Varian Kunnath Kunhahammad Haji
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VARIAN KUNNATH KUNHAHAMMAD HAJI MAPPILA FREEDOM FIGHTER OF MALABAR Dr. HUSSAIN RANDATHANI In India, Malabar witnessed years long resistance against the British rule, culminating in the establishment of a khilafat raj, at least for six months. Though the British mobilized their maximum strength against the rebels, they had to sweat well to suppress the revolt which were lead by leaders including divines and ulama and their coreligionists. Varian Kunnathn Kunhahammad Haji has been the king pin behind the uprisings during the 1921 struggles. He was known as the Khilafat king who ruled Southern Malabar including Ernad and Valluwanad Taluks of Malabar district. Divines and Ulama like Ali Musliyar, Chembrasseri Thangal, Konnara Thangal and Avokkar Musliyar gave active support to Kunhahammadaji in his anti British struggles and the subsequent khilafat raj which continued for six months. In India the khilafat Monvement started as a protest against the inimical attitude taken by the British against the the Khalifa of Turkey and this became a freedom Movement when Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress openly supported it. The movement has been a symbol of Hindu Muslim Unity in the anti colonial history of the whole of India. In Malabar, in the southernmost region of the country, the leadership of the struggle was in the hands of the local leaders and Muslim divines in cooperation with the Hindu leaders of the region. The Khilafat Movement created months long resistance against the British resulting the martyrdom of thousands of the fighters and wounding of many any displacing a number of people due to atrocities opened by the British authorities. Meanwhile, the Mappila Muslims , so named because of their identical hybrid culture through the synthesis of local and Arab culture, under Kunhahammad Haji and his friend and neighbor Ali Musliyar started the Khilafat rule providing freedom and security to the people and it lasted for three to six months in various parts of Malabar. Kunhahammad Haji fought bravely against the British and freed the people from the horrors of Zamindari system of the land lords and persecution of the British. He was later captured by the British and murdered along with his comrades. Kunhahammad haji was born at Nellikkuth of Valluvangad in Vettikkattiri Amsom, South Malabar in 1883 (as per the British records) as the son of Moideen Kutty Haji who was also a fighter for the cause of freedom. Some put his year of birth as 1875. ( Mr.K.K. Muhammad Abdul Karim, the local historian records the birth date as 1866 (1287 AH) but 1287 AH corresponds to 1870). His family, however was as Chakkipparambath and he was also known as 1 Chakkipparamban Kunhahammad. As per the information given by Mr. Abdul Karim, the Chakkipparamban family belonged to Nediyiruppu, near Kondotty in Malappuram and was very close to Zamorins. A branch of this family later settled at Puthanangadi and from here one Kunhalan Kutty married from Valluvangad and settled at the nearby place Nellikkuthu. The land where he settled was known as Variyan Kunnath and later the family also known in the same name. During Mysurean rule the family acted as the tax collectors of Sulthans. Kunhayisha, mother of Mr. Haji belonged to the famous Paravetti family of Tuwwur, near Pandikkad. In the 1894 outbreaks all of his family were convicted and were either deported from Malabar or killed. Kunhahammad Haji had his primary education at Valluvangad Kunnummal Primary School and religious education at the local religious school(Othu Palli) under Karakkad Kammu Molla. He also studied religion in the mosque academy of his place under Erikkunnan Mammad Musliyar, the youngest brother of the Khilafat leader Ali Musliyar whose house was near to that of Haji. Hailing from a rich family Kunhahammad Haji was occupied with timber business when he was young and his family owned a large number of buffalo carts. He had one brother , Moideen Haji who was executed by the British in 21 April 1922 at Kannur for participating in the struggles. Haji married Ummakkiya, daughter of a Shipai (Sepoy) of Kondotti Sub Registrar’s office at Nediyiruppu where he stayed for some time when the local authorities denied him entry to his home town. Later he married two more wives one while he was in exile at Makkah (daughter of one Malabar man) and another from his mother’s family. Though Kunhahammad Haji belonged to a noble family with gentle character, the British documents dubbed his as a fanatic, traitor, cruel and left no stone unturned in using all abuses against him. The authorities added a worse soubriquet whenever his name mentioned in the records, such as robber, fanatics, bigot, anti Hindu etc. He was chased by the government booking him in different cases, most of