PASUMPON U.MUTHURAMALINGAM THEVAR

Ukkirapandi MuthuramalingaThevar (Tamil: உக்கிரபாண்டி முத்துராமலிங்க தேவர்) (October 30, 1908 – October 30, 1963), also known as Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar was an Indian politician. He hailed from the Maravar community, the dominant warrior caste group in his home district in southern Tamil Nadu. Thevar became the leader of the All India Forward Bloc in Tamil Nadu, and was national deputy chairman of the party from 1952 onwards. He was elected thrice to parliament.
Childhood and family life


Thevar was born in the village of Pasumpon, Ramnad district. He hailed from a wealthy landlord family. Thevar was the only son of Ukkirapandi Thevar and Indirani. He had one sister, Janaki.

His mother died before his first birthday and his stepmother the next year. From 1910 onwards he was in the custody of his maternal grandmother Parvathiammal in the neighbouring village of Kallupatti. Parvathiammal was furious on Thevar's father for having taken two new wives shortly after the death of his second wife.

During his youth, Thevar was aided by Kuzhanthaisami Pillai. Pillai was a close family friend of Thevar's father. Pillai took responsibility for arranging Thevar's schooling. First he was given private tuition and in June 1917 he began attending classes at an elementary school run by American missionaries in Kamuthi. Later he joined the Pasumalai High School(near Thirupparankundaram) and then he shifted to the Union Christian High School in Madurai.

Thevar would however, not complete his studies. In 1924 he missed his final examinations due to an outbreak of a plague epidemic. The following year he also missed his chance to attend the final examinations, as he returned to Pasumpon to fight a legal battle over issues of inheritance of family property. The case would linger and was not settled until 1927, when the court ruling in Muthuramalingam Thevar's favour.
Thevar's father, Ukkirapandi Thevar, died on June 6, 1939.[1]

Anti-CTA struggle

One particular issue would have a special impact on Thevar's political career. Since 1920 the Criminal Tribes Act had been enacted by the government of the Madras Presidency and began to be implemented in the Madurai, Ramnad and Tirunelveli districts. After his entry into politics, Thevar began to mobilize resistance to the CTA. He toured villages in the affected areas and led protest rallies for the rights of the individuals registered under the CTA. In 1929 the Maravars of 19 villages in Appanad were forced to registered under the CTA. Thevar led a massive campaign in the villages, urging the people to defy the CTA. The authorities partially withdrew, and reduced the number of CTA registrations in the concerned areas from around 2000 to just 341.

In 1934 Thevar organised a convention at Abhiram, which urged the authorities to repeal the CTA. A committee consisting of Thevar, Dr. P. Varadarajulu Naidu, Perumal Thevar, Sasivarna Thevar and Navaneethakrishna Thevar was appointed by the convention to carry on the efforts to persuade the government to revoke the Act.

The CTA was, however, not revoked. On the contrary, its implementation was widened. Thevar again led agitations and awareness-raising campaigns against the Act. At the time the Justice Party was governing the Madras presidency, and their refusal to revoke the law created a strong animosity on Thevar's behalf towards the Justicites.[2]

1936 District Board election

Infuriated over the attitude of the Justice Party government towards the CTA, Thevar came to the conclusion that the communities affected by the Act had to be mobilized by the Congress. After returning from a trip to Burma in 1936, he began to work to strengthen the Congress in the southern areas of the Presidency. He contested the election to the Ramnad District Board from the Muthukulathur constituency, defeating his Justice Party opponent. This was Thevar's first experience of being a candidate in an election.

After the election Thevar made a bid to be elected the president of the District Board. So did P.S. Kumarasamy, the Raja of Rajapalyam. Conflict erupted within the local Congress organisation over the issue. S. Satyamurthi, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, intervened to preserve the unity of the Congress. Thevar was convinced to withdraw his candidature for president, and presented a motion nominating Kumarasamy as president.

When the Congress Socialist Party began to mobilize in the Madras Presidency in 1936, Thevar joined their ranks

1937 provincial election

Ahead of the 1937 elections to the assembly of the Madras Presidency, Thevar enlisted youths from the Mukkulathor communities to work for the Congress. His activities created worries for the Justice Party government, which forbade him to travel outside of the Ramnad district and to make speeches in public.

In February 1937 Thevar contested the assembly election himself, as a candidate in the Ramathapuram constituency. He had a powerful opponent, the Raja of Ramnad. However, Thevar won a landslide victory with 11 942 votes against 6 057 for the Raja.

Following the election the Congress formed a government in the Presidency. Thevar had high hopes that the new Congress ministry would revoke the Criminal Tribes Act. But the new Chief minister, C. Rajagopalachari, did not fulfil those hopes.

As a trade unionist


During the late 1930s, Thevar got increasingly involved in labour activities. He formed and led the Pasumalai Mahalaskshmi Mill Workers' Union, the Meenakshi Mill Workers' Union and the Madura Knitting Company Labour Union. During a prolonged strike of the Pasumalai Mahalaskshmi Mill Workers' Union, demanding the reinstatement of a section of fired trade unionists, Thevar was jailed for seven months from October 15, 1938. In the end, the management of the Mahalakshmi Mills accepted the demands of the union. In the same period a strike was led by Thevar at the Madura Knitting Company.

In 1945, he would become the founding president of the TVS Thozhaili Sangam.

Tripuri session of the Congress and formation of the Forward Bloc


Thevar attended the 52nd annual session of the Indian National Congress, held in Tripuri in March 1939. At this meeting the presidency of Subhas Chandra Bose was challenged by Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Sitaramayya had the active support of Gandhi. Bose was re-elected as the Congress President. Thevar strongly supported Bose in the intra-Congress dispute.Thevar mobilised all south India votes for Bose.

However, due to the manoeuvrings of the Gandhi-led clique in the Congress Working Committee, Bose found himself forced to resign from the Congress Presidency. He then launched the Forward Bloc on June 22, calling for the unification of all leftwing elements into a united organisation within the Congress. Thevar, who was disillusioned by the official Congress leadership which had not revoked the CTA, joined the Forward Bloc. When Bose visited Madurai on September 6, Thevar organised a massive rally as his reception

In jail


The growing popularity in Thevar as a leader of elements opposing the official Congress leadership in Tamil Nadu troubled the Congress-led government. Thevar was also increasingly associated with labour militancy. A criminal case, the so-called Madura Security Case, was proceeded against him. He was banned from leaving Madurai. When travelling to his birthplace, Pasumpon, in September 1940 he was apprehended and jailed for 18 months at the Central Jail in Tiruchirapalli. His capture sparked wide condemnation in Tamil Nadu.

Soon after his release he was again arrest, now under the Defence of India Rules. He was released from prison only on September 5, 1945.

