Theeran Chinnamalai: Hero of the First Phase of Freedom Struggle in Erode District
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DOI:10.15613/hijrh/2019/v6i1/183884 ISSN (Print): 2349-4778 HuSS: International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol 6(1), 23–26, January-June 2019 ISSN (Online): 2349-8900 Theeran Chinnamalai: Hero of the First Phase of Freedom Struggle in Erode District S . Jothimani* Assistant Professor of History, Vellalar College for Women, Erode – 638012, Tamil Nadu, India; [email protected] Abstract From the 18th century onwards Erode district has lent a number of brave and great personalities for the country. They had rendered their invaluable service to the society and country. Among them, in the late 18th and 19th century, Theeran Chinnamalai was an important personality who was a great opponent of the British in Coimbatore and Erode areas. NumerousKeywords: leaders Freedom tried Struggle, their best Kongu to awaken Mandalam, the people Kongu of Padai,India. TheKovai struggle Puratchi ensued of uncountable sacrifices. 1. Introduction • To understand Theeran Chinnamalai’s contribu- tions towards freedom movement. I India is the largest democratic country in the world. India, with its huge population of different castes and • To identify Theeran Chinnamalai as an inspiration creed stands as a unique country in the world for its unity to the patriots of Erode. in diversity. At present India holds an important position in the world’s comity of nations. From the 16th century to • To enlighten the heroic deeds of legendary free- th the early part of the 20 century, India with a complement dom fighter. of several Princely States had to suffer from foreign inva- sions and lastly from the British rule, subjugating itself to 3. Methodology the aliens way of life in their political, social, economic and religious pursuits. From the 18th century onwards, The narrative and analytical method has been used to the Indians came to realize their enslavement under the present study. Both primary and secondary sources are British rule. Numerous leaders tried their best to awaken extensively used. It critically examines the contributions the people of India. The struggle ensued of uncountable made by Theeran Chinnamalaiin the freedom movement. sacrifices. Erode District which has been carved out of Coimbatore district in 1979 has been flourishing in agri- 2. Objectives culture, handloom industry, art and culture1. During the 18th century, while the British East India Company was • To bring out the role of Erode District in the free- trying to establish its supremacy and over lordship all dom struggle. *Author for correspondence Theeran Chinnamalai: Hero of the First Phase of Freedom Struggle in Erode District over India, a small portion of land covering Erode town duty of carrying the taxes, about his name, he answered and its surrounding areas in the southwest remained “This is Chinnamalai in between Sivanmalai and independent under a gallant warrior, popularly known as Chennimalai and this warrior of Kongunadu has taken “Theeran Chinnamalai”. The heroic warrior waged three over the amount”. From this incident Theeran was called wars against the British forces successfully and the British Chinnamalai2. The soldiers of the Mysore king stationed East Indian Company could not advance against him vic- at Sankagiri were sent to fight against Theerthagiri and toriously. The British forces had to adopt other infamous, the soldiers of Mysore ran helter-skelter for life unable to dubious means only to capture the warrior and estab- bear the humiliating defeat at the hands of Theerthagiri. lish their rule. Thus Theeran Chinnamalai was the first After this incident, Chinnamalai started to make a small hero of this part of the area who fought for the land of army for him to fight against the British. He included the the natives. Later on, as the political, economic and social Palayatthu people who were in the same thought. enslavement of India was made complete by the British On 7 December 1782, Hyder Ali had died and Tippu Empire, an organized freedom struggle at the national Sultan gained the crown of Karnataka and led the free- level became a historic necessity. It was percolating down dom struggle in a stronger way. At that time the Kongu the farther areas among which Erode District had con- Mandalam (a vast area now comprising of the districts tributed more vehemently to the cause of freedom by its of Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Salem, Namakkal and great personalities. Dharmapuri), which was under the rule of Mysore King, The patriots of Erode and surrounding areas who was also brought under Tippu Sultan. Tippu Sultan were inspired by the legendary heroism of Theeran by then learnt about the heroic warriorship of Theeran Chinnamalai embarked on the struggle with a selfless Chinnamalai and about the aspirations of this warrior to motive. Every struggle at the national level had its parallel