ACT 5 - Epic Finale: Successful Resistance to Arthur Wellesley, Downfall and Death

In 1799, British and Pazhassi Raja openly broke into war and by monsoon of 1800, all of British blockhouses in Kottayam was besieged by rebels.

British decided to crush this rebel Raja once and for all – so they appointed their best man for this job. Colonel Arthur Wellesley who had put a great performance in Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.

This Colonel Arthur Wellesley later rose to become Duke of Wellington who helped Spanish rebels win Peninsular War against Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and later defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.

Master strategist Wellesley decided that he will subdue Kottayam by an all directional overwhelming move – British force was to invade Kottayam from all directions and then hunt down rebels.

But he knew well that success would not come easy in so wild a country– so he decided that he will build s series of roads across Kottayam and set up blockhouses in all key points so that country could be subjugated inch by inch.

He also embarked on a program of huge deforestation to deny rebels cover.

No rebellion could succeed without help of people –so now newly promoted Major General Wellesley decided to unleash a reign of terror.

Large scale arrests and executions of male kin and kith of rebels was followed by confiscation of their properties.

In view of support, Pazhassi Raja had amongst many across Malabar, whole of Malabar province was brought under military law and draconian effort was made to disarm whole of district.

Punishment for possession of arms was death and thousands were hanged. No quarter was given by both sides – British summarily hanged all rebels they caught or found wounded and rebels beheaded all those British troops whom they caught or were found wounded.

One reason why British was so brutal was that they had scented that Pazhassi Raja had joined with rebel leaders across South India - like Dhundaji Wagh of Mysore, Marudu Pandyar of Sivaganga. Krishnappa Nayak of Bullum, Gopal Nayak of Dindigul and Khan-I-Jahan of Coimbatore

In light of his past exploits and unusual talent as a general, British was not entirely wrong in their anxiety to crush Pazhassi Raja at earliest.

Kannavath Sankaran Nambiar, right hand man and prime minister of Pazhassi Raja and in words of British, principal instigator of second round of war between Pazhassi Raja and British was caught and hanged along with son and twenty four of his followers.

All rebel strongholds were captured by British after severe combat and by 1801, rebels were on run – they kept up a running fight.

Pazhassi Raja himself was relentlessly chased. He and his wife along with six close aides and twenty five bodyguards constantly evaded capture.

Pazhassi Raja crossed frontier of his country into neighbouring principalities of Chirakkal, Kadathanad, Kurumbranad, Calicut and even reached south as far as Cochin in disguise. To their rage, British found that people – high and low – gave all kind of help to this fugitive Raja who had become a hero even beyond his own country.

Pazhassi Raja and his personal band was hotly pursued by British troops across hundreds of miles and on many occasion British troops almost had Pazhassi Raja under sight but he made a hair breath escape.

Until 1802, resistance was in doldrums. All they had managed is to hold on and survive. Their skirmishes with British troops had proved costly to latter but resistants had no confidence to mount a major offensive.

But all that changed from October of 1802.

In central point of Wynad at a crucial junction of roads named Panamaram, British had an heavily fortified outpost and had 300 men there.

News would spread from Panamaram fast across whole of Wynad and 3000 of Pazhassi Raja’s armed followers had hidden themselves in forests of Wynad.

In this time of tribulation, a young Kurichia tribal named Thalakkal Chandu, who was right hand man of Edachena Kunkan about whom we had seen in Siege of Tellicherry proposed a daring plan.

Chandu was illiterate but had a brilliant military mind. He put forward a plan to Kunkan – they would launch a surpise on British unit at Panamaram and overwhelm it. If this plan works a miracle might happen.

But this plan was exceedingly risky – there as another British outpost not far from Panamaram and if rebels fail to seize Panamaram in one blow, they might risk themselves being trapped in gun fire from two British units.

On October of 1802, 150 Kurichia bowmen led by Chandu and Kunkan mounted a surprise in thick of night and overwhelmed whole of British outpost. News of this audacious victory rapidly travelled all over Wynad and rebels who recovered their nerves now rose up en masse.

Wellesley was red with anger – he had thought that he had crushed the insurgents but now they were back with a bang. British reinforcements rushed to Wynad but could not bring situation under control.

Soon, Wellesely was in for another shock – he found out why Pazhassi Raja and his men could evade British troops for so long.

Wellesley's “adviser”, a Wynad Nayar noble named Pallore Eman, who had access to all decisions made by Wellesely was in reality a double agent who worked for Pazhassi Raja.

Eman duly reported all decisions made by Wellesely to Pazhassi Raja.