After release from jail


In 1945 C. Rajagopalachari tried to make a comeback within the Congress organisation in Tamil Nadu. He had the support of Gandhi and Sardar Patel, but the majority of in the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee opposed him. A conference was held in Tirupparankundram, in which the leadership should be elected. Chaos broke about during the conference, as warring factions confronted each other. Thevar interrupted the disputes and passed a motion reelecting Kamaraj as the TNCC President.[8]

Elections to the assembly of the Madras Presidency were again held in March 1946. Thevar contested from the Mudukulathur constituency, and was elected unopposed. Soon thereafter, the CTA was repealed.

In February 1948 the Congress expelled all dissenting fractions, including the Forward Bloc. The Forward Bloc became an independent opposition party, and Thevar became its president of its Tamil Nadu state unit (a position he would hold for the rest of his life).

On January 23, 1949, in connection with birthday anniversary celebrations of Subhas Chandra Bose, Thevar publicly announced that Bose was alive and that he had met him. Soon thereafter Thevar disappeared without any explanation. He returned to public life in October 1950. Rumours claimed that he had travelled to Korea and China during this period.

On the national level the Forward Bloc had been suffering from internal ideological divisions. In 1948 two separate Forward Blocs had emerged, a 'Forward Bloc (Marxist)' (out of which the Forward Bloc of today emerged) and a 'Forward Bloc (Ruiker)' (led by R.S. Ruiker).[9] On June 23, 1951, the two parties reunified at a meeting in Calcutta. A central committee was announced for the united party, which included Thevar as one of its members.[10]

1952 general election


In January 1952 the first general elections in independent India were held. The Forward Bloc contested with the aim of forming non-Congress governments at the Centre as well as in the states. Election were held simultaneously to the Lok Sabha as well as to the legislative assemblies of the states. Thevar contested the Aruppukottai constituency in the Lok Sabha election and the Mudukulathur constituency in the assembly election. He won in both cases.[11] After the election, he decided to vacate his Lok Sabha seat and concentrate his efforts to the Madras legislative assembly.[12]

After the election, Congress lacked a majority of its own in the Madras legislative assembly. Thevar cooperated with the communists in trying to form a non-Congress governing coalition. However, the governor intervened and made C. Rajagopalachari of the Congress the Chief Minister.[13

Split in the Forward Bloc


In 1955, internal divisions reappeared with the Forward Bloc. The Indian National Congress had adopted Socialism as its guiding principle at a session in Madras. Some leaders within the Forward Bloc, like the chairman Mohan Singh and Sheel Bandra Yagee, now argued that the time had come for the Forward Bloc to merge with the Congress. This proposal did however not win much support in other sections of the party leadership. Singh-Yagee unilaterally declared the party merged into the Congress.

An extraordinary central committee meeting was convened in Nagpur May 11–15, 1955. Singh, Yagee and their followers were expelled from the party. Hemanth Kumar Bose was elected chairman of the party, Haldulkar the general secretary and Thevar the deputy chairman of the party. Thevar would hold that post until his death.[14]

1957 general election


In December 1955 Thevar travelled to Burma for the second time, during which he took part in political and religious activities organised by the All Burma Tamil Nadu Association. He returned on February 18, 1956 and began to prepare for the coming general election.

A new dynamic in the efforts to build a non-Congress front had emerged in the Madras State(which had been reorganised in 1956). The Congress had been divided and C. Rajagopalachari had formed a new party, the Congress Reform Committee (CRC). Thevar now made peace with his former enemy C. Rajagopalachari, and the Forward Bloc and the CRC worked together to defeat Kamaraj and the Congress rule in the state.

In the election Thevar again contested both the Aruppukottai constituency in the Lok Sabha election and the Mudukulathur constituency in the assembly election. He won both seats, but this time he decided to vacate the assembly seat.[15]

Ramnad riots


A by-election was held in the Mudukulathur assembly constituency on July 1, 1957, as Thevar had resigned from his assembly seat. The election was won by D.V. Sasivarna Thevar of the Forward Bloc. The situation in the area was tense on the day that the results were released, and there was a sizeable presence of police forces in place. Clashes between Maravars, who largely supported the Forward Bloc, and pro-Congress Dalits began in a few villages soon after the election result was acknowledged. Gradually the violence spread to more and more villages, and by August the riots had spread throughout the entire district. Several persons were killed and thousands of houses were torched.[16]

Thevar himself travelled to Delhi on July 17 to attend the session of the Lok Sabha. He returned on September 9. On September 10 he took part in a 'Peace Conference' together with T. V. Sasivarna Thevar and Velu (a Dalit legislative assembly member of the Forward Bloc). From the Congress side six Dalits took part. There was also a delegate from the Nadar caste. The conference concluded that the three castes should live in harmony.

Emmanuel, the leader of the Congress Dalits at the Peace Conference was killed the following day. On September 28, a few days after the clashes had ceased, Thevar was arrested by the police under the Preventive Detention Act. Thevar's was apprehended directly after holding a speech at the conference of the Indian National Democratic Congress (the new name taken by the Congress Reform Committee). Thevar was taken to the Jail. Pudukkottai court was hearing that case. He was later accused of having masterminded the murder of Emmanuel.

The Forward Bloc and its allies condemned Thevar's arrest as a political vendetta, engineered by the Congress. A 'Thevar Committee' was step up by the INDC. Thevar was acquitted of all charges and released in January 1959.[17]

Final years


After being released from prison Thevar began mobilising for the Madurai municipal elections, held in March 1959. An alliance of the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India, Indian National Democratic Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was formed. The alliance won the elections, and for the first time Congress lost its hold over the city administration.

Following the election, Thevar's health deteriorated and he largely withdrew from public life. He was nominated for the 1962 Lok Sabha election. However he only attended a single campaign meeting, which also was attended by C. Rajagopalachari (who now had merged with his INDC with the Swatantra Party). Thevar was reelected, but due to health reasons he was unable to travel to the parliament in Delhi. U. Muthuralingam Thevar died on October 30, 1963, on his 55th birthday.[18] A bye-election for the Aruppukottai Lok Sabha constituency seat vacated by his death was held in 1964, in which the Forward Bloc was defeated for the first time.[19]

Legacy


The pillars of Thevar's political thought were spiritualism, nationalism, anti-communism, anti-imperialism and non-Congressism (wanting to create a non-Congress political alternative). Although committed to the construction of a federal socialist India, Thevar rejected Marxism-Leninism as a foreign concept and he opposed the trade policy of the Soviet Union as discriminatory towards countries like India. But first and foremost, his animosity towards the communists was due to the rejection of the Indian communists of Subhas Chandra Bose (who they had called a 'quisling'). His relationship to Marxism was further complicated by his spiritualistic orientation.[20]

