Great Hindu king Lion of kerala Pazhassi Raja defeat Muslim ruler Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan army at Kottayam
Hyder ali & Tipu sultan was not great.
Read it properly it open many lndian eyes .
Pazhassi Raja was a member of the western branch of the Kottayam royal clan. When Hyder Ali of the Kingdom of Mysore occupied Malabar in 1773, the Raja of Kottayam found political asylum in Travancore. Pazhassi Raja, the fourth prince in line for succession to the throne during this period, became one of the de facto heads of state, surpassing several older royal contenders. He fought a war of resistance against the Mysorean army from 1774 to 1793. On account of his refusal to flee and due to his effective resistance to Mysoreans, he gained firm support of his subjects.
Pazhassi Raja was born in the Padinjare Kovilakam (Western Branch) of Purannattu Swarupam, the royal clan of the kingdom of Kottayam in North Malabar not Kottayam District in south Kerala. This branch was located at Pazhassi which lay south west of Mattannur. Kerala Varma got the name Pazhassi Raja as he was a native of Pazhassi. The early British documents wrote Pazhassi Raja as Pychy Rajah, while the name Cotiote Raja comes from the anglicizing of Kottayam to Cotiote. Kottayam covers what is today the Thalassery taluk of the Kannur District and Wayanad district, along with the Gudalur taluk of Nilgiris district.
As a royal clan, Purannattu Swarupam had three branches: the a western branch (Padinjare Kovilakam) at Pazhassi, near Mattannur, an eastern branch (Kizhakke Kovilakam) at Manatana, near Peravoor, and a southern branch (Tekke Kovilakam) at Kottayampoil, near Koothuparamba.
Resistance to Mysore occupation (1773–1793)
Pazhassi Raja's warfare with Mysore troops can be divided into two phases based on the rulers of the kingdom of Mysore. First phase lasted from 1773 to 1782 during this time Mysore ruler was Hyder Ali. Second phase extended from 1784 to 1793 and during this phase he fought troops of Tipu Sultan, son and successor of Hyder Ali:
Resistance to Hyder Ali (1773–1782)
In 1773, Hyder Ali marched into Malabar for the second time, for non-payment of tributes from the Rajas (kings) of Malabar as agreed after war in 1768. Most of the Rajas of Malabar, along with many Naduvazhis or vassals fled to seek political asylum in Travancore. Princes and younger noblemen who refused to flee the invasion organised resistances. The Malabari partisans made excellent use of the wooded hills that covered most of Malabar during this rebellions.
In 1774, at age of 21, Pazhassi Raja took over the throne to replace his uncle who had fled to Travancore. He vowed to resist Hyder Ali's troops, and stayed in Kottayam where he gathered a force and began guerrilla battles against the troops of Mysore as he had neither guns or troops enough to face them in an open battle. He set up a large number of bases in the nearly impenetrable forested mountains of Puralimala and Wynad and repeatedly inflicted severe minor losses to the Mysore army in Kottayam as well as in Wynad.
Once true Raja of Kottayam had fled away, a three royals rose to power in Kottayam. Nephew of escaped Raja named Vira Varma and his nephews, Ravi Varma and Pazhassi Raja now took over the reins of government. Vira Varma was skilled in political intrigue and manipulation whereas Ravi Varma was too incompetent to play any serious political role and hence his role only was nominal. Pazhassi Raja become 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 niece. So the relation between Vira Varma and Pazhassi Raja was one of enmity right from onset.
Military situation was grim for Pazhassi Raja and his troops – in 1774, Coorgs had joined hands with Hyder Ali on promise of being gifted Wynad and a large Coorg army camped in Wynad to help Mysore troops. In 1776, Hyder Ali re-installed some raja in Chirakkal and latter joined Mysore war effort to crush Pazhassi Raja. This triple alliance which lasted till 1780 reached nowhere near defeating Kottayam army.
During his long war with the Mysore and then the English East India Company, Pazhassi Raja increased his sphere of influence significantly eastwards as far as the outskirts of Mysore. His men regularly looted enemy treasuries and sandalwood from southern Karnataka and his enemies could do little to check these raids. This enabled him to lay claim on a great chunk of the Mysore district – as far as Nanjangod in the east. Also Pazhassi Raja and his men frequently raided the domains of neighbouring Rajas in northern Malabar and Coorg to harass the enemy regiments posted there and he was often supported by local population of those territories. Along with this he had close ties with Ravi Varma and Krishna Varma, who were princes of Calicut and popular rebel leaders of southern Malabar.
