Abstract
During the 18th century, Travancore State was attacked by the Mysorean forces under the able leadership of Tippu Sultan. At that time the Travancore State came under the influence of the British East India Company. Colonel Munroe had already been the Resident of the Travancore State. This infurierated the anger of Tippu. So the Maharaja of Travancore suggested the company that one, two or even three battalions of the company’s troops might be employed with advantage in securing the Travancore territories against any sudden attack from Tippu. Maharaja also agreed to pay for the maintenance of British troops either in cash or in pepper. The monthly cost of the battalion was estimated at 1,750 star pagodas, 40 fanams and 40 cash. Captain Knox stationed near Ayakotta and civil officer, Mr. George Powney, was sent as agent of the company at the Travancore court. This officer may be regarded as the first political agent in Travancore, the forerunner of the modern British Resident. The Travancore Maharaja also entered into treaty with the Dutch Governor of Cochin, by which the latter was obliged in the event of an attack to reinforce the forts of unfavoured Ayakotta.
To avoid war, the Maharaja of Travancore suggested the company that one, two or even three battalions of the company’s troops might be employed with advantage. He thought that it would be necessary in securing the Travancore territories against any sudden attack from Tippu. Maharaja also agreed to pay for the maintenance of British troops either in cash or in pepper. The monthly cost of the battalion was estimated at 1,750 star pagodas, 40 fanams and 40 cash. Captain Knox stationed near Ayakotta and civil officer, Mr. George Powney, was sent as agent of the company at the Travancore court. This officer may be regarded as the first political agent in Travancore, the forerunner of the modern British Resident. The Travancore Maharaja also entered into treaty with the Dutch Governor of Cochin, by which the latter was obliged in the event of an attack to reinforce the forts of unfavoured Ayakotta.
Purchase of Cranganore and Ayakotta
Cranganore and Ayakotta were situated in the northern boundary of Travancore. Their exact locality is on the northern extremity of vaipin, three mile distant. Between the sea and hills ran the Travancore lines which constituted a system of defence. The territory of Cochin extended on both sides of the lines.
The forts of Cranganore and Ayakotta were constructed by the Portuguese. Those forts were occupied by the Dutch. Following their decline of their power in India, they decided to dispose the forts for ready money. Both Tippu and Rama Varma came forward to purchase these forts because of their strategic importance. Moreover Tippur sultan realized that the possession of those forts by Travancore the ‘fried and ally’ of the English would give a chance to the company to occupy his territory through palghat and Coimbatore instead of sending an army from Madras or Trichinopally.
The Maharaja authorized Dewan Kesava Das to enter into immediate negotiations with the Dutch Governor for the purchase of these two forts. At palghat the opened negotiations with the Dutch. The whole transaction was carried through in the presence of Mr. Powney who at once communicated it to the Madras Government. The Maharaja too wrote to them about it.
On the 3rd July 1789, the Dewan concluded the bargain. M’Van Angelbic executed the title deeds on the part of the Dutch to Dewan Kesava pillai, on the part of the Dutch to Dewan Kesava Pillai, on the part of the Maharaja. The Dutch possessions were sold three lacks of Rupees to be paid in several instalments.
When the Sultan heard of the proceedings, he thought that his was too good an opportunity to be lost. So he put forth his claims to the forts of Cranganore and Ayakotta, alleging that they belonged to his tributary, the Cochin Raja, and that therefore their purchase by Travancore was unlawful. Meanwhile Tippu started from Coimbatore with a large army, consisting of infantry, cavaltry and artillery, with a detachment.
The attempt of Tippu Sultan to purchase Cranganore and Ayakotta ended in failure. Therefore in December 1789 he deputed a sirdar to demand from the Maharaja that the chiefs and nobles of Malabar who had taken refuge in Travancore should be immediately surrendered, that his troops holding the Cranganore Fort should be withdrawn and that he should demolish that part of his fortifications which crossed the territory of cochin because it belonged to the kingdom of Mysore.
Rama Varma openly rejected all the three demands and made large scale defensive preparations. Tippur Sultan was also engaged in counter preparations. He dispatched embasis to France and Constantinople. French troops came to strengthen his forces.
Due to the failure of the Raja to give back the places to the Dutch the Governor decided to settle the dispute through negotiation. As per the order of the Governor, the Raja transmitted the copies of all papers regarding the transaction of the places for discussion. Tippu Sultan also deputed his Vakils Abdul Khadur, Oman Khan and Muhammed to enquire the transaction and to settle the issue. During the course of discussion there was no change in the attitude of the Raja. He refused them altogether and made ready for war.