As an Indian nationalist, Thevar condemned the Dravidar Kazhagam its successor DMK for stimulating separatism and parochialism. Moreover he distrusted the Atheist element of the Dravidian political discourse.[21]

After his death, the Forward Bloc entered into a period of decline in Tamil Nadu.[22] The party leadership was overtaken by Thevar's disciple P.K. Mookiah Thevar. The party organisation became ridden by splits and disputes.[23] In this situation, the major chunk of the Maravar vote-bank of the Forward Bloc was overtaken by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam[24] and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[25]

Several official honours have been given to Thevar. In 1968 the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College was founded in Usilampatti by the then DMK-led state government. His biography was included in the high school textbooks in Tamil Nadu. In 1971 his cemetery in Pasumpon was converted into an official memorial. A life-size portrait of Thevar was installed in the Tamil Nadu assembly in 1980. In 1984, after the bifurcation of the Ramnad District the 'Pasumpon Muthuramalingam District' was created.[26][27] Greenways Road and Chamiers Road, two important arterial roads in Chennai, were renamed after Thevar, and currently there is a statue of Thevar where his eponymous road intersects with Anna Salai.

U. Muthuramalingam Thevar is revered as a hero of the Thevar/Maravar community. Thevar was become an icon in the political life in southern Tamil Nadu. Many political parties seeking the support from that community at the time of elections will make pay their respect to him.[28] But at the same time his legacy is not entirely uncontroversial. At times violence between Thevars and Dalits flare up in the area, and desecrations of monuments of Thevar have taken place.[29]

RANI VELU NACHIAR

Early life

Rani Velu Nachiyar is the first Queen of Tamil Origin to fight against the British in India. She also succeeded in her conquests against them. She lived 77 years before Jhansi Rani. Her husband Muthuvaduga Nather and Gowri (she is the second wife of Muthuvaduga Nather) were killed by the British through deceit.[citation needed] After their death she escaped from the Sivagangai and sought asylum in Verupachi. Rani Velu Nachiyar and her daughter Vellachi Nachiyar lived under the protection of Hyder Ali at Virupachi near Dindigul for eight years. During this period she formed an army and sought an alliance with Gopala Nayaker and Hyder Ali with the aim of attacking the British.

In 1780 Rani Velu Nachiyer battled against the British with Gopala Nayaker and Hyder Ali military assistance and own them in Sivagangai. In this war the Marudu brothers and Gueli were acting as commanders-in-chief of her force. After she own the Sivagangai Country, Chinna Marudu, the younger, was appointed as her minister and the elder, Vellai Marudu, as the Commander-in-chief. Thus the widow Queen Velu Nachiyar ruled the country for about 10 years after which she give up her position as the Queen voluntarily.


PULI THEVAR

Puli Thevar or Pooli Thevar was a poligar (or palayakarar, this is a local chieftain) who ruled an area called Nelkatumseval or Avudayapuram situated now in the Sankarankoil taluk of Tamil Nadu.

He is recognised as one of the earliest opponent of the British rule in South India. He was involved in a vendetta with the Nawab of Arcot who in turn was supported by the British. His prominent exploits were his confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later on rebelled against the British himself. All this happened in late 1750s and early 1760s, way before Kattabomman appeared on the scene. However little importance is given to these details.

Puli Thevar was known for his astute diplomacy, cunningness and war strategy though he was much maligned by the British historians as a deceitful person who never kept his word. He remained invincible. He defeated a battalion of British and Nawab Soldiers on the banks of Thamirabarani. But he fell prey to the cunningness of the Nawab of Arcot. He was arrested by the British and led in a procession when he wanted to worship at the Sankaran kovil temple. So he was left alone in the Sanctum sanctorum. He sang lyrics praising the female deity. Then there was this sound of the handcuffs getting broken. When the troops rushed in, all they were able to find was the broken handcuffs and chains. The invincible hero turned invisible into the history.

Nelkatumseval was the headquarters of Puli Thevar, the first chieftain in Tamil Nadu to resist the British.

The author of the Thirunelveli District Gazetteer, H.R.Pate, observes as follows: "Nelkatumseval is chiefly memorable as having been in the eighteenth Century stronghold of the redoubtable Puli Thevar, who figured for many years as the leader of the Marava Confederacy against the troops of the Nawab and the Company. He had a shrewd insight into the political situation of the time and was a veritable thorn against the side of the Nawab's agents".

Pulithevar remains one of the illustrious figures in the chequered history of palayakkars. The vivacity of his character gave him an ascendancy over the western palayakkars, while his determined resistance to the Nawab's overlordship made him a potential enemy of the Wallajahs. He was in fact the principal architect of the coalition of the palayakkars organised against the Nawab. The Nawab acknowledged his victory by presenting him with a gold plate and sword.

Pulithevar is regarded as the First Ruler in Indian History, who sowed the seed, by his gallant resistance, to expel the foreigners from the soil. His services to the nation is honoured in many respects and the government of Tamil Nadu has erected a memorial for him in Nelkattumsevval where there are the remnants of his palace.

Puli Thevan War


The scale of the revolts by local powers in the South, the first being as early as 1757. When Mohammed Ali, the Nawab of the Carnatic, supported by the Company, attempted to extend his control over the "Madurai" and "Thirunelveli" districts, the poligars rebelled. The western poligars, led by Puli Thevar of Nelkattumsevval, forged local alliances and then a grand alliance as they revolted against Mohammed Ali. Of necessity he had to seek John Company assistance, and, though battles were won and lost, the revolt was finally put down in 1761 by Yusuf Khan, who had been nominated the Governor of "Madurai" and "Thirunelveli" in 1758 by the British, despite Nawab Mohammed Ali's objections.

The western confederacy by nel kattum sevval. "nel kattum sevval" literally translates to "Rice tribute paying place", but after its' ruler puli Thevan's successful (initially) attempts at defying Mohammed ali, the name changed into nel kattan sevval ("place which doesn't pay rice tribute"). In effect by 1757, these paLayams had declared their independence.

Into this situation came yusuf khan aka mar

udhanayagam sent by the British to bring the poligars under control and make them pay kisthi. Earlier campaigns in 1755 by Mahfuz khan (mohammaed ali's brother;yusuf khan was a subordinate) were unsuccessful in subduing the poligars' partly because of their sticking to each other and partly because British troops had to be withdrawn to raise the French siege of Madras (by Lally). Yusuf Khan quickly intimidated the eastern poligars (no major details of the capitulation of panchalamkurichi is known) and moved against Pooli thevan. A series of sieges of Pooli Thevan's forts followed and eventually Nerkattansevval fort was reduced by British artillery. Puli thevan was captured and escaped/encountered on the way to incarceration. No verifiable records are found about him after his capture/escape. The rise of Western Poligars of south Tamil Nadu is literally the first war of Indian Independence and not the 1857 sepoy uprising as written by Savarkar.

