Rebellion against Tipu Sultan

Previously we discussed how Pazhassi Raja Ji made Kottayam a free land. In 1784 Hyder Ali’s son Tipu Sultan had taken the reigns of the kingdom, and after the second Anglo-Mysore war between the British and the Mysore Kingdom of Tipu Sultan both the parties made a treaty in which the British recognized Tipu’s authority in Malabar (now Kerala / in Kerala). Now the only ally against Tipu was lost and knowing a sole rebellion against both Tipu and British will lead to bloodshed of Innocents Pazhassi Raja Ji agreed to pay tribute to Tipu and become a vassal of Mysore Kingdom.

But as once Hyder Ali did, Tipu demanded an exorbitant rate of tribute. Although Ravi Varma, the elder brother of Pazhassi Raja Ji agreed to pay 65,000 rupees per year, Mysore demanded 81,000 rupees. The hiked rate of tribute meant more taxes on farmers and greater hardship for the peasantry [largely Tiyar/Izhava] who had already suffered greatly from years of foreign occupation. Pazhassi Raja Ji knew that such amount will not be possible for Kottayam to pay and So he took up this issue and decided to launch a mass resistance struggle once more.

What angered Pazhassi Raja Ji even more, was that his brother Ravi Varma who paid a visit to Tipu Sultan in 1786 for peace talks was forced to sign a treaty which ceded Wayanad to Tipu Sultan against the wishes of the locals. Pazhassi Raja Ji decided not to let Tipu enjoy Wayanad in peace and kept up guerrilla warfare that constantly harassed Mysore troops in Wayanad and neighbourhood. The struggle against Tipu Sultan lasted till 1793, a total of seven-year. In the end, Pazhassi Raja Ji was able to expel the last of Mysore’s troops from Wayanad.

Pazhassi Raja Ji’s hatred of Tipu had grown even more because of the latter’s policy of forcible conversion. Raja Ji strengthened his ties with British on one hand and with fellow rebel chiefs and princes in Malabar on the other hand. Tipu in hopes of ending the rebellion all across Malabar sent an army under a French general named Lally with a genocidal mission—the extermination of the Nairs. Tipu was determined to end the menace of Nair rebels in Malabar who had foiled all attempts of him and his late father Hyder Ali to subjugate and exploit Malabar.

By the end of in 1790, Tipu abandoned the war in Malabar as his troops were getting a tough fight in Malabar and on the other hand, the war in Deccan became even more important issue for Tipu. He only

Second revolt and death (1800–1805)

After the fall of Tipu, Wayanad fell to the British. They sent a Mysore Commission to seize Wayanad and planned to annexe it to either Canara or Coimbatore. But as Wayanad was a traditional possession of Kottayam Raja Ji and that Pazhassi is in control of this region since 1793, Pazhassi correctly saw move was an encroachment on his country’s ancient provinces. Raja Ji retaliated by collecting a large force of Nayars Warriors.

British Government at Madras appointed Major General Arthur Wellesley as British army commandant of Mysore, Canara & Malabar- He planned to surround Raja Ji by attacking from double side i.e. from Malabar Coast and Mysore into Wayanad and began preparations for that end. Raja Ji observed the Major General’s move- The general had brought reinforcements and building roads in Wayanad and outposts across rebel country. In response, Raja Ji also recruited numerous men, which alarmed Wellesley so much that he even wanted to kidnap kith and kin of rebels to stop Raja Ji’s recruitment.

Raja Ji learnt that Wellesley had left to Deccan on a military mission-Raja Ji who understood that Major General’s absence is a great chance swiftly made his move. He marched across Kuttiyadi Pass and below he made a junction with several great nobles like Kampuratt Nambiar of Iruvazhinad, Peruvayal Nambiar and Kannavath Sankaran Nambiar.

By monsoon of 1800, rebels who controlled all of country-side of Kottayam threatened to overwhelm British outposts in Kottayam. Wellesley sent a large force under Colonel Sartorius to recapture British rebel-held Kottayam. But the plan could not be carried out as there were not enough British troops in Malabar. Wellesley advised Commissioners to stop all communications and transportation with Wayanad to starve Raja Ji of supplies. But the shortage of troops also meant this plan too remained on paper. By the time, Wellesley started to move ahead with his initial plan and decided to smash Raja Ji by a double drive from Malabar Coast and Mysore into Wayanad. The Nobels of neighbour kingdoms agreed to support of Raja Ji.

