Unit - 6 Early Revolts against British Rule in Tamil Nadu Learning Objectives To acquaint ourselves with Palayakkarar system and the revolts of Palayakkarars against the British Velunachiyar, Puli Thevar, Kattabomman and Marudhu Brothers in the anti-British uprisings Vellore Revolt as a response to British pacification of south India Introduction Palayakkarars (Poligar is how the British After defeating the French and their referred to them) Indian allies in the three Carnatic Wars, the in Tamil refers to East India Company began to consolidate the holder of a little and extend its power and influence. However, kingdom as a feudatory local kings and feudal chieftains resisted this. to a greater sovereign. The first resistance to East India Company’s Under this system, territorial aggrandisement was from Puli palayam was given Thevar of Nerkattumseval in the Tirunelveli for valuable military Viswanatha Nayaka region. This was followed by other chieftains services rendered by any individual. in the Tamil country such as Velunachiyar, This type of Palayakkarars system was in Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the Marudhu practice during the rule of Prataba Rudhra brothers, and Dheeran Chinnamalai. Known of Warangal in the Kakatiya kingdom. as the Palayakkarars Wars, the culmination The system was put in place in Tamilnadu of which was Vellore Revolt of 1806, this by Viswanatha Nayaka, when he became early resistance to British rule in Tamilnadu the Nayak ruler of Madurai in 1529, with is dealt with in this lesson. the support of his minister Ariyanathar. Resistance of Traditionally there were supposed to be 72 Palayakkarars. 6.1 Regional Powers The Palayakkarars were free to collect against the British revenue, administer the territory, settle disputes and maintain law and order. Their (a) Palayams and Palayakkarars police duties were known as Padikaval The word “palayam” means a domain, or Arasu Kaval. On many occasions the a military camp, or a little kingdom. Palayakarars helped the Nayak rulers to 1 10th_History_Unit_6.indd 1 31-07-2019 16:47:13 GLOSSARY protege dependent, a person who receives support from a patron ꮿ்쏍 ஆதைힿ쯍 இ쏁ꯍபெ쏍 aggrandizement the act of elevating or raising one’s ப毆쯍ெꮾ埍வக வள쏍鏍த쯍, ஆக垿ர뮿பꯁ wealth, prestige and power ப毆뿍த쯍 defiant resisting, disobedient ப辿ய ம쟁埍埁믍 tranquillity harmony, peace, free from disturbances அவம鎿 treachery disloyalty, betrayal, breach of trust ெஞ殿鏍த쯍 audacious daring, fearless பயம쟍், 鏁辿ퟁ뮿கக ultimatum a final dominating demand இ쟁鎿 எச毆쎿埍வக bounty payment or reward – something given liberally பகꮾவட cockade an ornament, especially a knot of ribbon worn on the hat பதꮾꯍꮿ்ய அ辿செய뿁믍 埁ஞெ믍 cognizance notice, having knowledge of கெை믍 trounce crush, defeat கதꮾ쟍க羿 interned imprisoned 殿வ்ꯍப翁鏍த쯍 EXERCISE 3. Who had established close relationship I. Choose the with the three agents of Chanda Sahib? correct answer a) Velunachiyar b) Kattabomman 1. Who was the first c) Puli Thevar d) Oomai thurai Palayakkarars to resist the East 4. Where was Sivasubramanianar executed? India Company’s policy of territorial a) Kayathar b) Nagalapuram aggrandizement? c) Virupachi d) Panchalamkurichi a) Marudhu brothers 5. Who issued the Tiruchirappalli b) Puli Thevar proclamation of Independence? c) Velunachiyar a) Marudhu brothers d) Veerapandya Kattabomman b) Puli Thevar 2. Who had borrowed money from the East c) Veerapandya Kattabomman India Company to meet the expenses he d) Gopala Nayak had incurred during the Carnatic wars? 6. When did the Vellore Revolt breakout? a) Velunachiyar a) 24 May 1805 b) Puli Thevar b) 10 July 1805 c) Nawab of Arcot c) 10 July 1806 d) Raja of Travancore d) 10 September 1806 11 Early Revolts against British Rule in Tamil Nadu 10th_History_Unit_6.indd 11 31-07-2019 16:47:14 7. Who was the Commander-in-Chief a) (i), (ii) and (iv) are correct responsible for the new military b) (i), (ii) and (iii) are correct regulations in Vellore fort? c) (iii) and (iv) are correct a) Col. Fancourt d) (i) and (iv) are correct b) Major Armstrong 2. i) Under Colonel Campbell, the English c) Sir John Cradock Army went along with Mahfuzkhan’s army. d) Colonel Agnew 8. Where were the sons of Tipu Sultan sent ii) After Muthu Vadugar’s death in Kalaiyar after the Vellore Revolt? Kovil battle, Marudhu Brothers assisted a) Calcutta b) Mumbai Velunachiyar in restoring the throne to c) Delhi d) Mysore her. II. Fill in the blanks iii) Gopala Nayak spearheaded the famous Dindigul League. 1. The Palayakkarars system was put in place in Tamil Nadu by ____________. iv) In May 1799 Cornwallis ordered the advance of Company armies to 2. Except the Palayakkarars of ____________, Tirunelveli. all other western Palayakkarars supported Puli Thevar. a) (i) and (ii) are correct 3. Velunachiyar and her daughter were under b) (ii) and (iii) are correct the protection of __________ for eight years. c) (ii), (iii) and (iv )are correct d) (i) and (iv) are correct 4. Bennerman deputed __________ to convey his message, asking Kattabomman 3. Assertion (A): Puli Thevar tried to get the to surrender. support of Hyder Ali and 5. Kattabomman was hanged to death at the French. ____________. Reason (R): Hyder Ali could not help 6. The Rebellion of Marudhu Brothers was Puli Thevar as he was categorized in the British records as the already in a serious conflict ___________. with the Marathas. 