Puli Thevar's Struggle-Quoted From Caldwell's History of Tinnevelly


In 1736, Muhammad Ali, Nawab of Arcot annexed kingdom of Madura in Western Tamil Nadu, but the Polygars or Lords of Madura Kingom were in no mood to compromise with Nawab. Polygars refused to pay tax and pay homage to Nawab.

Meanwhile, Nawab himself was dragged into the Carnatic Wars fought between French and British. Their zone of struggle was largely in and near kingdom of Arcot. This struggle lasted from 1743 to 1763.

Nawab allied with British and soon Nawab because of his lavish lifestyle ran into debts with British. This gave British opportunity to interfere in domestic affairs of Nawab
As mentioned before, Polygars viewed Nawab as a usurper who deposed the rightful dynasty of Madura Kingdom. Since Polygars had private armies-with infantry, cavalry, artillery & elephants along with strong forts-often on mountain tops and covered by woods, they could defy Nawab.

But since there were 77 Polygars who ruled as they willed in their respective domains and fought one another, there was real threat to their independence if Nawab were to make a serious effort to subjugate them.

Far before the Carnatic Wars were over, British got chance to meddle in affairs of Arcot.

In 1755, Nawab unwisely requested British help to bring the turbulent Polygars into control.

British exploited this chance and sent a large army under Colonel Heron to subjugate the country that lay between Trichinopoly and Cape Comorin.

But Heron’s army behaved like bandits and even looted shrines-an act that made sure that people hated them well.

Heron marched through Polygar country-he talked and fought a number of Polygars into submission. The strongest Polygar was the Kattabomman of Panjalakurichi. He too surrendered and as he did not pay full sum demanded by British as tribute, he surrendered some of his close male relatives as hostages.

This part of story is puzzling indeed. Kattabomman could have easily paid the sum demanded by British, but he chose to give relatives as surety. But soon, Heron asked Kattabomman to pay the demanded sum and recover his hostages as English were in dire shortage of cash. He calculated that since British army would soon march out of country, why waste money? Let them have hostages-It does not cost himself a rupee-this was his line of thought.

But this crooked line of thought would in future end up as a disaster for Polygars-about that we will speak later.

Soon British troops under Heron decided to march out of Polygar country. They could not collect tributes as they calculated and as they marched home, Heron ordered a temporary diversion. British army must bring a minor Polygar who was a turbulent figure-His name is Puli Thevar.

Puli Thevar was the hereditary title of polygar of Nelkattumseval, now in Sankarannainarkovil Taluk of Tinnevelly District. He possessed only a small estate, but his influece among Western Polygars were considerable-due to the fame of his abilites. That made him indeed a force to be reckoned with.

First Siege of Nelkattumseval, 1755

As soon as Thevar refused British demand for payments, they soon besieged Nelkattumseval. But Thevar and troops held on. Thevar had a spy in British camp. He was the interpreter of Colonel Heron. Thevar was informed that British were short on supplies and also did not have heavy artillery. Thevar was delighted at this news and decided to hold on further.

Heron ordered a massive bombardment of Thevar’s fort. But fort was made of stone and whose walls were thick and strong and British made no progress.

Heron was forced to acknowledge that he could not storm the fort. So he asked that a paltry sum of 20,000 rupees be paid, for which Thevar replied-“My country dont have that much income.......Besides I know the value of money well and dont expect me to burn even a single rupee......”

Heroic defense of Nelkattumseval by Thevar’s small force along with his efficient spy reports and good diplomacy made sure that British army made no progress in Thevar’s country. Also with his army on the brink of mutiny due to lack of food and pay, Herron retreated at full throttle.

Soon much of Polygar country was in full revolt and many Polygars confederated into a single force led by Puli Thevar. From then on, an epic struggle of Polygars to resist British sponsored Muslim encroachment would last up to 1763.

Once Heron retreated, Thevar let loose his Maravas to seize the whole countryside. Maravas are the most prominent of Tamil military caste whose ferocity and predatory warfare made them ideal to fight British. Thevar himself was a Marava and bulk of Polygar armies were of Marava stock. They looted and ambushed Brtish units, looted and burnt those villages who supported British and overran the whole countryside.

Battle & Siege of Kalakadu, 1755

Puli Thevar also won over three generals of Nawab. They were Pathans-named Mudemiah, Mian and Nabi Khan. Mudemiah was a good negotiator so Thevar sent him to Travancore to win Marthanda Varma, Raja of Travancore [whose areas were captured by Heron] to support the Polygar confederacy. Main aim was to expel Mahfuz Khan, agent of Nawab in Polygar country.

Mudemiah came back to Tamil country with a force of 4000 men given to him by Marthanda Varma. Puli Thevar joined Mudemiah with his armies and they fought Mahfuz Khan’s armies which received reinforcements from Nawab and British-in fact he had a larger force than Thevar and his confederates. But Mahfuz Khan had scattered his forces and Thevar’s troops swiftly defeated these units before they could coalesce into a large formation. Also a large number of fire-arms fell into hands of Thevar’s troops.

These early swift victories in open field enocuraged Thevar to besiege the fort of Kalakadu. Mahfuz Khan sent a large cavalry force to help the garrison trapped by Thevar’s men.

At this critical moment, Travancore troops retreated as they had to handle a rebellion at home. With a large chunk of his men lost, Thevar knew well that war was lost. So he led his troops back home.

Second Siege of Nelkattumseval, 1755-1756

Thevar knew well that he stood no chance if his small army is to be ordered into a struggle with the huge cavarly force of Mahfuz Khan. So he assembled all available troops & guns into his fort of Nelkattumseval. Mahfuz Khan besieged this fort for second time in that year. He also sent his horsemen in pursuit of Thevar’s Marava troops who plundered and wreaked havoc in territories held by Arcot troops. Maravas were chased off and Arcot troops re-establisehd control. But Thevar’s troops Nelkattumseval fort held on. For a time being, Mahfuz Khan was right if he thought he had won. Thevar is pinned down and his predatory Maravas driven away.

Second Battle of Kalakadu, 1755

But Thevar had not lost his nerve. He instructed Mudemiah to instigate Travancore once more into a war with Arcot troops and soon a large Travancore force marched with Mudemiah and once more clashed with Arcot troops. This battle ended in a clear victory for Travancore force, but Mahfuz Khan went ahead with the siege. He was not ready to let Thevar escape-he knew well what would happen if he let escape.

