People’s Revolt Online 8th Social Science Lesson 4 Questions in English

The first resistance to the British was offered by the Pulithevar.

The establishment of political and economic dominance by the British over many parts of India after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 disrupted the political, social and economic order of the country

The English assumed the right of collecting the annual tribute from the Palayakkarar

The Vijayanagar rulers appointed Nayaks in their provinces. The Nayak of Madurai in turn appointed Palayakkarar.

Viswanatha became the Nayak of Madurai in 1529. He with the consultation of his minister Ariyanatha Mudaliyar, Viswanatha instituted Palayakkarar system in 1529.

The Whole country was divided into 72 Palayams and each one was put under a Palayakkarar. Palayakkarar was the holder of a territory or a Palayam

The Palayakkarars collected taxes, of Which one third was given to the Nayak of Madurai another one third for the expenditure of the army and rest was kept for themselves.

The Eastern Palayams were the Nayaks ruled under the control of Kattabomman and the Western palayams were the Maravas ruled under the control of Pulithevan

Pulithevar was the Palayakkarar of the Nerkattumseval, near Tirunelveli.

During his tenure pulithevar refused to pay the tribute neither to Mohammed Ali, the Nawab of Arcot nor to the English.

The early struggle between the Palayakkaras and the East India Company had a strong political dimension. By the Carnatic treaty of 1792, consolidated the English power over the Palayakkars.

In 1759, Nerkattumseval was attacked by the forces of Nawab of Arcot under the leadership of Yusuf Khan. Pulithevar was defeated at Anthanallur and the Nawabs forces captured Nerkattumsevval in 1761

Pulithevar Who lived in exile recaptured Nerkattumseval in 1764.

Later, pulithevar was defeated by Captain Campell in 1767. Pulithevar escaped and died in exile without fulfilling his purpose, although his courageous trail of a struggle for independence in the history of South India

The Ancestors of Kattabomman belonged to Andhra. They migrated to Tamil country during the 11th century.

As a feudatory under Pandyas, Jagaveerapandiaya Kattabomman ruled Virapandyapuram. Panchalankurichi was its capital.

Jagaveerapandiaya Kattabomman was succeeded by his son Veerapandya Kattabomman. His wife was Jakkammal and his brothers were Oomathurai and Sevathaiah.

Based on the Carnatic treaty of 1792, the company gained the right to collect taxes from Panchalamkuruchi. The collection of tribute was the main cause for the rivalry between the English and Kattabomman.

After the decline of the Vijayanagar empire, the mughals established their supremacy in the south. The Nawabs acted as their representatives in Karnataka

In 1792, the political condition had completely changed. Based on the Carnatic treaty of 1792, the company gained the right to collect taxes from Panchalamkuruchi.

In 1798, Colin Jackson, the collector of Ramanathapuram wrote letters to Kattabomman asking him to pay the tribute arrears.

Kattabomman replied Jackson that he was not in a position to remit the tribute due to the famine in the country. Colin Jackson got angry and decided to send an expedition to punish Kattabomman. However, the Madras government directed the collector to summon the Palayakkarar at Ramanathapuram and hold a discussion.

In 1798, Kattabomman and his minister Siva Subramaniam met the Collector at Ramanathapuram.

Oomathurai suddenly entered the fort with his men and helped the escape of Kattabomman. But unfortunately Sivasubramaniam was taken as prisoner.

Edward Clive, the Governor of Madras Council ordered Kattabomman to surrender.

After his return to Panchalamkuruchi, kattabomman wrote a letter to the Madras Council narrating the behaviour of the Collector Colin Jackson. Meanwhile, Edward Clive dismissed the Collector for his misbehaviour and released SivaSubramania.

During that time, Marudu Pandyan of Sivaganga formed the South Indian Confederacy of rebels against the British, along with the neighbouring Palayakkarars.

This south Indian confederacy declared a proclamation Which came to be known as Tiruchirappalli Proclamation.