By 1801, a large British force of over 10,000 men swarmed all over Kottayam and Wayanad and they blocked all passes that linked Wayanad with Malabar. Before so large numbers, rebels thought wise to go under-ground for time being. Raja Ji also found that he could no longer contact his supporters in Southern Wayanad and Southern Malabar. Raja Ji became a wa

Since Independence, the pages of our history books have not been kind to the heroes of India. Forgotten to the glorified invaders, the true heroes who never bowed down when facing adversity. Today we will talk about a hero who might have been embedded in the folklore of Kerala but never got the recognition he deserved pan India.

An Introduction to the great King - (Background)

Pazhassi Raja Ji was born on 3 January 1753 Padinjare Kovilakam (Western Branch of Royal Clan) of Purannattu Swarupam, Peralam Village, the royal clan of the kingdom of Kottayam in North Malabar in south Kerala. He was a well-trained in the arts of warfare and politics.

During these times, the Islamic Warlord Hyder Ali wanted to take over the Malabar, now in Kerala. In 1766 he launched a brutal military invasion of Kerala which lasted for 26 years. During this invasion, Thousands of Hindus were killed. The Nair forces native of Kerala were outnumbered. Hyder Ali himself came to Malabar and ordered his troops to find and kill the Nairs. Many Nair soldiers were killed on sight and 15,000 Nair Soldiers were deported to Kanara, only 200 of these 15,000 Soldiers survived.

Therefore, in 1766 to save the people from this brutality the many Kings and Leaders of Malabar accepted a treaty in which they had to pay hefty sums to the Mysore Kingdom of Hyder Ali. These payments were too much for the small Kingdoms of Kerala and soon the Farmers felt the brunt of excessive taxation. The Kings had no choice they could not give this much amount and in the year 1773, the Kings refused to pay the tributes. Hyder Ali with his army marched to Malabar once again. Most of the Rajas of Malabar, along with many Princes went to seek political asylum in Travancore. Princes and younger noblemen who refused to flee the invasion organized resistances.

During this time, the Pazhassi Raja Ji had become a grown man in his twenties. His uncle Vira Varma the king of Kottayam along with other king had gone to Travancore in search of asylum. In his absence, the Pazhassi Raja Ji had become the leading authority. Vira’s other nephew Ravi Varma was too incompetent to play any serious political role and hence his role only was nominal. Pazhassi Raja became the most powerful figure in Kottayam, much to the chagrin of his uncle Vira Varma. Hence Vira Varma played a series of power games aiming to check the growing clout of his nephew. So the relation between Vira Varma and Pazhassi Raja was one of

Resistance to British rule

Pazhassi Raja resisted British imperialism from 1793 onwards till his death in 1805. He fought two wars to resist British intervention in the domestic affairs of his kingdom. From 1793–1797 he fought over the rule of Kottayam and from 1800–1805 over the issue of who will be the ruler of Wayanad. British called their wars with Pazhassi Raja Ji as Cotiote War. 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).

First Revolt against British rule

Pazhassi Raja was not on good terms with his uncle Vira Varma. In 1793, foxy Vira Varma who had surrendered Kottayam to British back in 1792, convinced British Commissioners to let him collect tax in Kottayam. He calculated that a good collection might please the British and that that would let him seize all of Kottayam. Needless to say, Pazhassi Raja was angry at this British move. He felt betrayed. After all, he was the only Raja in Northern Malabar to have helped the British consistently in the war with Mysore.

Vira Varma was a real crook – on the one hand, he undertook to collect tax in Kottayam directly and on the other hand, he instigated Pazhassi Raja to oppose the British. Moreover, the British tax on the kingdom was harsh and beyond the peasants' capacity to pay. They resisted its forcible collection by the agents of the British, and Pazhassi Raja took up their cause. Raja Ji was deadly opposed to extortion of the peasantry.

In 1793, Pazhassi Raja Ji made sure that no tax was collected in Kottayam by the British – as a mark of his protest. He also threatened that if British officials did not give up their enumeration of pepper vines, he would have the vines destroyed. Local British authorities, however, debated with Raja Ji and soon both discovered Vira Varma’s dirty games. So the British put forward a solution acceptable to the Raja Ji by which 20 percent of gross revenue would go to Raja Ji and another 20 percent would go for the temples' expense. No tax would be imposed on temple property in the immediate future.

In 1793, Tipu’s Vakils (Heir of Tipu Sultan) protested to the British that Pazhassi Raja, who was a British tributary, had overrun most of Wayanad, still under Mysore. Soon the Raja Ji was supreme in the Wayanad Plateau.