Retreat of Mahfuz Khan, 1756

Mahfuz Khan’s army unit ran short of supplies and so he demanded to British that they sent a large stock of supplies escorted by troops. Thevar got scent of this program and so he prepared a plan-a band of his crack troops are to attack and loot this British convoy and thereby worsen Mahfuz Khan’s misery. Plan went like clock work and it gave a rude shock to Mahfuz’s belief that Thevar is nearing his end. With this, Mahfuz Khan understood that he must rush back to his base at Tirunelveli if he has to pay and feed his troops.

Thevar himself was surprised at the extend of his success-he decided that he must go for a large scale offensive on the enemy-Arcot-British troops.

Thevar as told before was man of influence among Western Polygars and soon he became leader of Polygar council. His power of persuasion was so great that even the strongest Polygars obeyed him & sent troops whenever he demanded. Then he turned his attention to Eastern Polygars who were led by Kattabomman, the most powerful Polygar. Thevar proposed that he and Kattabomman must form a union to fight the enemy.

But now Kattabomman’s earlier mistake of not to purchase back his hostages wrecked the whole enterprise. He still had hostages with Nawab and even though he loved to join Thevar, was forced to become neutral because his near and dear ones were still in Nawab’s captivity-he feared for their lives.

But Madura Polygars joined hands with Thevar and promised troops in event of war. Also he could cajole Polygars of Nattam to join him.

The whole aim of this confederacy was to seize the ancient and strategic city of Madura. If they could seize Madura, that would be a symbolic restoration of pre-1736 order as well as enable them to oust Anglo-Muslim garrisons and seize and control all the country south up to Cape Comorin. Over-all objective was to restore native rule in what was once kingdom of Madura.

Brtish soon learnt of this preparation for war and they were alarmed by the sheer scale of ambitions of Thevar. They blamed Mahfuz’s incomptency for this dangerous situation and resolved to intervene directly. They despatched 1000 sepoys under Yusuf Khan and also put armies under Mahfuz under Yusuf Khan’s orders.

Siege of Srivilliputtur, 1756

But by that time, Puli Thevar had swung into action. He led the confederate army which he had assembled at Nelkattumseval and from there marched towards Madura. As they marched, they faced the fort of Srivilliputtur. If they have to march towards Madura, they will have to seize this fort.

This fort and neighbourhood was under Abdul Rahim and he and his troops were confident that they could rout Thevar’s host. At first they marched out of the fort and engaged with Thevar’s men in an open battle. Thevar cleverly had the over-confident Arcot army surrounded and the shocked Arcot troops fought hard to break out of this encirclement and took refuge into the fort. But they were so demoralised by their nealry catastrophic engagement that soon most of Arcot troops ther either joined Thevar’s army or escaped with their lives. With his troops lost, Abdul Rahim also fled the scene. This was a great victory-even those Polygars who were reluctant now jumped into Thevar’s bandwagon. But now a change of plan occurred-a fatal change indeed.

Original plan aimed a long march from Nelkattumseval to Madura via Srivilliputtur. With Srivilliputtur in their hands, Madura lay before Polygars-all they need is to march and seize Madura. But now several Polygars argued that confederate army must march south and seize Tirunelveli and then move north towards Madura. Since confederates army was much larger by now, they were confident of victory. So Thevar also agreed to this change of plan.

At this time, Madura ws only lightly held by Arcot troops. Bulk of Arcot army along with Mahfuz Khan was at Tirunelveli. If confederates had moved north and seized Madura, Mahfuz Khan would have got trapped in Polygar country and initiative would have passed permanently into hands of Thevar.

At this juncture, Kattabomman’s treachery wrecked the whole plan. Mahfuz Khan persuaded Kattabomman to support him in return for large land grants and several concessions. As Kattabomman led the Eastern Polygars, war that began as a war of independence now became a civil war.

Battle of Tirunelveli, 1756

Thevar did not lose heart even then. Both sides were evenly matched-each side had some 20,000 men. But Mahfuz Khan had superiority in cavalry. On 21 March of 1756, some 40,000 men clashed. Battle was fierce and bloody beyond usual. Even after long onslaughts, confederates could not break into enemy formations and once enemy began counter attack, the exhausted confederate troops broke up and began retreat. Confederate army was no more and Thevar and his troops marched back to Nelkattumseval.

If Kattabomman had not supported Mahfuz, most of Tamil country would have been freed from the control of Arcot Nawab and British. A golden chance was lost-but certainly not due to Thevar. After all, it was he who took Polygars to brink of a decisive success.

Aftermath

After this catastrophe, Puli Thevar himself noticed a visible drop of morale among his fellow-Polygars. He himself evaluated the situation and decided for an incredibly double-faced policy. Thevar sent out affirmations of loyalty to Nawab and British and even met the Tirtarappa Mudali, a fellow Tamil of Vellala caste and Nawab’s new viceroy in Madura and Thevar paid him a large sum as tribute...

...all while he let loose his Maravas once more and they looted and devastated enemy held terriotries once more. When Arcot sepoys tried to control them, they looted Arcot camps also as Arcot troops watched helpless. Thevar was determined that British and Nawab will know no peace.

But the military commandant Yusuf Khan could see Thevar’s tricks and ordered him to go back to Nelkattumseval.

But Thevar instead went and met Nabi Khan and they both went and met Kattabomman, whose treachery had undermined his earlier great effort to liberate Tamil Nadu. Thevar also enlisted Mian in this second confederacy. Also Thevar rallied a number of Polygars who had lost nerve after Battle of Tirunelveli. Thevar thus collected and assembled a large force of 10,000 men south of Madura and proceeded eastwards into a forest that was held by Kattabomman. This forest stretched to the outskirst of Tinnevelly.

Capture of Tirunelveli, 1756

Thevar took this torturous route instead of highway to Tinnevelly so as to conceal his troop movement and surprise the enemy. At the edge of forest they could see the town of Tinnevelly but chose to wait till night. By dawn they had infiltrated into the town in several bands through unguarded points. Also the whole plan was based on spy report to Thevar that Mudali had camped his bulk of force some 20 miles away where he anticipated Thevar’s attack.

Siege of Palamkotta, 1756

So far Thevar was successful. They seized Tirunelveli by surprise and camped there for two days. Mudali who heard that he had been outwitted rushed back but instead of attacking Tirunelvi, he assembled his troops at Palamkotta fort. Since Thevar had no artillery he ordered his cavalry to encircle the fort and burn a large area around the fort to deprive them of supplies. Also Thevar’s troops could not climb the fort walls because of gun-fire by Mudali’s troops. So only option is to wait and starve the enemy.

But soon Thevar learnt that Yusuf Khan was on march towards him in order to relieve the fort. So he eneded the siege and rushed with all his forces to meet Yusuf Khan.

