British followed the dictum of “only permanent interests and no permanent friends”.
Allies are to be used and thrown.
They had concluded in 1790, an agreement with Kottayam by which British agreed to respect independence of Kottayam – Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja himself signed this agreement.
Similar agreements were concluded with all war leaders of Malabar in 1790.
But in 1792, with victory over Tipu complete, British decided to revoke their 1790 agreements with Malabar rebel leaders and insisted that they sign treaties of surrender and become vassals.
At the earliest, leaders of South Malabar accepted revised terms, but those of North Malabar – Kottayam, Chirakkal and Kadathanad refused and were angry at this betrayal. For months they decided whether or not to surrender to British and in end grudgingly did so.
Villain Vira Varma represented Kottayam in 1792 and accepted British over lordship.
Kerala Varma kept tight lipped – perhaps he was at a loss about what to do. He belonged to anti-surrender party in Kottayam and hence was bitter about this treaty of 1792 – not surprising as this treaty gave British power to interfere in domestic affairs of kingdoms in Malabar.
One might debate why Malabar leaders so meekly submitted – Answer lay in fact that British made use of exiled Rajas to persuade rebel leaders to surrender – Mysore rulers underestimated power of Rajas on mind of Malabaris. British understood that only too well.
But even so, Rajas themselves did not have any intent to follow terms of the self same treaties they signed with British and hence rebels kept Malabar in a state of disturbance for six years – 1792 to 1798 after which Rajas decided to give up made rebels give up and go home.
Change of mind by Rajas was because of huge pensions offered by British – even before 1766, they did not have so great sums as income. Thus they became Rajas who sold their kingdoms for pensions.
In this darkness, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja stood out as a beacon of virtue.
But now back to narrative.
From what followed, it is only too clear that his hatred for his uncle-due to his surrender to British-took dimensions of a blood feud.
Moment of nephew came in 1793.
In 1793, old Raja of Kurumbranad, a neighboring principality, adopted Vira Varma as heir since former had no heirs. So Vira Varma decided to rule both Kottayam and Kurumbranad and he was pleased.
But Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja and his followers rose in protest – How could Vira Varma rule two kingdoms at same time? As per customary law, a man if adopted by another family loses his right to his natal home – thus Vira Varma, who is now Raja of Kurumbranad has no more right in Kottayam.
But British decided that Vira Varma will rule Kottayam as well and asked him to pay heavy tribute and pepper harvest as promised. Heavy taxation imposed on farmer folk to pay tribute to invader roused whole of country and her natural leader once more in action.
Pazhassi Raja asked his people to boycott tax collectors – boycott was so through that Vira Varma’s agents could not collect even a rupee as tax from 1793 to 1797.
Tax collectors supported by British troops and Muslim mercenaries tried to use force to make people pay tax.
But instead people who armed themselves to teeth and supported by armed followers of Pazhassi Raja thwarted all efforts of Vira Varma to collect tax.
Skirmishes raged across whole of country for four years.
British decided to teach Pazhassi Raja a lesson and sent 300 men to arrest him in 1796. But he got a scent of this move earlier and fled away to his jungle stronghold in Manatana in Western Ghats.
Vira Varma and British officials arranged to trap Pazhassi Raja twice – they invited him for peace talks but on each occasion Raja came with a bodyguard of 1,000 Nayar musket men and so plans to arrest him as shelved.
In early 1797, dispute flared up into open war – Pazhassi Raja’s followers were engaged in direct military action with British troops across North Malabar.
In a span of six months, 100 engagements were fought between Raja’s followers and British troops.
British Bombay army suffered staggering loss – they lost 1000 European troops and 3000 Sepoys in three battles fought at Calicut alone. Army of Kottayam conducted operations even at Arabian coast.
This coupled with news that Tipu was ready to sent 6,000 Sepoys to aid Pazhassi Raja , his old enemy, British decided that peace with Pazhassi Raja was of vital importance as they feared that Pazhassi Raja would sweep away British regiments parked in Malabar.
Peace talks was held in fort of Tellicherry between Bombay Governor Jonathan Duncan and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja.
Pazhassi Raja came with a large armed escort was dressed in military attire and carried weapons with him – he suspected an attempt to arrest.
Talks between Pazhassi Raja and Duncan was successful – British accepted all terms put forward by Pazhassi Raja.
By peace pact of Tellicherry, Vira Varma was driven out of Kottayam, Pazhassi Raja and his followers got back their confiscated properties and on top of all, British decided to pay a subsidy of 8000 rupees so that Pazhassi Raja might not give them further trouble.
Victory was complete for Pazhassi Raja and humiliation complete for British government. In light of what happened later, it would have been better if there was no peace at all.
British were happy that Pazhassi Raja had not demanded full independence during peace talks.
Also he had no objection to British clause to “appointment of his uncle” Vira Varma (who was resident at Travancore since 1788) as Raja of Kottayam. British thought that Pazhassi Raja had given up.
But soon British found that Pazhassi Raja had no intent to let British rule Kottayam. Colonel Dow who was posted in Kottayam direct revenue administration found that he was powerless to implement British will in Kottayam and neither did “appointed Raja” had any control on country or people.
In fact from 1797 to 1799, Pazhassi Raja ordered his close aides to foment turbulence if British tried to implement their policy – hence their objective to collect tribute failed.
In 1799, Pazhassi Raja heard that British had made war on Mysore and so he secretly helped Tipu Sultan with men and material. But in end, Tipu was routed and shot dead and Mysore fell before British might.
I had mentioned in earliest posts about origin of second round of warfare between Pazhassi Raja and British. In British literature, they collectively refer to their struggles with Pazhassi Raja from 1793 to 1806 as Cotiote War.
Now Cotiote War entered stage of grand finale.
Pazhassi Raja began his epic resistance.
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