The Polygar Wars or Palaiyakkarar Wars were wars fought between the Polygars (Palaiyakkarars) of the former Tirunelveli Kingdom in Tamil Nadu, India and the British East India Company forces between March 1799 to May 1802 or July 1805. The British finally won after carrying out gruelling protracted jungle campaigns against the Polygar armies. Many people died on both sides and the victory over the Polygars brought large parts of the territories of Tamil Nadu under British control, enabling them to get a strong hold in Southern India.
The Polygar Wars were a series of wars fought by a coalition of Palaiyakkarar's against the British between 1750 and 1805. The war between the British PULITHEVAR is often classified as the First Polygar war (1752 to 1767). The war between the British and Kattabomman Nayak of Panchalankurichi Palayam in the then Tirunelveli region is the second Polygar war in history.[citation needed] In 1799, a brief meeting (over pending taxes) between Kattabomman and the British ended in a bloody encounter in which the British commander of the forces was slain by the former. A price was put on Kattabomman's head prompting many Polygars to an open rebellion.
After a series of battles in the Panchalankurichi fort with additional reinforcements from Tiruchirapalli, Kattabomman was defeated, but he escaped to the jungles in Pudukottai country. He was captured by the British with the help of Ettappan, Pudukottai Raja after his backroom agreement with the British. After a summary trial, Kattabomman was hanged in front of the public in order to intimidate them in Kayatharu.
Subramania Pillai, a close associate of Kattabomman, was also publicly hanged and his head was fixed on a pike at Panchalankurichi for public view. Soundra Pandian, another rebel leader, was brutally killed by having his head smashed against a village wall. Kattabomman's brother Oomaidurai was imprisoned in Palayamkottai Central Prison while the fort was razed to the ground and wealth looted by the troops.
Second Polygar Waredit
Despite the suppression of the First Polygar War in 1799, a rebellion broke out again in 1800. The Second Polygar War was more stealthy and covert in nature. The rebellion broke out when a band of Palayakkarar armies bombed the British barracks in Coimbatore. In the war that followed, Oomaithurai allied himself with Maruthu Pandiyar and was part of a grand alliance against the company which included Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Malabar.
The Palayakarrars had artillery and a weapon manufacturing unit in Salem and Dindigul jungles. They also received clandestine training from the French in the Karur region.[1]Dheeran Chinnamalai Gounder headed the western Tamil Nadu popularly known as Kongu Nadu. The British columns were exposed throughout the operations to constant harassing attacks and had usually to cut their way through almost impenetrable jungles fired on from undercover on all sides. The Polygars resisted stubbornly and the storming of their hill-forts proved on several occasions sanguinary (involving or causing much bloodshed) work.
The British finally won after a long expensive campaign that took more than a year. The Company forces led by Lt. Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801 after a prolonged siege and artillery bombardment. Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Maruthu brothers at their jungle fort at Kalayar Kovil. The Company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801. Oomaithurai and the Maruthu brothers were hanged on 16 November 1801 at Tiruppathur (Sivagangai Dist.).[2][3]
Resultsedit
The suppression of the Polygar rebellions of 1799 and 1800-1805 resulted in the liquidation of the influence of the chieftains. Under the terms of the Carnatic Treaty (31 July 1801), the British assumed direct control over Tamil Nadu. The Polygar system which had flourished for two and a half centuries came to a violent end and the company introduced a Zamindari settlement in its place.[citation needed]
Later day folkloreedit
In subsequent years, legend and folklore developed around Alagu muthu kone, Dheeran Chinnamalai, Kattabomman and Maruthu Pandiyar.[citation needed]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polygar War.
N. Rajendran, National Movement in Tamil Nadu, 1905-1914 - Agitational Politics and State Coercion, Madras Oxford University Press.
M.P. Manivel, 2003 - Viduthalaipporil Virupachi Gopal Naickar (Tamil Language), New Century Book House, Chennai
Prof. K.Rajayyan M.A., M.Litt, A.M. Ph.D., A History of Freedom Struggle in India
Prof. K.Rajayyan M.A., M.Litt, A.M. Ph.D., South Indian Rebellion - The First War of Independence (1800–1801)
Welsh, James (1830). "Poligar War". Military Reminiscences: Extracted from a Journal of Nearly Forty Years' Active Service in the East Indies. Vol. 1 (Two volume, 2nd ed.). Smith, Elder, and Company. pp. 81–135.