Battle of Gangai Konda [1756]

Both armies met at Gangai Konda, north of Tirunelveli. Thevar’s troops rushed on enemy from all sides. But soon Thevar suffered huge loss of men as Yusuf Khan’s artillery took toll in Thevar’s ranks. Thevar realised that war was lost and ordered a retreat. Thevar’s army split into three-forces of Polygars under Thevar fled into jungles whereas Mian with his horsemen went to Madura. Nabi Khan retreated towards Srivilliputtur. As he had no artillery to breach the walls, they attempted to climb the walls but failed. So he and men left Srivilliputtur.

But Puli Thevar had not lost his hope. He opened talks with agents of Mysore at Dindigul and offered them 5 lakh rupees in exchange for military help. He also tried to persuade the corrupt officers of Mahfuz Khan to give up Cholavandan, a region through which the only road between Dindigal and Madura passed through a mountain defile. In order to tempt Mahfuz Khan to join his side, Thevar also tempted him with promise of hig office in Mysore.

Thevar’s plan was to oust both Nawab of Arcot and British from the once kingdom of Madura and to restore a member of the once ruling dynasty of Madura as the king of this reborn kingdom of Madura.

English soon got reports of this effort for a third confederacy and soon desptached a large force under Yusuf Khan and Mudali-a third of this force was posted at Tirunelveli and another third was assembled in the fort of Palamkotta.

As English took preparation for war, Thevar persuaded Mian and Nabi Khan to join with their cavarly troops at Nelkettumseval. Once Yusuf Khan that Mian and Nabi Khan was on way to link with Thevar’s troops, he immediately marched into Srivilliputtur. Yusuf’s plan was a show of might so as to dissuade other Polygars from joining hands with Thevar.

Mudali tried to negotiate a peace agreement. So he sent his agent Alagappa to Thevar’s camp. Mudali offered large land grants if Thevar were to join Nawab’s side. But Thevar was too shrewd to fall for this trick. Instead of refusal, he sent his agent along with Alagappa into Yusuf Khan’s camp along with a force of 300 Marava guards for negotiations.

But at same time in his usual double faced style Thevar sent his main army to rendezvous with Mian and Nabi Khan and sent another force to ravage the enemy territories west of Tirunelveli. His aim was that the negotiation must fail. But it must also appear that Nawab’s people themselves withdrew from talks. As a man driven by a great vision, he had no interest to give up for paltry gains.

But soon Thevar got what he wanted-Yusuf Khan put to death some Maravas of Thevar whom Yusuf alleged had stolen horses and oxen from his camp. They were blow up by artillery. Immediately Thevar’s agent and Marava guards fled to Thevar’s castle and reported this event. Now Thevar decalred that he could in no way tolerate such a cruelty on his own people.

Mahfuz Khan himself was an unscrupulous character and soon came to the view that his future lay in the good will of Thevar-so he came to Nelkettumseval with his troops by end of 1756. Also several of Nawab’s officers in Madura revolted and took control of Madura and but as Mahfuz Khan was relucant to engage in a war, they got no support and were chased away by English troops led by Calliaud.

Soon Calliaud and English troops left-it was a big mistake as Thevar had completed his preparations for a third attempt to liberate Western Tamil country.

Second Capture of Tirunelveli, 1756

In early 1757, Thevar along with Mahfuz Khan and supported by many Polygars marched towards Tirunelveli for third time at the head of a 10,000 strong army. They camped near Tirunelveli but took no effort to capture the town. Thevar remembered well what would happen if a largely primitive force like his own is thrown into battle against the well-equipped army which held Tirunelveli.

Instead, in an effort to seize the country-side, Thevar sent messages to Mudali’s tax collectors that from now on he was in charge and that they must pay tax to him.

Also talks were opened with Raja of Travancore to persuade him to support the confederacy in exchange for which Thevar promised him those territories on which Raja of Travancore had for long coveted.

But soon troops that held Tirunelveli marched to Madura and Mahfuz Khan and troops, marched into the abandoned town. But Mahfuz was so intoxicated by this success-in reality was only luck-that he on his own, ordered his men to assault the strongly held nearby fort of Palamkotta and his men suffered staggering loss. Also commandant of Palayamkotta enticed Kattabomman, the rank opportunist to support him in exchange for lucrative land grants.

Kattabomman’s troops chased away Mahfuz’s troops and they camped some distance away from the fort. After this Kattabomman retreated but Yusuf Khan came to the scene. Mahfuz Khan fled the scene to Nelkettumseval to join Thevar who had much earlier left as he understood that plans were not working as he had envisaged.

But Thevar aided Mahfuz Khan’s repeated but failed efforts to seize Palamkotta but Thevar’s troops could help Mahfuz’s men to capture Kalakadu fort and gifted that to Raja of Travancore in an attempt to win him into side of confederacy.

But Yusuf Khan threw a spanner into confederacy’s plans-Yusuf Khan, who was originally Marudanayagam Pillay, a Hindu Tamil of Vellala caste, -later converted to Islam-was one of the most brilliant generals of 18th century-even comparable to Baji Rao. But Yusuf Khan was a ruthless opportunist also-who felt no loyalty to any one except himself.

Yusuf Khan’s troops marched towards rebel country in south-west Tamil Nadu. He first seized Kalakadu and then captured the forts of Papankulam, Alvarkurichi, Brahmadesam and Tarankurichi-first three held by Mahfuz and last by Polygar of Wadagiri, ally of Puli Thevar and most powerful of Western Polygars.

In summer of 1758, Puli Thevar, for the fourth time was ready to clash with English and Nawab. Puli Thevar was supported by Polygars of Wadagiri, Kotaltava, Naduvakurichi and Sorandai. Ettaiyapuram Polygar also joined Thevar’s enterprise and soon confederates persuaded Polygar of Settur to join them.

Stand At Settur & Aftermath, 1759

Puli Thevar then camped his troops inside the Settur fort, only 15 miles from Srivilliputtur and their joint force ravaged enemy held zone in neighbourhood. Yusuf Khan rushed and besieged the Settur fort, whose Polygar lost nerve and expelled Thevar’s troops and paid a fine and surrendered.

But Thevar’s troops re-grouped and they seized all enemy outposts from Nelkettumseval to Tirunelveli and massacred the garrisons they overran.

This great success elated Thevar and his confederates and they attacked and captured Uttumalai fort held by a pro-English Polygar and prepared to capture Palamkotta and Tirunelveli.

But arrival of Yusuf Khan’s troops at Srivilliputtur checked their progress. But instead of an open fight, Thevar wisely chose to strengthen the chain of posts he had captured. He also sent troops to Nelkettumseval to prepare for defense and also spread out his troops around Yusuf’s army in order to harass Yusuf’s troops.