But the Governor-General unwisely revoked the agreement in 1794 and gave Kottayam to Vira Varma (who at t

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Rebellion against Tipu Sultan

Previously we discussed how Pazhassi Raja Ji made Kottayam a free land. In 1784 Hyder Ali’s son Tipu Sultan had taken the reigns of the kingdom, and after the second Anglo-Mysore war between the British and the Mysore Kingdom of Tipu Sultan both the parties made a treaty in which the British recognized Tipu’s authority in Malabar (now Kerala / in Kerala). Now the only ally against Tipu was lost and knowing a sole rebellion against both Tipu and British will lead to bloodshed of Innocents Pazhassi Raja Ji agreed to pay tribute to Tipu and become a vassal of Mysore Kingdom.

But as once Hyder Ali did, Tipu demanded an exorbitant rate of tribute. Although Ravi Varma, the elder brother of Pazhassi Raja Ji agreed to pay 65,000 rupees per year, Mysore demanded 81,000 rupees. The hiked rate of tribute meant more taxes on farmers and greater hardship for the peasantry [largely Tiyar/Izhava] who had already suffered greatly from years of foreign occupation. Pazhassi Raja Ji knew that such amount will not be possible for Kottayam to pay and So he took up this issue and decided to launch a mass resistance struggle once more.

What angered Pazhassi Raja Ji even more, was that his brother Ravi Varma who paid a visit to Tipu Sultan in 1786 for peace talks was forced to sign a treaty which ceded Wayanad to Tipu Sultan against the wishes of the locals. Pazhassi Raja Ji decided not to let Tipu enjoy Wayanad in peace and kept up guerrilla warfare that constantly harassed Mysore troops in Wayanad and neighbourhood. The struggle against Tipu Sultan lasted till 1793, a total of seven-year. In the end, Pazhassi Raja Ji was able to expel the last of Mysore’s troops from Wayanad.

Pazhassi Raja Ji’s hatred of Tipu had grown even more because of the latter’s policy of forcible conversion. Raja Ji strengthened his ties with British on one hand and with fellow rebel chiefs and princes in Malabar on the other hand. Tipu in hopes of ending the rebellion all across Malabar sent an army under a French general named Lally with a genocidal mission—the extermination of the Nairs. Tipu was determined to end the menace of Nair rebels in Malabar who had foiled all attempts of him and his late father Hyder Ali to subjugate and exploit Malabar.

By the end of in 1790, Tipu abandoned the war in Malabar as his troops were getting a tough fight in Malabar and on the other hand, the war in Deccan became even more important issue for Tipu. He only

Second revolt and death (1800–1805)

After the fall of Tipu, Wayanad fell to the British. They sent a Mysore Commission to seize Wayanad and planned to annexe it to either Canara or Coimbatore. But as Wayanad was a traditional possession of Kottayam Raja Ji and that Pazhassi is in control of this region since 1793, Pazhassi correctly saw move was an encroachment on his country’s ancient provinces. Raja Ji retaliated by collecting a large force of Nayars Warriors.

British Government at Madras appointed Major General Arthur Wellesley as British army commandant of Mysore, Canara & Malabar- He planned to surround Raja Ji by attacking from double side i.e. from Malabar Coast and Mysore into Wayanad and began preparations for that end. Raja Ji observed the Major General’s move- The general had brought reinforcements and building roads in Wayanad and outposts across rebel country. In response, Raja Ji also recruited numerous men, which alarmed Wellesley so much that he even wanted to kidnap kith and kin of rebels to stop Raja Ji’s recruitment.

Raja Ji learnt that Wellesley had left to Deccan on a military mission-Raja Ji who understood that Major General’s absence is a great chance swiftly made his move. He marched across Kuttiyadi Pass and below he made a junction with several great nobles like Kampuratt Nambiar of Iruvazhinad, Peruvayal Nambiar and Kannavath Sankaran Nambiar.

By monsoon of 1800, rebels who controlled all of country-side of Kottayam threatened to overwhelm British outposts in Kottayam. Wellesley sent a large force under Colonel Sartorius to recapture British rebel-held Kottayam. But the plan could not be carried out as there were not enough British troops in Malabar. Wellesley advised Commissioners to stop all communications and transportation with Wayanad to starve Raja Ji of supplies. But the shortage of troops also meant this plan too remained on paper. By the time, Wellesley started to move ahead with his initial plan and decided to smash Raja Ji by a double drive from Malabar Coast and Mysore into Wayanad. The Nobels of neighbour kingdoms agreed to support of Raja Ji.

