attained with the efforts of Ramayyan. It was due to the combined efforts and conquests of Marthanda Varma with Ramayyan, that the kingdoms of Kayamkulam, Madathinkoor (Mavelikkara), Elayadathu Swaroopam, Kollam, Ambalapuzha etc. were annexed to Travancore and the Dutch were defeated in the Battle of Colachel. Several favourable treaties were signed with the British under his Dalawaship while the Kingdom of Cochin and the Zamorin accepted the suzerainty of Travancore.

Ramayyan  resided in Mavelikkara, where he had a palace built by Marthanda Varma. After the death of his wife, Ramayyan married a Nair lady from the Edassery family, Mavelikara. After his death, Ramayyan's descendants left to Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu and settled there. His Nair wife was given gifts and presents and special allowances from the Travancore government in recognition of his services to the state while his own descendants were bestowed with the honorific title of Dalawa. Ramayyan died in 1756. 

Marthanda Varma  followed his faithful servant in 1758. The last Dewan of Travancore, P G N Unnithan hailed from the Edassery Pattaveettil Family of Mavelikkara which had a history of high military service to the Travancore Royal Family. His father Ittamar Koil Thampuran was from the Haripad Palace and a nephew of Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran.

Ramayyan Dalawa's two sons and one daughter moved back to Tamil Nadu after his death. His family finally settled in the erstwhile Pudukkottai, a princely State in Tamil Nadu. The then king of Pudukkottai, who had a good rapport with the Travancore state, offered Dalawa's descendants the entire village of Sithanavasal.

Uddaṇḍa Śāstrī, author of Kokila Sandesam, definitely found patronage at the Zamorin's Court. He was a 15th-century Tamil brahmin from a village whose learning and scholarship was so great that even the parrots were reciting the Vedas as the koil flies past- he made his way west, seeking patronage, and eventually ended up in Kerala where he is said to have married a lady from Chendamangalam, which leads some to assume the poem's heroine, of the Marakkara household in Chendamangalam, was in fact his wife.

The poet is supposed to have acquired the title Uddaṇḍa, which means 'pre-eminent', literally 'one who has a stick upraised'), from the Zamorin court of Calicut where he found patronage; his original name was Irugupanātha; it was this verse, the very first words the poet spoke to the Zamorin, which is said to have earned him his name:

उद्दण्डः परदण्डभैरव भवद्यात्रासु जैत्रश्रियो
हेतुः केतुरतीत्य सूर्यसरणिं गच्छन् निवार्यस्त्वया ।
नो चेत् तत्पटसम्पुटोदरलसच्छार्दूलमुद्राद्रवत्
सारङ्गं शाशिबिम्बमेष्यति तुलां त्वत्प्रेयसीनां मुखैः ॥

Tamil brahmins should also be proud of the fact that Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji, the fanatic gangster behind the Hindu pogrom of 1921 in Malabar was caught alongwith 21 rebels by S I Ramanatha Iyer, on 7 January,1922, at Chokkad, Nilambur. 

Finally, my mother belonged to Mankavu-a Tamil brahmin family, which was in the service of Padinjare Kovilakam, but not in anyway related to Swaminatha Iyer.

_______________________________

Reference:

1.Ayyar, K. V. Krishna (1938)/ The Zamorins of Calicut
2.Buchanan, Francis (1807) / A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar
3.Dale, Stephen Frederic (1980) / Islamic society on the South Asian frontier: the Mappilas of Malabar, 1498–1922
4.India, Director of Census Operations, Kerala (1981)/ Census of India, 1981: Special Report, Controller of Publications
5.Logan, William (1887) / Malabar manual, Volume 1
6.Menon, A. Sreedhara (1962) / Kerala District Gazetteers
7.Narayanan, M.G.S. (2006) / Calicut: The City of Truth Revisited/University of Calicut

8.K N Lakshminarayanan / From cauvery to Neela

© Ramachandran