Siege of Thalasseri
Thalasseri or Tellicherry in the late 18th century was a harbour-fort which was held by British East India Company as a factory. Value of Tellicherry as a naval base meant that her capture could seriously impact the British naval situation in West Coast. Also rebels in North Malabar bought arms and ammunition from the British in Tellicherry. So if Hyder could capture this fort, he could at a stroke cripple both rebels in North Malabar as well as British military power at a regional basis.
So in 1778, Hyder’s vassal, the Raja of Chirakkal, besieged Thalasseri and enforced an economic blockade-under orders from Hyder himself.[8] The British factors at Talassery armed Pazhassi Raja’s men to enable them to recover Kottayam from the Mysorean occupation army. This move by the British ensured that the Chirakkal army was now at risk of being struck in the rear by Pazhassi Raja’s force. The Chirakkal troops began to retreat. But Pazhassi chased and devastated the Chirakkal army, and then marched to Kottayam where he obliterated the Mysorean occupation and over-ran all of Western Kottayam. But at this critical moment when the Mysorean army in Malabar could have been destroyed by a joint action on the part of British and the Rajas, the British factors at Talassery were instructed by the Governor not to upset the nominal peace with Hyder.
Thus the British decision not to exploit the victory at Thalasseri was exploited by Mysore. The Chirakkal army reinforced by a Mysorean contingent under Balwant Rao marched into Kottayam. Pazhassi’s men, though secretly supplied with arms and ammunition by the British, could not hold or defeat this huge host and soon the Kottayam army was forced to disperse after a fight. Then the Mysore-Chirakkal army captured Kadathanad and installed a puppet Raja who joined hand with Mysore. In 1779, a huge Mysore-Chirakkal-Kadathanad army besieged Thalasseri. Pazhassi Raja sent a force of 2000 Nairs to aid British defence of Thalassery-and this enabled factors to hold on successfully.
By end of 1779, Sardar Khan, the Mysorean general was sent to Thalasseri to bring the siege speedily to a successful conclusion. Sardar Khan came with a force of 10,000 troops and 30 heavy guns.Sardar Khan knew that it was Pazhassi Raja’s help that enabled the British to resist him and so he opened negotiations with Pazhassi – his offer was the restoration of Mysore occupied territories of Kottayam if Pazhassi would ally himself with Mysore and pay an immediate tribute of 500,000 rupees. It was well beyond the capacity of Kottayam to raise so huge a sum in so short a time. But Pazhassi did his best to pay Sardar Khan [probably in hope that latter would make concessions] and 60,000 rupees was paid to the latter. But Khan was not satisfied and rejected Pazhassi’s request that his possessions in Malabar be restored. This greedy and tactless approach of Sardar Khan's made sure that there was little chance for Mysore to capture Thalasseri. Kottayam army became far more stronger with their major victory in 1779 at Kalpetta (Wynad) where whole Coorg army of 2,000 was surrounded and decimated by Pazhassi Raja's troops.Destruction of Coorg army in Wynad enabled Raja to throw a whole new army into contest at Thalasseri.
In 1780, Pazhassi Raja proposed a plan to the British to break the Mysorean siege of Thalassery: he and his men would strike the enemy in the rear from the east as the British came out of the fort and struck the Mysorean line in front. Both armies would effect a junction that would split the enemy into two. The Mysorean and allied troops could then be routed easily. But it was only in 1781 that the British understood the value of this plan and their Bombay authorities agreed to it. An operation was carried out as per Pazhassi's plan; it ended with the destruction of the Mysorean forces. Sardar Khan himself was killed. What followed was a rebellion in Kottayam by the Nayar militia led by Pazhassi Raja. Soon, the Mysoreans were ousted.
1784 to 1793 against Tipu Sultan
Rebellion to remove Tipu Sultan (1784–1793)
By 1782, Kottayam was once more a free land. But by the Treaty of Mangalore [1784] after the Second Anglo-Mysore War, the British recognised Tipu Sultan's sphere of authority in Malabar. Thus with its only valuable ally lost, Kottayam was ready to become a vassal state of Mysore. Once more, as Sardar Khan did in 1779, Mysore exacted an exorbitant rate of tribute. Although Ravi Varma, the elder brother of Pazhassi Raja agreed to pay 65,000 rupees per year, Mysore demanded 81,000 rupees. The hiked rate of tribute meant greater hardship for the peasantry [largely Tiyar/Izhava] who had suffered from years of foreign occupation. So Pazhassi Raja took up this issue and decided to launch a mass resistance struggle once more.