which were not connected with him. He was forced to leave for Makkah in 1914 and remained there for three years and after his return he remained by assisting his mother who has been involved in civil suits. At home he confronted with his relatives who were loyal to the British and attempts were made in 1915 to involve him in an offence under the Mappila Act. Haji was arrested for trying to kill Mr. Innes, the Collector of Malabr, but later released when there was no proof for his involvement. Later he was forced to leave Valluvangad, his hometown and live in Nediyiruppu where he took his residence for few years. Later he got permission to visit his mother at Thuwwur. Kunhahammad Haji was respected for his scholarship and knowledge in Urdu, Arabic and English. Kattilassery Muhammad Musliyar and MP Narayana Menon, leaders of Khilafat Movement and Indian National Congress, met him at Manjeri Shandy (Market) and introduced to him the Khilafat cause though he thought that it has been a Turkishs question. However, he promised to join with them against the atrocities of the British and Landlords. When Haji got the news that his country man and Khilafat leader Ali Musliyar has been arrested at Tirurangadi and the mosque has been looted and some of the police officers have been killed in the ensuing fight, Haji decided to took arms against the British and arranged a band of army with the help of some 2 sepoys who enthusiastically rallied behind him. As the leader of the Khilafat he was mostly heard all over Calicut and South Malabar. The Khilafat agitation started in Malabar with the Manjeri Conference of the Indian National Congress in 1920. Since Manjeri is the heartland of Mappilas the Conference was largely attended by the community. The leaders of the conference cautioned the Mappilas on the British attitude towards the Khalifa and their intrigues against him. The British were deliberately creating problems in the territories of the Kahlifa and instigating various peoples to rise against him in the name of nationalism After the Manjeri conference the Mappilas took vow to fight the British and the oppressive land lords and to relieve the country, at leastin Malabar from the British hegemony. In the meeting Kunhahammad Haji was entrusted with the collection of funds for the organizational activities. Haji was an excellent organizer and brought together the rebels fighting at different parts of Malabar. When the news of the police action against Vadakke Veetil Muhammad, the Manager of Pookkottur Kovilakam reached the ears of Haji he proceeded to Pookkottur with his army. Mr. Muhammad was convicted after getting a false complaint from the land lord of the Kovilakam that Muhammad had with him an unauthorized rifle. Soon Mr. Muhammad rose into revolt against the British and Haji’s army also joined with him. On the way to Pookkottur, Haji cautioned the people against looting of the granaries of Jenmi (Landlord) houses and asked the people to keep away from all kinds of unjust actions. He punished Madari Mukari and his people for looting the granaries of Jenmis in Pandalur, Thuvvur and Nenmini in 28 August 1921. He slapped with his sword on the face of Madari Mukri for his wrong actions and for not handing over the guns to the Mappila fighters. It was at the same month the British Officer Eaton was murdered by Kunhahammad haji and his army. Eaton and his associates Brown and Callbrook were in charge of the famous Kerala Estate of Karuvarakkundu. They were notorious for their atrocities towards the labourers and the peasants. Kunhahammad Haji and his army after looting the Karuvarakkundu Police Station and collecting arms proceeded to the Estate and hearing the approach of the army Mr. Eaton decided to fight with the khilafat army while others escaped to Coimbatore through jungles. Eaton fought alone with the rebels, but fell down and the people attacked him from all sides. The Mappila soldiers cut his throat and threw his body to the river while his head was put on an areca nut bar and placed in Karuvarakkund town. On 21 August 1921 rumours from Tirurangadi about the destruction of the mosque reached Manjeri and it was passed to Pandikkad. The rebels decided to murder important Police officers including Amu Sahib, the DYSP. Now Karunakan Nair, the sub Inspector of Pandikkad, got orders to bring the arms from Pandikkad to Manjeri. The arms were well packed and sent in a cart to Manjeri. A Police Head Constable and six othes escorted the cart. On the way a group of fighters under Kunhahammad Haji, his brother Moideen Haji and Payyanadan Moin and fifty others looted the arms by killing the Head Constable and beating others. Now the rebels rushed to attack the Pandikkad Police station. When the rebels reached the station the police ran away and took shelter in the house of Kodalayil Mussa Haji, Pandikkad Adhikari.