7. ___________ was declared the new Sultan a) Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is by the rebels in Vellore Fort. not the correct explanation of (A) 8. _____________ suppressed the revolt in b) Both (A) and (R) are wrong Vellore Fort. c) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is III. Choose the correct statement the correct explanation of (A) d) (A) is wrong and (R) is correct 1. i) The Palayakkarars system was in practice in the Kakatiya Kingdom. 4. Assertion (A): Apart from the new military Regulations the ii) Puli Thevar recaptured Nerkattumseval most objectionable was the in 1764 after the death of Khan Sahib. addition of a leather cockade iii) Yusuf Khan who was negotiating with in the turban. the Palayakkarars, without informing the Reason (R): The leather cockade was Company administration was charged made of animal skin. with treachery and hanged in 1764. a) (A) is wrong and (R) is correct iv) Ondiveeran led one of the army units of b) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is Kattabomman. the correct explanation of (A) Early Revolts against British Rule in Tamil Nadu 12 10th_History_Unit_6.indd 12 31-07-2019 16:47:14 c) Both (A) and (R) are wrong VII. Answer in detail d) Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is 1. Attempt an essay of the heroic fight not the correct explanation of (A) Veerapandya Kattabomman conducted IV. Match the following against the East India Company. 2. Highlight the tragic fall of Sivagangai and 1. Theerthagiri - Vellore Revolt its outcome. 2. Gopala Nayak - Ramalinganar 3. Account for the outbreak of Vellore 3. Bannerman - Dindigul Revolt in 1806. 4. Subedar Sheik Adam - Vellore Fort VIII. Activities 5. Col. Fancourt - Odanilai 1. Teacher can ask the students to prepare V. Answer the questions briefly an album of patriotic leaders of early revolts against the British rule in Tamil 1. What were the duties of the Palayakkarars? Nadu. Using their imagination they can 2. Identify the Palayams based on the also draw pictures of different battles in division of east and west. which they attained martyrdom 3. Why was Heron dismissed from service? 2. Stage play visualising the conversation 4. What was the significance of the Battle of between Jackson and Kattabomman be Kalakadu? attempted by students with the help of 5. What was the bone of contention between teachers. the Company and Kottabomman? 3. A comparative study of Vellore Revolt and 6. Highlight the essence of the Tiruchirappalli 1857 Revolt by students be tried enabling Procalamation of 1801. them to find out to what extent Vellore 7. Point out the importance of the Treaty of Revolt had all the forebodings of the latter. 1801. VI. Answer the questions given REFERENCE BOOKS under each caption 1. Burton Stein, Peasant State and Society in 1. Velunachiyar Medieval South India, New Delhi:Oxford a) Who was the military chief of University Press, 1980. Velunachiyar? 2. P.M. Lalitha, Palayakararss as Feudatories b) What were the martial arts in which Under the Nayaks of Madurai, Chennai: she was trained? Creative Enterprises, 2015. c) Whom did she marry? d) What was the name of her daughter? 3. K. Rajayyan, South Indian Rebellion, 1800–1801, Madurai, Ratna Publication, 2. Dheeran Chinnamalai 2000 (Reprint). a) When was Dheeran Chinnamalai born? b) How did he earn the title “Chinnamalai”? 4. K.A. Manikumar, Vellore Revolt 1806 c) Name the Diwan of Tipu Sultan? (Chennai: Allied Publishers, 2007). d) Why and where was he hanged to death? 13 Early Revolts against British Rule in Tamil Nadu 10th_History_Unit_6.indd 13 31-07-2019 16:47:14 Unit - 9 Freedom Struggle in Tamil Nadu Learning Objectives To acquaint ourselves with: Anti-colonial struggles in Tamil Nadu Contribution of Christian missionaries to the development of education and amelioration of the depressed classes Challenge of the Justicites to the Congress in Tamil Nadu Militant mass movement of the Congress in Tamil Nadu Introduction Early Nationalist 9.1 Stirrings in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu showed the lead in resisting colonial rule. As early as the late eighteenth By the middle of the nineteenth century century the Palayakarars, resisted the a group of educated middle class emerged in English attempts to establish their political Madras and began to show interest in public hegemony in Tamil Nadu. Even after the affairs. As in other parts of India, they formed political associations, such as the Madras defeat of the Palayakarars, an uprising was Native Association and the Madras Mahajana organised by Indian sepoys and officers in Sabha to articulate their grievances.