What angered Pazhassi Raja even more was that his brother Ravi Varma who paid visit to Tipu Sultan in 1786 for peace talks was forced to sign a treaty which ceded Wayanad to Tipu Sultan. Pazhassi Raja decided not to let Tipu enjoy Wayanad in peace and kept up a guerrilla warfare that constantly harassed Mysore troops in Wayanad and neighbourhood. War in Wayanad lasted for seven years – till 1793 – when the last of Mysore garrisons were expelled from soil of Wayanad.
By the end of 1788, Pazhassi Raja’s hatred of Tipu had shot up on account of the latter’s policy of forcible conversion. So he strengthened his ties with British on one hand and with fellow rebel chiefs and princes in Malabar on the other hand. Tipu sent an army under a French general named Lally with a genocidal mission—the extermination of the Nair caste from Kottayam to Palakkad – as 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.
Senior Rajah of Kottayam fled to Travancore fearing the Sultan. But before that he handed over charge of government to Pazhassi Raja and asked him to save the country from Mysore onslaught. Given below is the observation made by historian Rajayyan about Pazhassi Raja's resistance to Tipu Sultan after exodus of Rajas from Malabar in 1788.
Meanwhile Hyder Ali died in 1782 and he was succeeded by Tipu Sultan. Misfortune befell on Kottayam and entire Malabar in 1784 after the British recognized Tipu Sultan’s authority of the Malabar. This was as per the Treaty of Mangalore signed in 1784 between Tipu Sultan and the British after the Second Anglo-Mysore War. This war started in 1780 and ended on 11 March 1784 following interference from British headquarters in London. Kottayam thus became a vassal state of Mysore as per the treaty. Tipu Sultan demanded annual tribute of 81,000 rupees from the Kottayam king. This would mean great hardships for the peasant community, as majority of the population were then agriculturists. Pazhassi Raja took up this issue and launched a mass resistance against Tipu Sultan with the help of his people.
Ravi Varma, Pazhassi’s brother from the same royal clan, met Tipu Sultan in 1786 for peace talks. Without seeking guidance from the royal family, he signed a peace treaty with Tipu Sultan. According to the treaty, Wayanad was ceded to Tipu Sultan. Soon after, Mysorean troops filled up the region of Wayanad.
This act of Ravi Varma and Tipu’s Muslim troops occupying Wayanad angered Pazhassi Raja. He devised a plan to drive away the Mysorean Muslims from Wayanad. His advantage was that he was well acquainted with the twists and turns and the many paths of the Wayanad hills and forests, which Tipu Sultan’s army lacked. As per his plan, Pazhassi Raja did not let the Mysore troops stay in peace. He started attacking and harassing them following guerrilla warfare techniques. This became a regular affair. What started in 1786 ended in 1793 after seven long years! Using guerrilla warfare techniques, Pazhassi succeeded in driving out all of the Mysore garrisons from the soil of Wayanad!
Meanwhile, after Tipu Sultan assumed power, he followed a forcible conversion of Hindus to Islam. Those who converted were spared and the rest were executed. Many fled from his kingdom to save themselves from the Sultan’s atrocities. This was a grave issue for Hindus in entire Malabar. Pazhassi Raja allied with the other Malabar chiefs and princes to save Hindus. He helped many inhabitants of Malabar retire to the jungles and assisted them in the development of a new homeland, away from the clutches of Tipu Sultan. As the Nairs revolted against Tipu Sultan, Tipu Sultan entrusted a French army, who were his allies, to hunt down the Nairs from Malabar and exterminate them. Many Nairs joined Pazhassi’s forces.
Though a peace treaty was signed between the British and Tipu Sultan, both parties often went against the terms of the treaty. Pazhassi Raja was only looking for opportunities to help British recapture forts or territories from the Mysore Sultan. Indirectly this would only worsen relations between the two enemies and he would gain modern weapons from the British. Following this tactic Pazhassi supported British in regaining Katirur fort (with further support of 1500 Nairs) and Kuttiyadi fort from Tipu’s men. But before helping, the Raja got the British sign a pact that they would never interfere into the sovereignty of Kottayam. He did the same when he helped the British in defeating Hyder’s troops earlier.