Eman escaped into forests and joined Pazhassi Raja and thus evaded British effort to arrest him.

In October of 1802, Edachena Kunkan arrived at a famous shrine at Walliyoorcav which visited by large numbers of people.

Here he made a proclamation in name of Pazhassi Raja to people of Wynad to join his struggle to expel British from their country. Response was overwhelming – 5,000 armed men volunteered and 3,000 were immediately sent for action.

On account of his ability and loyalty, Chandu was appointed as one of the generals in Kottayam army.

Pazhassi Raja’s rebellion now fanned out across Kottayam with renewed vigor – British struggled to contain this frenzied surge and in early 1803 was confirmed with another rebellion far greater and dangerous than one of Pazhassi Raja.

Whole of Malabar had rose up en masse in 1803 in response to hiked rate of land revenue.

British now suffered nightmares – they know only too well how Hyder and Tipu had failed in Malabar due to rebellion and was further fearful of what would happen if whole province of Malabar were to flock under Pazhassi Raja.

So in deviation from their usual style of no compromise with rebels, British authorities swiftly reverted to old land revenue and opened peace talks with all potential rebel leaders to calm them.

Nightmare scenario was averted by middle of 1803, but that in no way helped to contain Pazhassi Raja who was now boosted by volunteers who came to fight for him outside his kingdom.

Pazhassi Raja’s men now ravaged whole zone from Arabian Sea to neighborhood of Mysore.

BY late 1803, Major General Wellesley himself admitted that his methods had failed to bring Cotiote War to a successful termination and rightly analysed that revolt will thrive as long as Pazhassi Raja was alive.

It was a David and Goliath case – Wellesley who had played crucial role in rather speedy victories over Mysore and Marathas failed before a minor princeling who had only 6,000 armed men with him.

But Wellesley used his experiences in Cotiote War for far greater use in Spain where he used many of “Pychy Raja’s” guerrilla methods of warfare to bleed and bog down Napoleon’s Grand Army.

FATEFUL BATTLE OF IRIKKUR

Emboldened by their successes, rebels decided to fight enemy openly –so far they had stuck to guerrilla warfare. Now in February of 1804, they decided to make an open stand at Irikkur – a trading town along Tellicherry-Mysore highway.

Rebels threw their best men and weaponry into this fateful struggle. Loss or victory in this battle would prove crucial.

Battle of Irikkur raged for four months – by June of 1804, rebels were severely defeated by British troops at a heavy cost for themselves. Close to 3,000 rebels were dead or captive.

Enormous cost for rebels in terms of men proved to be a fatal mistake – British could bring more reinforcements but rebels had dried up their manpower reserve. In retrospect, this event marked the beginning of end for Pazhassi Raja.

Unable to mount any serious offensive, they once more retreated into forests of Wynad.

Pazhassi Raja was not disheartened – he had tasted severe defeats even before and knew well that victory in insurgent warfare comes only with one’s ability to hold on and wear down enemy will to fight.

HEROIC END

British troops who were doubled in numbers by reinforcements from Madras chased rebels into Wynad encountered severe resistance and their hope for a total victory was thus lost.

Now Pazhassi Raja assisted by Thalakkal Chandu and Edachena Kunkan, waged a successful forest warfare from June of 1804 till September of 1805.

In November of 1804, British surprised Pazhassi Raja and his followers in one of his hideouts. Timely warning by a Kurichia archer gave him time to have a hair breadth escape.

By 1805 June, it became clear even to Raja that he had lost initiative fully to British. He and his two nephews decided to leave in southern direction.

But within two days of departure, Raja returned to Wynad! He took command of his army once more. What else should we expect from a man like him who had devoted his whole life for his country?

But by early October of 1805, affairs started to look bright for Raja and his troops. British army units in Wynad was struck down by an epidemic of malaria and only less than one-seventh of their force was fit for service. Raja supported by Kunkan, Eman and Chandu rallied a large force of Kurichias and Mullukurummas and prepared to deliver a large scale blow to the weakened enemy.

But in November, entire Kottayam military machine collapsed suddenly and by end of the year, war was over. 

How Cotiote War came to an end and how Pazhassi Raja became a martyr is in most case explained by account given by Thomas Harvey Baber, Collector of Malabar who had charge of counter insurgency operations since middle of 1804.

Version of Baber is that he won confidence of ordinary people of Wynad and made them end their supply of food to rebels and also to betray hideouts and movements of rebels to British army. In end, Pazhassi Raja himself was betrayed by one of his subjects and was killed in a skirmish.