By 1801, a large British force of over 10,000 men swarmed all over Kottayam and Wayanad and they blocked all passes that linked Wayanad with Malabar. Before so large numbers, rebels thought wise to go under-ground for time being. Raja Ji also found that he could no longer contact his supporters in Southern Wayanad and Southern Malabar. Raja Ji became a wa

Resistance to British rule

Pazhassi Raja resisted British imperialism from 1793 onwards till his death in 1805. He fought two wars to resist British intervention in the domestic affairs of his kingdom. From 1793–1797 he fought over the rule of Kottayam and from 1800–1805 over the issue of who will be the ruler of Wayanad. British called their wars with Pazhassi Raja Ji as Cotiote War. 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).

First Revolt against British rule

Pazhassi Raja was not on good terms with his uncle Vira Varma. In 1793, foxy Vira Varma who had surrendered Kottayam to British back in 1792, convinced British Commissioners to let him collect tax in Kottayam. He calculated that a good collection might please the British and that that would let him seize all of Kottayam. Needless to say, Pazhassi Raja was angry at this British move. He felt betrayed. After all, he was the only Raja in Northern Malabar to have helped the British consistently in the war with Mysore.

Vira Varma was a real crook – on the one hand, he undertook to collect tax in Kottayam directly and on the other hand, he instigated Pazhassi Raja to oppose the British. Moreover, the British tax on the kingdom was harsh and beyond the peasants' capacity to pay. They resisted its forcible collection by the agents of the British, and Pazhassi Raja took up their cause. Raja Ji was deadly opposed to extortion of the peasantry.

In 1793, Pazhassi Raja Ji made sure that no tax was collected in Kottayam by the British – as a mark of his protest. He also threatened that if British officials did not give up their enumeration of pepper vines, he would have the vines destroyed. Local British authorities, however, debated with Raja Ji and soon both discovered Vira Varma’s dirty games. So the British put forward a solution acceptable to the Raja Ji by which 20 percent of gross revenue would go to Raja Ji and another 20 percent would go for the temples' expense. No tax would be imposed on temple property in the immediate future.

In 1793, Tipu’s Vakils (Heir of Tipu Sultan) protested to the British that Pazhassi Raja, who was a British tributary, had overrun most of Wayanad, still under Mysore. Soon the Raja Ji was supreme in the Wayanad Plateau.

But the Governor-General unwisely revoked the agreement in 1794 and gave Kottayam to Vira Varma (who at the

Since Independence, the pages of our history books have not been kind to the heroes of India. Forgotten to the glorified invaders, the true heroes who never bowed down when facing adversity. Today we will talk about a hero who might have been embedded in the folklore of Kerala but never got the recognition he deserved pan India.

An Introduction to the great King - (Background)

Pazhassi Raja Ji was born on 3 January 1753 Padinjare Kovilakam (Western Branch of Royal Clan) of Purannattu Swarupam, Peralam Village, the royal clan of the kingdom of Kottayam in North Malabar in south Kerala. He was a well-trained in the arts of warfare and politics.

During these times, the Islamic Warlord Hyder Ali wanted to take over the Malabar, now in Kerala. In 1766 he launched a brutal military invasion of Kerala which lasted for 26 years. During this invasion, Thousands of Hindus were killed. The Nair forces native of Kerala were outnumbered. Hyder Ali himself came to Malabar and ordered his troops to find and kill the Nairs. Many Nair soldiers were killed on sight and 15,000 Nair Soldiers were deported to Kanara, only 200 of these 15,000 Soldiers survived.

Therefore, in 1766 to save the people from this brutality the many Kings and Leaders of Malabar accepted a treaty in which they had to pay hefty sums to the Mysore Kingdom of Hyder Ali. These payments were too much for the small Kingdoms of Kerala and soon the Farmers felt the brunt of excessive taxation. The Kings had no choice they could not give this much amount and in the year 1773, the Kings refused to pay the tributes. Hyder Ali with his army marched to Malabar once again. Most of the Rajas of Malabar, along with many Princes went to seek political asylum in Travancore. Princes and younger noblemen who refused to flee the invasion organized resistances.

During this time, the Pazhassi Raja Ji had become a grown man in his twenties. His uncle Vira Varma the king of Kottayam along with other king had gone to Travancore in search of asylum. In his absence, the Pazhassi Raja Ji had become the leading authority. Vira’s other nephew Ravi Varma was too incompetent to play any serious political role and hence his role only was nominal. Pazhassi Raja became the most powerful figure in Kottayam, much to the chagrin of his uncle Vira Varma. Hence Vira Varma played a series of power games aiming to check the growing clout of his nephew. So the relation between Vira Varma and Pazhassi Raja was one of e

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