Between 1787 and 1788, the thampurans or Rajahs of Malabar, threatened by the forces of Tipu, fled to Travancore. Among them were the princes of Kottayathu.....The Senior Rajah before his flight summoned Kerala Varma, the youngest prince, and instructed him to protect the country. Accordingly, the latter assembled the inhabitants, retired to the jungles and assisted them in the development of a new homeland. Frequently, in defiance to the authority of the Sultan, he with a band of determined followers issued forth from the woods and levied contributions.But in 1790, Tipu abandoned the war in Malabar as the war in Deccan drew his attention. Pazhassi Raja joined the British with a force of 1500 Nairs to capture the Mysorean stronghold in Katirur (near Talassery). After Katirur, Pazhassi Raja and his troops moved south-east and captured the Kuttiyadi fort from Tipu’s men. Thus once more the whole of Kottayam was in the control of Pazhassi Raja. In 1790, the British recognised Pazhassi Raja as the head of Kottayam instead of the original Raja who was in refuge at Travancore. Raja agreed to pay 25,000 rupees as tribute to the British. But his struggle with Mysore troops continued in Wayanad till 1793 when he freed that land also.
But by the Treaty of Seringapatam (1792) signed between the British and Tipu after the latter failed in Third Anglo-Mysore War, Malabar was ceded to the British.The British then began to work for establishment of their supremacy in Malabar.This was where the British and Pazhassi Raja had opposite opinions – Pazhassi Raja helped the British not because he was ready to accept British sovereignty but because he wanted his country Kottayam to be a free land.
Pazhassi Raja was disturbed when he heard about the terms which British put forward to Rajas of Malabar in 1792 because British had signed a cowl with him in 1790 which promised to respect independence of Kottayam. The summary of the British terms in 1792 were as follows:
The Raja to be able to rule as before but British to control him “in case of oppressing inhabitants”.
A resident to be appointed to enquire about “complaints of oppression”.
Two persons on the part of the British and two persons on the part of the Raja to make valuation of land revenue of Kottayam.
The Tax to be paid by each subject to be ascertained.
The Raja’s tribute to be settled in October 1792 according to the appearance of crop.
The British share of the pepper to be delivered at a price fixed by the British in December 1792.
The remainder of the pepper to be bought only by merchants appointed by the British.
These terms converted monarchs to mere agents of the British. Rajas were now stripped of their right to rule as they willed; they also lost control over their economies.
Kottayam was represented by Vira Varma, uncle of Pazhassi Raja during talks with British in 1792. Vira Varma concluded treaty with British by which he accepted all terms and conditions put forward by British.
1792 to 1805 against British until death
The 3rd Anglo Mysore War resulted in signing of the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792 between the British and Tipu Sultan. As Tipu lost in this war, he ceded Malabar to the British. Now the British wanted to establish their supremacy in Malabar, which Pazhassi Raja objected. The Raja had always wanted his kingdom to be free from foreign clutches. The British rejected the pact they signed earlier with Pazhassi. They enforced certain terms and conditions on the Rajas of Malabar – that Rajas would continue their kingship but under British control, that British residents would be appointed in Malabar kingdoms, that British would be entrusted with determining land valuation, that tax paid by each citizen to be ascertained, that British would determine price of pepper that would be sold to them, that remaining pepper were to be bought by merchants appointed only by British, payment of annual tribute to British by Rajas, and more.
Vira Varma met the British in 1792 and accepted all the terms and conditions put forward by them much against the wishes of his nephew Pazhassi Raja. The uncle was jealous of his nephew rising in popularity. He did not want him to continue ruling Kottayam as Regent and wished to take complete power in his hands. The two hated each other.
Pazhassi Raja neither agreed to the terms and conditions set by the British nor followed the acceptance of the treaty by his uncle Vira Varma. In resistance to British sovereignty over Kottayam, he fought two wars against British, one from 1793–1797 and the other from 1800–1805 until his death. These two wars are termed the Cotiote War. Pazhassi Raja never recognized the supremacy of the British and fought until death upholding the sovereignty of his kingdom. The British recognized Vira Varma as the ruler of Kottayam and not his nephew. Vira Varma sought the permission of the British to collect taxes from the peasants directly on their behalf.