But Yusuf was far stronger and soon he recaptured all the outposts seized by Thevar and then he marched and destroyed much of Polygar country by fire and sword. But even so his attempt to reduce Polygars went only slowly as Polygars retreated into their strong impregnable forts. Soon Yusuf was forced to retreat because of orders from British authorities.

In 1759, Thevar and troops took revenge-they led by Thevar marched towards Palamkotta and the garrsison troops came out and fought Thevar’s men. Thevar devastated his enemy’s force in open field, but retired-as he knew that it would be a nearly impossible task to storm a well-defended fort. But the incident was an embarrassment and shock to English.

Also Thevar’s troops overran the countryside from Nattam to Travacore also. Enemy garrisons were safe only in their forts. They once more deputed Yusuf Khan to crush Puli Thevar. Thevar was worried that Mahfuz Khan might switch sides-he was a rank opportunist-and so kept him under close watch.

Second Struggle with Yusuf Khan

Also the Kattabomman who was in favor of English died and this new Kattabomman had a deep hate for Brtish. He as the leader of Eastern Polygars pledged support to Puli Thevar, the undisputed leader of Western Polygars. This union was aimed to meet the threat of Yusuf Khan.

Yusuf Khan could have been driven back easily if he had to face so mighty a confederacy alone. But as usual, there was some polygars who were eager to collaborate with enemy. Yusuf came into Polygar country with only 1000 men but soon his army grew into 4000 with support from these renegades.

But even so he was not ready. He waited for reinforcements to come. So his strategy till he received reinforcements was to prevent a link up of armies of Puli Thevar and Kattabomman. So he sent a heavily armed force into Ettaiyapuram with this task-they were to fight and block Eastern Polygars’ troops so that he could deal with Puli Thevar and men separately.

Once fully prepared, Yusuf Khan marched on. His force captured strategic fort of Kollarpetti and reached Tirunelveli. Also Mahfuz Khan requested from Yusuf Khan a pardon and a jagir for himself if he left Thevar’s camp. Yusuf Khan assured him that his demands will be met.

Soon, however, Puli Thevar surprised an enemy army at Sorandai and massacred and looted it. Yusuf immediately sent another force to retaliate, but Thevar and troops had left by that time.

Also Travancore troops began incursions into lands between Cape Comorin and Kalakadu. Maravas of Puli Thevar and his allies ravaged all of Tamil country south of Tirunelveli and Yusuf who had to deal with three enemies simulataneously appeared in dire straits.

But an idiotic action by Polygar of Wadagiri turned the tables. He had let his Maravas repeatedly plunder the territories of Travancore Raja who was his neighbour too. Raja of Travancore angry at this policy soon began to have second thoughts.

This what Yusuf Khan exploited-He immediately opened talks with Raja of Travancore. This talk was to have fatal consequences. Raja of Travancore agreed to side with Yusuf leaving the Polygar confederacy. Raja sent a large force of musketeers to join with Yusuf’s troops-altogether 20,000 men marched towards fort of Wadagiri and Polygar had to escape as he could not withstand for more than a day.

Polygar of Wadagiri took refuge with Puli Thevar at Nelkattumseval. Puli Thevar himself was unnerved-the most powerful Western Polygar-Wadagiri Polygar-is finished. Now what?

Puli Thevar learnt that French had sent a letter to Mahfuz Khan-this letter stated that soon English hwould be finished and that Mahfuz would be crowned as Nawab after present Nawab, an English puppet was ousted.

Thevar exploited this situation. He sent message to Travancore Raja about this letter and argued that since French will win in end, what good can Travancore gain if they ally with English, whose man was Yusuf? Thevar offered that if Travancore Raja side with them, he would let Raja have those parts of Tirunelveil of his own choice.

But Travancore Raja immediately expsoed this communication of Puli Thevar to Yusuf Khan. Raja of Travancore, argued with Yusuf that since Thevar had offered him so much, he will side with Yusuf only if he cede the land between Cape Comorin and Kalakadu that Nawab had denied to Travancore. He also threatened Yusuf that if he supported Thevar that would mean end of Nawab’s ambitions in country south of Tirunelveli-which indeed was a real threat.

Also a Dutch seizure of artillery sent by English meant for Yusuf Khan opened up prospect of war with Dutch in Tuticorin [Toothukudi]. So Yusuf relented and ceded territories demanded by Raja and so Puli Thevar’s attempt to win Raja ended in failure. It would be good to think what would have happened if Raja had allied with Thevar. British conquest of South India would have been delayed by years and even decades.

Thus Yusuf Khan was saved because by that time, Maravas across southern Tamil Nadu had flocked to Thevar’s fort to fight for their hero. It was beyond capacity of Yusuf Khan to overpower so great a host alone. But with help from Travancore assured, he was confident.

Soon, Travancore troops and Yusuf Khan’s units jointly captured fort of Isvara Thevar, a vassal of Puli Thevar. Isvara Thevar and men retreated to Nelkettumseval. But this victory had exhausted his ammunition and he was delayed in his next move. As they waited, a force of 6000 Maravas lauched a surprise raid on Travacore camp and killed several troops. But by time Yusuf Khan marched with his men, Marava force had retreated.

Siege of Vasdevanellur, 1759-1760.

On December, 1759, Yusuf besieged fort of Vasudevanellur with his and his allied troops after he received large stock of ammunition. This fort belonged to Puli Thevar and was his second strongest fort. This fort was located on top of a mountain range and was covered by a vast forest on all sides.

Puli Thevar kept 1000 men in fort and spread out the rest of his force in the forest that surrounded the fort. These troops raided enemy camps, sniped and ambushed scattered units of Yusuf’s armies and they also disrupted his effort to build a massive construction for artillery batteries-it took three weeks for Yusuf complete the construction-soon relentless bombardment caused Yusuf to lose some of his heavy artillery and most of his ammunition by then. But he had breached the wall of this might fort and he unwisely decided to engage his troops in a hand to hand combat with Thevar’s soldiers.

Puli Thevar was at this time not at Vasudevanellur-he was at his heaquarters of Nelkattumseval. As both sides prepared for the final struggle for Vasudevanellur and Thevar collected 3000 of his ablest Maravas and led them in a night march from Nelkattumseval to Vasudevanellur and once he appraoched Vasudevanellur’s neighbourhood, Thevar led his troops through the forest below the fort to avoid detection by enemy and sprang into a surprise attack on Yusuf Khan’s camp.