Kattabomman was interested in this confederacy. He tried to establish his influence over Sivagiri,Who refused to join with alliance of the rebels. Kattabomman advanced towards Sivagiri.

Major Bannerman moved his army to Panchalamkuruchi on 5th September. They cut of all the communications to the Fort.

In a clash at Kallarpatti, Siva Subramaniyam was taken as a prisoner. Kattabomman escaped to Pudukottai.

Vijaya Ragunatha Tondaiman, Raja of Pudukottai, captured Kattabomman from the jungles of Kalapore and handed over to the Company.

On 17th October 1799, Kattabomman was hanged at the fort of Kayathar. Kattabomman’s heroic deeds were the subject of many folk ballads

After the fall of Panchalamkuruchi, Bannerman brought the prisoners to an assembly of the Palayakkarars and after trial sentenced them to death. Sivasubramania was executed at Nagalapuram.

Velu nachiyar was the first queen to fight against the British colonial power in India.

Velu Nachiyar was a queen of Sivagangai

Velu Nachiyar was a queen of Sivagangai. At the age of 16, she was married to Muthu Vaduganathar, the Raja of Sivagangai.

In 1772, the Nawab of Arcot and the British troops invaded Sivagangai. They killed Muthu Vaduganathar in Kalaiyar Koil battle.

Velu Nachiyar escaped with her daughter Vellachi Nachiyar and lived under the protection of Gopala Nayaker at Virupachi near Dindigul.

During this period she organised an army and employed her intelligent agents to find where the British stored their ammunition. She arranged a suicide attack by a faithfull follower Kuyili, a commander of Velu Nachiar.During this period she organised an army and employed her intelligent agents to find where the British stored their ammunition. She arranged a suicide attack by a faithfull follower Kuyili, a commander of Velu Nachiar.

Velu Nachiar recaptured Sivagangai and was again crowned as queen with the help of Marudu brothers.

S.R. Lushington was appointed collector in the place of Colin Jackson.

Velu nachiyar was the first queen to fight against the British colonial power in India. She is known by Tamils as Veeramangai and also known as ‘Jhansi Rani of South India’.

Marudu brothers were the sons of Mookiah Palaniappan and Ponnathal.

The elder brother was called Periya Marudu (Vella Marudhu) and the younger brother Chinna Marudu. Chinna Marudu was more popular and was called Marudu Pandiyan.

Marudu served under Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Udaya Devar (1750-1772) of Sivaganga.

In 1772 the Nawab of Arcot laid seige of Sivaganga and captured it. Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Udaya Devar, died in battle. However after a few months Sivaganga was re-captured by Marudu Brothers.

However after a few months Sivaganga was re-captured by Marudu Brothers and Periya Marudu was enthroned as the ruler. Chinna Marudu acted as his adviser.

Due to the terrorist activities against British, he was called as “Lion of Sivaganga”.

Kattabomman was hanged to death and his brother Umaithurai and others fled to Sivaganga, where Marudu Pandya gave protection to them.

In February 1801 the brothers of Kattabomman, Oomathurai and Sevathaiah escaped from Palayamkottai prison and reached Kamudhi.

Oomathurai and Sevathaiah escaped from Palayamkottai prison and reached Kamudhi. Chinna Marudu took them to Siruvayal, his capital. They reconstructed their ancestral fort at Panchalamkurichi.

They reconstructed their ancestral fort at Panchalamkurichi. The British troops under Conlin Macaulay retook the fort in April and the Palayakkarar brothers sought shelter in Sivaganga.

The Palayakkarar brothers sought shelter in Sivaganga. The English demanded Marudu Pandyas to hand over the fugitives, the latter refused. Conlonel Agnew and Colonel Innes marched against them.

The Palayakkarar War assumed a much broader character than its predecessor. It was directed by a confederacy consisting of Marudu Pandiar of Sivaganga, Gopala Nayak of Dindugal, Kerala Varma of Malabar and Krishnappa Nayak and Dhoondaji of Mysore

The Marudu Pandyas issued a proclamation of Independence called Tiruchirappalli Proclamation in June 1801.