Collection of heavy taxes would only mean extortion of the peasants. Pazhassi Raja stood up for their cause, vowing never to let British collect taxes from Kottayam. He did not allow his uncle to collect taxes from his kingdom either. Besides, he threatened the British authorities that he would destroy all the pepper vines of Kottayam if they enforced their terms on pepper on the subjects of his kingdom. Meanwhile, during the same time, he took back certain territories of Wayanad that were under Tipu Sultan. He also gave shelter to Narangoli Nambiar, a Nair nobleman, who was on a hideout as the British carried out his search operation. Narangoli Nambiar had revolted against the British. Pazhassi Raja giving shelter to the Nair nobleman, further irked the British. They planned to arrest Pazhassi Raja, but gave up the idea as the Raja then had 500 strong Wayanad Nairs around him, all ready with arms to resist any type of attacks.
From 1792-’95, neither Vir Varma nor the British were able to collect taxes from Kottayam following the stiff resistance put up by Pazhassi Raja. In 1796, British forces under Lieutenant James Gordon marched towards Pazhassi, and looted and plundered the Raja’s palace. The Raja was away from his palace then. Few of his men had sided with Vir Varma and the British. Pazhassi Raja shifted his base to Purali Range and then to Wayanad. Kurichia bowmen of the jungles supported the Raja’s cause. Most of Vir Varma’s men and more people who sided with the British later joined the Raja’s force. The Nair military as well as the Kurichia bowmen under the leadership of Pazhassi Raja rose in revolt in 1797 raiding British outposts and driving away the Britishers posted there.
Following guerilla warfare techniques, Pazhassi Raja defeated Major Cameroon in Periya Pass. Cameroon had come with a force of 1100 soldiers. The Raja’s army was able to slaughter many of the British soldiers. Lieutenant Nugent, Lieutenant Madge and Lieutenant Rudderman including Cameroon were killed in action. Following the defeat of the British, a peace pact was signed in 1797 between Pazhassi and the British. The treaty was in favor of the Raja.
In the first war between 1793 and 1797, 1,000 British soldiers and 3,000 British-employed native sepoys were killed by Pazhassi’s army.
Though the peace treaty was signed, the British continued with their efforts to collect taxes from Kottayam, but in vain. After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British started annexing territories of the Mysore Sultanate. They decided to annex Wayanad into the British Empire. Pazhassi Raja gave a stiff resistance with a large Nair force further reinforced by Mappilas and Pathans.
Major General Arthur Wellesley was then the British army commandant of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar. Wellesley was the officer who later defeated Napoleon Bonaparte in the Battle of Waterloo and was promoted as the Duke of Wellington besides twice holding office as the British Prime Minister. Between 1800 and 1803, Wellesley was involved in a series of inconclusive war with Pazhassi Raja. He could never defeat the Raja. In fact, it was the Raja who foiled all of his attacks and defeated him! The British experienced many casualties during this period. Pazhassi Raja got the support of many princes, nobles, and tribal folks from the Malabar region and collectively they created havoc on the British forces. The Raja’s army captured the British-occupied Panamaram Fort.
Wellesley had remarked “We are not fighting 1000 men [Raja’s army] … but one man … Kerala Varma.” Such was the valor and power of Pazhassi Raja that even the British feared him!
In 1803, Wellesley was called back to Britain. Thomas Hervey Baber was appointed as the British Sub Collector in 1804. Pazhassi Raja had been leading the revolt from the jungles of Wayanad. The British were able to crush one of his rebel groups in eastern Chirakkal in 1804. It was led by Kalyat Nambiar, a powerful Chirakkal noble. The defeat was a result of a Kolkar party of Malabar siding with the British by providing them information. Indian History has a legacy of traitor hood with many natives becoming traitors, helping foreigners establish their supremacy in the Indian soil. Another traitor, a Chetti, informed Baber about Pazhassi Raja’s whereabouts. The Raja was then camping on the shore of a stream named Mavila close to Karnataka. The British laid a surprise attack. Pazhassi Raja attained martyrdom in the attack. It was 30 November 1805.
Pazhassi’s wife Kunjani was taken prisonerand imprisoned at Kappanaveedu. She committed suicide in captivity. The British confiscated Pazhassi’s property and demolished his palace. They constructed a road in its place, thus leaving no trace of his dwelling.
And the 32 years of brave resistance by a brave son of the soil came to an end. He never surrendered. He fought like a lion until his death. Pazhassi Raja will inspire generations to come. Salute! Jai Hind
Santoshkumar B Pandey at 7.15Pm.
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