Thevar’s troops devastated enemy camp and Yusuf Khan who was caught by threw a large force into the fray to tilt the balance. But Maravas who were intoxicated by their success fought with great ardour. In meantime, those Maravas who had concealed themsevles in forests and ambushed Yusuf Khan’s troops for the last 3–4 weeks came out of the woods and began to attack Yusuf Khan’s battery positions and the enemy infantry that was trying to move into fort through the breach.

Maravas were repeatedly beaten back by Yusuf’s men, but they each time they came back to return attacks. These Maravas worked together with garrison to check the enemy advance into fort and they were successful. Maravas then returned to woods below fort and lay await for renewed enemy attack in night. But Yusuf Khan was nearly exhausted of his ammunition and he foresaw the catastrophe if he stood before the fort without ammunition.

So following day, Yusuf Khan and Travancore troops retreated and they split into two-Travancore troops went home while Yusuf and men went to Tirunelveli.

Yusuf Khan no longer had the ability to lauch an offensive into Puli Thevar’s country. So he stayed at Tirunelveli and posted his men at key points to limit Puli Thevar’s raids. For time being his grand plan to crush this turbulent Polygar was shelved.

But soon Puli Thevar was in a delimma as to what next-because Mahfuz Khan had left him for his brother Nawab of Arcot, Muhammad Ali. Thevar hoped that in most case, Mahfuz will return to him if Nawab rejected his terms. There were also thoughts about a peace agreement with Yusuf Khan.

But Thevar did not let Yusuf Khan in peace. His Maravas ravaged Tirunelveli country so much and Yusuf Khan himself realised that he could not crush them by force. So he bribed many of them to join his side. But soon Yusuf found himself in war with Mysore and Dutch and that gave time to Thevar.

But unfortunately, meanwhile Yusuf Khan crushed a force of 3000 men sent by Kattabomman.

Thevar was in a depressed mood. He learnt that French were besieged in Pondicherry by English and that Mahfuz Khan had went over to Nawab. But his Maravas ravaged lands held by Yusuf Khan so much that he soon deployed bulk of his force in front of Nelkettumseval in order to force Maravas to abandon his lands.

He bought several heavy artillery but had no ammunition & sent message to British camp in Trichinopoly to sent him ammunition. As he awaited, Puli Thevar lauched a lightining raid on Yusuf’s camp and after killing and wounding several of Yusuf’s men retreated.



MARUDHU PANDIYAR

The Marudhu Pandiyar brothers (Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu) ruled Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu towards the end of the 18th century. The Marudhu brothers were the first to issue a proclamation of independence from the colonial British rule from Trichy Thiruvarangam Temple, Tamil Nadu on 10 June 1801, more than 56 years before what is generally said to be the First War of Indian Independence which broke out mainly in Northern India in the year 1857.

Childhood


The Marudhu brothers were the sons of Udayar Servai alias Mookiah Palaniappan Agamudayar(Good Heart and Liver) Servai and Anandayer alias Ponnathal. Marudhu Pandiyar, the Elder was born on 15.12.1748 in a small hamlet called Narikkudi near Aruppukkottai in then Ramnad principal state (now Virudhunagar district). In 1753 the younger Marudhu Pandiyar was born in Ramnad. Their father "Udayar Servai" served as the General in the Ramnad state military and he shifted his family to Virudhunagar from Narikkudi.

Early life


The Marudhu brothers were trained in native martial arts at Surankottai which traditionally served as a training centre for the Ramnad state army. The Valari boomerang is a peculiar weapon unique to India used originally by the indigenous people (ancient Tamils) of the South Asia. Two forms of this weapon are used in India. These are normally made of wood. They are known as Valari sticks in Sangam Tamil. It is said that Marudhu brothers were great experts in the art of throwing the Valari stick and using it as a weapon. It is said that Marudhu brothers successfully used Valari in their Poligar Wars against the British colonial forces. They contested in and won many competitions of martial arts and distinguished themselves as brave warrirors. The Raja of Ramnad Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathy issued the title of Pandiyas to honour the Marudhu Pandiyargal.

Bravery


The Raja of Sivagangai, a principal state near Ramnad, Muthu Vaduganadhar came to know of their brave and courageous deeds and requested the Ramnad king to assign them to serve the Sivaganga state army. They were appointed as Generals of the Sivaganga military and the brothers left an indelible impression in the military history of India.



In the year 1772, the English military of the British East India Company, under the command of Lt.Col. Bon Jour attacked the state at Kalayar Kovil. During the war, Raja Muthu Vaduganadhar lost his life in the battlefield. But the Marudhu brothers managed to escape along with Rani Velu Nachiar, wife of Raja Muthu Vadughanadhar and arrived at Dindigul which was ruled by Hyder Ali – the Sultan of Mysore as refugees. Hyder Ali supported them in all respects.



The Nawab of Arcot, the alliance partner of British East India Company, was not able to collect any taxes from the people of Sivaganga state for eight long years. He entered into an agreement whereby the rule of Sivaganga was restored to "Rani Velu Nachiar" after he collected his dues from her. The Marudhu brothers with 12,000 armed men surrounded Sivaganga and plundered the Arcot Nawab's territories. The Nawab on the 10th of March 1789 appealed to the Madras Council for aid. On 29 April 1789, the British forces attacked Kollangudi. It was defeated by a large body of Marudhu troops. It is said that the Marudhu brothers could kill a tiger without using any weapons

Marudhu Pandiyars Battles against the British


They were in close association with Veera Pandiya Kattabomman of Panchalankurichi. Kattabomman held frequent consultations with the Marudhus. After the execution of Kattabomman in 17 October 1799 at Kayattar, Chinna Marudhu gave asylum to Kattabomman's brother Oomaidurai (mute brother). But the British took this reason to invade and attacked Sivaganga in 1801 with a powerful army. The Maruthu Pandiyars and their allies were quite successful and captured three districts from the British. The British considered it such a serious threat to their future in India that they rushed additional troops from Britain to put down the Maruthu Pandiyars' rebellion. These forces surrounded the Maruthu Pandiyars' army at Kalayar Koil, and the latter scattered. The Maruthu Brothers and their top commanders escaped. They regrouped and fought the British and their allies at Viruppatchi, Dindigul and Cholapuram. While they won the battle at Viruppatchi, they lost the other two battles.

Administration


Marudhu brothers were not only warriors and noted for bravery, but they were very great administrators. Rani Velu Nachiar made a will and paved the way for Marudhu Pandiyar Elder to rule. Marudhu Pandiar younger was made the Dewan of the state. During the period from 1783 to 1801, they worked for the welfare of their subjects and the Sivaganga Seemai was made fertile. They constructed many notable temples like Kalayar Kovil, Sivaganga many Ooranis and Tanks.

Death

The Marudhu Pandiyars and many of their family members were captured at Cholapuram and they were infamously hanged on the English month of October 24, 1801.1873