Some accounts say Raja committed suicide to avoid capture – he swallowed a diamond ring. Another suicide version says he tossed his sword up into air and was killed by sword which came back down.

But I personally find Baber’s version questionable. Because Baber in same letter attest to devotion of Wynad people to Raja which not even his death could erase but in same letter say that he brought down Raja because he could woo people and turn them against Raja!

If one were to read Baber’s account, it is as if he came with a magic wand in September and deprived Raja of people’s support and by November 30 made them betray his hideout. But this need to be doubted – British had earlier too used similar methods across Kottayam but without success.

TALE OF A BETRAYAL

From this point on wards, I wish to break away from accepted version of academic history I find unreliable. Instead I will like to share with my readers, a tale unknown to most.

In folklore of North Malabar, Pazhayaveettil Chandu, a relative and former general of Raja is blamed for betraying hideout of Raja to British. Raja then commits suicide to avoid capture.

Chandu is a relative of Kaitheri Ambu as well. One of his sister named Unniamma was wife of Chandu. Another of his sister named Makam was wife of Rajah. Chandu and Ambu did not like one another. Their rivalry is also attested in folklore. 

Pazhayaveettil Chandu is also recorded in history as the who joined Vira Varma in 1793 and later as an adviser to Arthur Wellesley.

All sources agree that Pazhayaveettil Chandu was murdered in end. But by whom is not clear – one source say that he was murdered by Pazhassi Raja’s men and another version say that he was shot by British who felt he had outlived his use.

But his greed for money was well known. As manager of Vira Varma from 1793 to 1797, he committed terrible deeds to make money. He ordered his Muslim mercenaries to plunder without remorse and assassinate anyone who protested. He also instigated British in 1790's to take on his former protector Pazhassi Raja. In 1805, when he sensed that he could make a good sum if he betrayed hideout of his master, he had no hesitation to do that. British had put a bounty of 3000 pagodas or 12,000 rupees on Raja. 

Chandu had risen to become a high ranking general during war between Raja and Tipu Sultan. Chandu had led several of raids into Coorg and Mysore. He was a close confidant of Raja before he abandoned him to join forces with Vira Varma in 1793. It is only too likely that Chandu would have had an intimate knowledge about arms depots, hideouts and supply sources of Kottayam army. Sudden collapse of Kottayam army within a matter of month in November 1805 makes one naturally suspect foul play. Chandu must have crippled Kottayam army by betraying all secrets he knew at a time when Raja and his troops were only recovering from severe defeat of 1804. 

What he did was disgraceful. He began his life as a starving boy whom was given job in royal service by Raja and Raja in recognition of his courage and ability promoted him to highest rank and even got him married to sister of Kaitheri Ambu, one of premier Nair nobles of his country. 

So possibility is that Pazhayamviden would have alerted Baber about hideout of Raja and latter did rest of work. Wynad Chetti and his workers of Pania tribe whom Baber said led him to Raja’s camp are most likely Pazhayamviden’s men.

Fight between Raja’s men and British troops on November 30 began on 9.00 a.m. A stray bullet struck Raja in his chest.– he had time to pray to his beloved Sree Porkali (Chandika), his family deity and breathed his last.

Thus ended the career of one of this patriot, warrior, and a truly people’s leader.

His enemies – British – decided to give a cremation with full military honours. Baber who oversaw thus wrote –

“I was induced to this conduct from the consideration that, although a rebel, he was one of the natural chieftains of the country, and might be considered on that account rather as a fallen enemy.” 

"...but in all classes, I observed a decided interest for the Pyche Rajah, towards whom the inhabitants entertained a regard and respect bordering on veneration, which not even his death can efface"

FATE OF RAJA'S AIDES

Thalakkal Chandu was caught and hanged or killed in combat briefly before Raja’s death.

Edachena Kunkan committed suicide or was shot dead.

Pallur Eman was exiled to Prince of Wales Isle near Australia.

FATE OF PAZHAYAVEETTIL CHANDU

Chandu met with a violent end. One account says he was assassinated by partisans of Raja to avenge his betrayal of Raja. Another version say that he was drowned in sea by British who felt he had outlived his utility. 

AFTERMATH

All property of Raja was confiscated in order named Pazhassi Escheats and his palace was demolished and Tellicherry-Mysore highway was built upon it.

In memory of Pazhassi Raja’s love and help for them, peasants of Tiyyar caste built up a new palace at their own cost and gifted that to Pazhassi Raja’s kin and kith who were rendered homeless by British.

Kurichiyas supported by some ex-soldiers of Pazhassi Raja launched an unsucessful revolt in Wynad in 1812.

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