The rajas of Pudukkottai, Ettayapuram and Thanjavur stood by the British. Divide and rule policy followed by the English spilt the forces of the Palayakkarars.

The Proclamation of 1801 was the first call to the Indians to unite against the British. A copy of the proclamation was pasted on the walls of the Nawab’s palace in the fort of Tiruchi and another copy was placed on the walls of the Vaishnava temple at Srirangam.

Palayakkarars of Tamil Nadu went on a rally to fight against the English. Chinna Marudu collected nearly 20,000 men to challenge the English army. British reinforcements were rushed from Bengal, Ceylon and Malaya.

In May 1801, English attacked the rebels in Thanjavur and Tiruchi areas. The rebels went to Piranmalai and Kalayarkoil.

In the end, the superior military strength and the able commanders of the British army won the battle. The rebellion failed and English annexed Sivagangai in 1801.

The Marudu brothers were executed in the Fort of Tirupathur in Ramanathapuram District on 24 October 1801

Oomathurai and Sevathaiah was captured and beheaded at Panchalamkuruchi on 16 November 1801.

Seventy three rebels were sentenced to Penang in Malaya, then called the Prince of Wales Island.

Thus the South Indian Rebellion is a land mark in the history of Tamil Nadu. Although the 1800-1801 rebellion was to be categorized in the British records as the Second Palayakkarar War.

Under the terms of the Karnataka Treaty on 31 July 1801, the British assumed direct control over Tamil Nadu. The Palayakkarar system was abolished.

Dheeran Chinnamalai original name was Theerthagiri.

The Kongu country comprising Salem, Coimbatore, Karur and Dindigul formed a part of the Nayak kingdom of Madurai.

Dheeran Chinnamalai was born at Melapalayam in Chennimalai near Erode. He was a palayakkarar of Kongu country Who fought the British East India Company.

After the fall of the Wodayars, these territories along with Mysore were controlled by the Mysore Sultans

Dheeran Chinnamalai was trained by French military in modern warfare.

Dheeran Chinnamalai was trained by French military in modern warfare. He was along the side Tippu Sultan to fight against the British East India Company and got victories against the British.

After Tippu Sultan’s death Chinnamalai settled down at Odanilai and constructed a fort there to continue his struggle against the British.

Dheeran chinnamalai sought the help of Marathas and Maruthu Pandiyar to attack the British at Coimbatore in 1800. British forces managed to stop the armies of the allies and hence Chinnamalai was forced to attack Coimbatore on his own. His army was defeated and he escaped from the British forces.

During the final battle, Chinnamalai was betrayed by his cook Nallapan and was hanged in Sankagiri Fort in 1805.

Dheeran Chinnamalai engaged in guerrilla warfare and defeated the British in battles at Cauvery, Odanilai and Arachalur.

The family members of Tippu were imprisoned at Vellore fort after the fourth Mysore war.

Some three thousand ex-servants and soldiers of Hyder and Tippu had also been moved to the vicinity of Vellore and their property in Mysore confiscated.

The Vellore fort consisted of large majority of Indian troops, a good part of it recently been raised in Tirunelveli after the Palayakarar uprising of 1800. Many of the trained soldiers of the various Palayams were admitted into the English army.

The Vellore fort became the meeting ground of the rebel forces of South India.

In 1803, William Cavendish Bentinck became Governor of Madras. During his period certain military regulations were introduced in 1805-06 and were enforced by the Madras Commander-in-Chief Sir John Cradock.

The sepoys were asked to shave the beard and to trim the moustache.The wearing of religious mark on the forehead and the use of ear-rings were also banned.

In June 1806, military General Agnew introduced a new turban, resembling a European hat with a badge of cross on it.

In June 1806, military General Agnew introduced a new turban, resembling a European hat with a badge of cross on it. It was popularly known as ‘Agnew’s turban’.

The Indian soldiers were waiting for an opportunity to attack the English officers. Tippu’s family also took part. Fettah Hyder, the elder son of Tippu, tried to form an alliance against the English.

