One day, Pazhassi Raja who was in his youth went into woods for hunting. He was accompanied by his armed retinue. They wandered in the forest without sight of any prey. But when they reached rivulet, they saw twenty children all busy with fishing. When the kids saw the armed men, all of them save one ran away. The one who stood firm continued with fishing.
Hunting party led by Raja was surprised by this defiant gesture of that child. Raja asked him his name. Child told him that he was Pazhayaveettil Chandu. Raja asked him why he did not run away like the rest of his friends. Chandu answered that if he did not catch sufficient fish, he will have to starve that day. He came from an extreme poverty stricken household.
Raja felt sympathy for the child. But he also appreciated the bold nature of Chandu. Raja took up the child and returned to his palace. He became godfather of Chandu and arranged for his education and military training in his palace. Chandu was made a retainer of Raja.
Chandu came from a peasant background. This was in contrast to his associates like Kaitheri Ambu and Kannavath Sankaran who were members of ancient Nambiar aristocracy. So Raja ennobled Chandu – he did this by asking members of Ponmileri Koroth, a lineage of aristocratic Nambiars resident to Paduvilai near Anjarakkandy to adopt Chandu as a member. Ponmileri Koroth at this time had no male members. Hence, female members of this house agreed to proposal of Raja. Thus Pazhayaveettil Chandu became Ponmileri Koroth Chandu.
It may be noted that in folklore, he is known as Ponmileri Koroth Chandu whereas in historical records, he is known by his original name Pazhayaveettil Chandu.
Raja then went one further step. He proposed marriage of Chandu with Unniamma of Kaitheri Edom. She was the sister of the renowned Kaitheri Ambu. On insistence of Raja, elders of Kaitheri Edom consented for this alliance. Ambu and Chandu were always at loggerheads with one another. But even after the marriage, relationship between the two men was nowhere warm.
As it well known, Raja spent most of his adult life in warfare. Chandu accompanied his master into battlefield. He proved himself a courageous soldier and capable leader. Raja gave him appointment as one of his generals. After end of war with Tipu Sultan, Raja appointed him as one of the eighteen viceroys or Karyakar. He was given the province of Paduvilai to rule. Along with this, he was made in charge of revenue affairs of all Kottayam along with Kaitheri Ambu.
It was at this moment that Vira Varma, wicked uncle of Pazhassi Raja arrives on the scene and makes himself the acting Raja of Kottayam with English support. Vira Varma got kingship in exchange for payment of a huge tribute to East India Company. This could be done only if peasantry was squeezed. That task was left to Chandu.
Chandu was extremely greedy. He saw this as a chance to make a fortune. Chandu collected a force of criminals and unleashed them on peasantry – they extorted sums of money four to five times the tax rate. Pazhassi Raja and Kaitheri Ambu opposed ill treatment of peasantry in name of revenue collection. But Chandu, in an act of supreme ingratitude, broke off with Raja. He now openly aligned with Vira Varma and East India Company.
Chandu committed many acts of violence which then he reported to East India Company as being done on orders of Pazhassi Raja. He also started to boss Raja himself on the pretext that he was blocking tax collection. With this, break up between Raja and Chandu was complete.
Unable to work anymore with Vira Varma and Chandu, Kaitheri Ambu resigned his post as in charge of revenue administration. He joined hands with Raja and Kannavath Sankaran and chose warpath. With victory of Raja in 1797, heyday of Chandu was over. Raja appointed Kaitheri Ambu as his plenipotentiary in Puranad area (modern Iritty and Thalassery taluks) of Kottayam.
When open war erupted between Raja and East India Company, Chandu once more found employment as military advisor to General Arthur Wellesley.
In 1805, after end of rainy season, Chandu appeared in Wayanad as nemesis of his benefactor. He had an intimate knowledge of Raja’s military secrets. He sold this knowledge to English in exchange for money. This probably caused the sudden collapse of Pazhassi war machine in November of 1805. He also betrayed hideout of Raja which led to his death on November 30th 1805.
There are two stories about how Chandu died – that he had a violent unnatural end is agreed by both. One account says he was either assassinated in retaliation by partisans of Raja or he was executed by British who threw him into sea once his use was over. Folklore says that British killed him as they were disgusted by his treachery to his noble godfather, Pazhassi Raja.
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