Tippur’s Claim over the Paravoor and Alangad
Tippur summoned the Cochin Raja before him, and his obedient tributary proceeded to palghatcherry and there paid his homage to his liege lord. The Sultan appears to have found fault with the Raja for the Lateness of his appearance. After accepting the Raja’s apologies, Tippu advised him to discover some pretext to provoke the Maharaja of Travancore to a war. To effect this the Sultan suggested to his vessal that he should claim the districts of Paravoor and Alanguad, and on that refusal he should commence hostilities in which he would be strongly assisted by the Mysore army.
This proposal embarrassed the Cochin chief, who said that those districts were ceded to Travancore for important assistance given in the defense of his country and that they were ever since in the possession of Travancore. But Tippu forced the Raja of Cochin to approach the Maharaja of Travancore with the proposal that he should become a feudatory of Mysore, but Rama Varma received Tippu’s envoys in the presence of British agents and dismissed them with a curt refusal. This was taken as an insult by the Sultan who was already feeling infuriated.
Religious Conversion
The worst of Tippu’s tyrannical proceedings was that he ordered the conversion of all the ‘Hindus indiscriminately, whether of high or low caste, male or female to the Mussalman faith, and all who objected to acknowledge the prophet were menaced with death. Further they committed various atrocities and the country was laid waste with fire and sword. Some of the inhabitants filed for shelter to the wild hills of Kunnathunaud, while many were taken captives. Hindu temples and Christian churches were equality desecrated by the followers of Mohammed. Towers of Pagodas, the houses of the rich, and the huts of the poor, all were burnt to ashes, and the scenes throughout the districts of Alanguad and Paravoor were heart – rendering. The ruins which may be seen upto the present day testify to the ferocity of the invaders. Records of antiquity, secured in the archives of pagodas, palaces, churches and the houses of the nobles were all committed to the flames.
It is an record that the Nairs were forced by Tippu Sultan to give up their obsence habits and compelled them to become Mohammedans. It was reported that in July 1786 a prince of parappanad royal family and ‘Tichera Terooperar (Tirumulpad) a principal Nayar of Nilambur, were forcinbly converted to Islam. Tippu is said to have issued orders to the Dewan of Calicut to convert the Brahmins forcibly to Islam so as to serve as examples to the other inferior castes. A large number of Brahmins were seized, confined and made Mussalmans and compelled to eat beef. Malabar was always in Tippu’s thoughts, and he never wasted an opportunity to plunder its treasures; and to invest the inhabitants with the honour of Islam. He even persecuted the people and chiefs massaring all those who refused to embrance Islam.
The Hindu portion of the population of Malabar including the royal family of the Zamorin of Calicut, and every one of the opulent Nambudiris resorted to Travancore and begged for protection at the hands of the Maharaja. It is said that no less than 30,000 Brahmins with their families flew from their country and took refuge in Travancore. The generous Maharaja without the least hesitation or fear of the protection to the helpless refugees and housed and fed them according to the deserts of each family. Many of the families settled in Travancore and took a pride in becoming naturalized in the country which afforded them protection at the time of necessity.
This noble and generous behavior of the Maharaja offended Tippur still more highly and he sent a message to his highness through some of his confidential Sirdars, asking the Maharaja to order back all the refugees on the ground that they were deserters from his dominions.
The Maharaja sent a polite and friendly message in reply, to the effect that the highness was ready to comply with the wishes of the Sultan, provided the people who had come from the northern countries to reside within his highness dominions were willing to return; for it would be unjust, as well as unlawful, for his highness to cause them to leave Travancore under compulsion. This message on doubt displeased the Sultan. Tippu then resolved on nothing less than the entire subjucation of Travancore.
– S. Lawrence Jayaraj*
Ph.D. Research Scholar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli.
References
1. Parameswaran Pillai, A Concise High School History of Travancore, Trivandrum, 1944.
2. V. Nagam Aiya, The Travancore State Manuel, Vol.I, 1906.
3. T.K. Velu Pillai, The The Travancore State Manuel, Vol.II, Trivandrum 1940.
4. Military Sundry Book (1785) Vol.IXVI.
5. Shungoony Menon, A History of Travancore, Cochin, 1983.
6. Beveridge, A Comprehensive History of India, Vol.III.
7. B. Sobhanan, Rama Varma of Travancore, Calicut, 1998.
8. Praxy Fernandez, Storm Over Seringapatam, Bombay, 1969.
9. K.V. Krishna Iyar, A Short History of Kerala, Ernakulam, 1966.