fight against the British to whom the Indian rulers were action in Erode District. The contribution of these brave forced to obey3. freedom fighters of Erode District deserves due recogni- Both Tippu Sultan and Chinnamalai had felt that their tion and remembrance. common enemy was the British and hence decided to fight From the 18th century onwards Erode district has lent and conquer the British with more men and weapons. a number of brave and great personalities for the coun- Tippu was in need of soldiers for his troops. Chinnnmalai try. They had rendered their invaluable service to the motivated more number of people to join Tippu’s troop. society and country. Among them, in the late 18th and From 18 April 1792 onwards, Chinnamalai started giv- earlier 19th century, Theeran Chinnamalai was an impor- ing training for the soldiers at forests. He made weapons tant personality who was a great opponent of the British for use in the war. Chinnamalai had taken thousands of in Coimbatore and Erode areas. Theerthagiri was the soldiers to Mysore for devising strategic ways to fight the second son of Rathinasarkarai and Periyaathaal. He was British army. At that time the French soldiers under the born in 1756 who was later called Theeran Chinnamalai. Jacobin group were there. They used to give vigorous His family lived in a place called Melappalayam nearer training to the ‘Kongu Padai’ (Kongu army) which was to Arachalur just 23 kilometers away from Erode. On led by Chinnamalai4. those days, Mysore King ruled the Kongu Mandalam On those days, Coimbatore was an important place and the king used to collect the taxes of Kangeyam and in Kongunadu. In the middle of the 18th century, Mysore Dharapuram areas. Once when the amount was being Kings Samaraja Udayar and then Krishnaraja Udayar taken to the Dewan of Sankagiri for being paid to the ruled the place. On behalf of them, Kumara Devaiyyan Mysore King, Theeran and his brothers objected to it and Kurikkaara Madhaiyyan ruled Coimbatore. Later and captured the booty. They distributed the money to when Hyder Ali and Tippu became rulers, Coimbatore the poor. When asked by the guards who were on the went under their control. In the Third Mysore War, 24 Vol 6(1) | January-June 2019 | HuSS: International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences S . Jothimani Coimbatore went into the hands of the British East strange people and he understood the impending India Company. A British battalion was stationed in the attack on the Coimbatore Fort planned by Theeran Coimbatore Fort. Native chieftains slowly understood Chinnamalai. He passed on the message as earlier as that Coimbatore under the British East India Company possible to General Mclister, the Commander of the would be a great danger for them. They planned to cap- British army. By this timely alert, the proposed revolu- ture Coimbatore under the leadership of Chinnamalai5. tion was crushed, forty two native soldiers were hanged In the Fourth Mysore war Chinnamalai’s army fought and several others were deported to the Island of Prince at the places like Malavalli, Seerangapattanam and of Wales. The above news spread throughout the area. Chitheshwaram and inflicted heavy losses on the British Thus the ‘Kovai Puratchi’ met a negative result on 8 June troops. But Chinnamalai had to return to his native due 18007. to the death of Tippu Sultan in the battle of 1799. But Yet Chinnamalai was never frustrated or demoralised Chinnamalai continued his activities, built a fort in ‘Oada by the defeat of ‘Kovai Revolution’ (Kovai Puratchi). He Nilai’ and added strength to his troops. According to the started to strengthen his fort at Oada Nilai. Realising the Seerangapattanam agreement, though Kongunadu was popularity and the potent force of Theeran Chinnamalai, under the control of the British East India Company, a the British East India Company decided to conclude vast area of Chinnamalai, lying in between Sankagiri and an agreement with him and deputed a local native offi- Coimbatore remained as an independent one under the cer for the purpose. The agreement was that if Theeran control of Theeran Chinnamalai. So the British East India Chinnmalai allowed the British East India Company to Company planned to capture it as it constituted a missing rule Chinnamalai, by accepting their supremacy, he him- link between Madras (Chennai) and Malabar-Calicut in self could be the sole leader of this area and that he should the northern part of this province6. pay 30% of the taxes collected to the British East India Theeran Chinnamalai who knew the designs of the Company annually. Chinnamalai strongly rejected such British decided to crush the foreign dominance and an agreement and opposed foreign rule outright. So the attack the Coimbatore fort on 3 June 1800. The British British planned a war against Chinnamalai. The British troops stationed at Coimbatore Fort had more number waged three wars against Chinnamalai. The first war was of Muslim soldiers.