April 13, 2024
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Polygar Wars news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Polygar Wars or Palaiyakkarar Wars were wars fought between the Polygars Palaiyakkarars of the former Tirunelveli Kingdom in Tamil Nadu India and the British East India Company forces between March 1799 to May 1802 or July 1805 The British finally won after carrying out gruelling protracted jungle campaigns against the Polygar armies Many people died on both sides and the victory over the Polygars brought large parts of the territories of Tamil Nadu under British control enabling them to get a strong hold in Southern India Polygar Wars Contents 1 First Polygar War 2 Second Polygar War 3 Results 4 Later day folklore 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further readingFirst Polygar War editThe Polygar Wars were a series of wars fought by a coalition of Palaiyakkarar s against the British between 1750 and 1805 The war between the British PULITHEVAR is often classified as the First Polygar war 1752 to 1767 The war between the British and Kattabomman Nayak of Panchalankurichi Palayam in the then Tirunelveli region is the second Polygar war in history citation needed In 1799 a brief meeting over pending taxes between Kattabomman and the British ended in a bloody encounter in which the British commander of the forces was slain by the former A price was put on Kattabomman s head prompting many Polygars to an open rebellion After a series of battles in the Panchalankurichi fort with additional reinforcements from Tiruchirapalli Kattabomman was defeated but he escaped to the jungles in Pudukottai country He was captured by the British with the help of Ettappan Pudukottai Raja after his backroom agreement with the British After a summary trial Kattabomman was hanged in front of the public in order to intimidate them in Kayatharu Subramania Pillai a close associate of Kattabomman was also publicly hanged and his head was fixed on a pike at Panchalankurichi for public view Soundra Pandian another rebel leader was brutally killed by having his head smashed against a village wall Kattabomman s brother Oomaidurai was imprisoned in Palayamkottai Central Prison while the fort was razed to the ground and wealth looted by the troops Second Polygar War editDespite the suppression of the First Polygar War in 1799 a rebellion broke out again in 1800 The Second Polygar War was more stealthy and covert in nature The rebellion broke out when a band of Palayakkarar armies bombed the British barracks in Coimbatore In the war that followed Oomaithurai allied himself with Maruthu Pandiyar and was part of a grand alliance against the company which included Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Malabar The Palayakarrars had artillery and a weapon manufacturing unit in Salem and Dindigul jungles They also received clandestine training from the French in the Karur region 1 Dheeran Chinnamalai Gounder headed the western Tamil Nadu popularly known as Kongu Nadu The British columns were exposed throughout the operations to constant harassing attacks and had usually to cut their way through almost impenetrable jungles fired on from undercover on all sides The Polygars resisted stubbornly and the storming of their hill forts proved on several occasions sanguinary involving or causing much bloodshed work The British finally won after a long expensive campaign that took more than a year The Company forces led by Lt Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801 after a prolonged siege and artillery bombardment Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Maruthu brothers at their jungle fort at Kalayar Kovil The Company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801 Oomaithurai and the Maruthu brothers were hanged on 16 November 1801 at Tiruppathur Sivagangai Dist 2 3 Results editThe suppression of the Polygar rebellions of 1799 and 1800 1805 resulted in the liquidation of the influence of the chieftains Under the terms of the Carnatic Treaty 31 July 1801 the British assumed direct control over Tamil Nadu The Polygar system which had flourished for two and a half centuries came to a violent end and the company introduced a Zamindari settlement in its place citation needed Later day folklore editIn subsequent years legend and folklore developed around Alagu muthu kone Dheeran Chinnamalai Kattabomman and Maruthu Pandiyar citation needed See also editIndian rebellion of 1857 Veeran Sundaralingam Rani Velu Nachiar Tipu Sultan Hyder Ali Uyyalawada Narasimha ReddyNotes editThis article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gopal Naicker Memorial ready for inauguration The Hindu 22 June 2012 Francis 1989 p 261 Dirk 1988 pp 19 24 References editDirk Nicholas 1988 The Hollow Crown Ethnohistory of an Indian Kingdom pp 19 24 ISBN 978 0 521 05372 3 Francis W 1989 Gazetteer of South India vol 1 Mittal Publications p 261Further reading edithttps www livehistoryindia com story people the polygar heroes of tamil nadu nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polygar War N Rajendran National Movement in Tamil Nadu 1905 1914 Agitational Politics and State Coercion Madras Oxford University Press M P Manivel 2003 Viduthalaipporil Virupachi Gopal Naickar Tamil Language New Century Book House Chennai Prof K Rajayyan M A M Litt A M Ph D A History of Freedom Struggle in India Prof K Rajayyan M A M Litt A M Ph D South Indian Rebellion The First War of Independence 1800 1801 Welsh James 1830 Poligar War Military Reminiscences Extracted from a Journal of Nearly Forty Years Active Service in the East Indies Vol 1 Two volume 2nd ed Smith Elder and Company pp 81 135 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polygar Wars amp oldid 1191214982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