Colonel Fancourt, Who commanded the garrison, was their first victim of revolt.

On July 10th in the early morning the native sepoys of the 1st and 23rd Regiments started the revolt. The fort gates were closed. Meantime, the rebels proclaimed Futteh Hyder, as their new ruler.

The British flag in the fort was brought down. The tiger-striped flag of Tippu Sultan was hoisted on the fort of Vellore.

Major Cootes Who was outside the fort rushed to Ranipet and informed Colonel Gillespie about revolt.

Col. Gillespie reached Vellore fort. He made an attack on the rebel force. The revolt was completely suppressed and failed. Peace was restored in Vellore. On the Whole, 113 Europeans and about 350 sepoys were killed in the uprising.

The family of Tippu as a precautionary measure was sent to Calcutta.

The new methods and uniform regulations were withdrawn. William Cavendish Bentinck was removed from his service.

There was no proper leadership to guide the soldiers properly.The rebellion was also not well organised. Divide and Rule policy of the English, split the unity of the Indians.

V.D. Savarkar calls the Vellore revolt of 1806 as the prelude to the first War of Indian Independence in 1857.

The early uprisings did not succeed in threatening the British in India. It took the Revolt of 1857 to bring home to the Company and the British thought that their rule was not accepted to a large section of the population.

The peasants suffered due to high revenue demands and the strict revenue collection policy

The conversion activities of Christian missionaries were looked upon with suspicion and fear. The priests and the maulavis showed their discontent against the British rule.

Abolition of practices like sati, female infanticide, support to widow remarriage and female education were seen by many as interference in their Indian culture by the Europeans.The Indian sepoys were looked upon as inferior beings and treated with contempt by their British officers

Policies of doctrine of lapse, subsidiary alliance and policy of Effective Control created discontentment among people.

The immediate cause was the introduction of new Enfield Riffles in the army. The top of the cartridge of this rifle was to be removed by the mouth before loading it in the rifle. Thus, the primary and the immediate cause of the revolt was the use of the greased cartridges.

The cartridges were greased by the fat of pig and the cow. The Indian sepoys believed that the British were deliberately attempting to spoil the religion of both the Hindus and the Muslims because while the Hindus revered the cow, the Muslims hated the pig

On 29 March 1857 at Barrackpur (near Kolkata) Mangal Pandey, a young Sepoy from Bengal Regiment, refused to use the greased cartridge, and shot down his sergeant.

On 10 May 1857, the Sepoys of the third cavalry at Meerut openly revolted by swarming the prisons and releasing their comrades. They were immediately joined by the men of the 11th and 20th Native Infantries, and they murdered some English officers and then marched to Delhi.

The arrival of Meerut sepoys at Delhi on 11th May and declared of Bahadur Shah II as the Emperor of India. Delhi became the centre of the Great Revolt and Bahadur Shah, its symbol.

Many of them found that it was a good opportunity to burn the papers of their landlords. Many others Whose titles and pensions were abolished by the British Who participated in it, inorder to take revenge.

Rani Lakshmi Bai fled from Jhansi and joined hands with Tantia Tope Who had assumed the leadership of the rebel army at Gwalior.

The British captured Gwalior in June 1858. Rani was killed in the battle.

According to the British historians, present at the time of revolt, Rani Lakshmi Bai was the best and the bravest among the leaders of the Revolt of 1857.

Lord Canning, the governor-general took immediate steps to suppress the revolt. He collected the forces of Madras, Bombay, Sri Lanka and Burma.

Delhi was recaptured by General John Nicholson on 20 September, 1857 and deportation of Bahadur Shah II to Rangoon where he died in 1862.

Non-participation of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, western Punjab and Rajputana.The modern educated Indians did not support the Revolts as they believed that only British rule could reform Indian society and modernize it.

The governor general was given the title of viceroy after the revolt.

The Board of Directors and the Board of Control were replaced by the Council of 15 members headed by the Secretary of State to supervise Indian affairs.

The administration of India was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown through the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’ in 1858.