Mapilla Uprising of 1921
An uprising that has stayed in the public memory for a long time. Even today, there are lots of ‘talk’ about this particular movement. There are multiple interpretations for this event just like the ‘multiple gangs of Malabar’ that were active in 1921. ( Gangs of Malabar is an expression used by the historian Manu S Pillai in a Clubhouse session and in an article in the Hindu) The event is shrouded in mystery for lack of authentic documents and archival materials. Along with Malabar Rebellion of 1921 one more historical event is celebrating its centenary this year. The Tulsa Race Massacre happened in the USA in the year 1921 between May and June. This blog doesn’t examine the details of the Tulsa Massacre since the primary objective here is to examine the 1921 rebellion.
During my childhood, travelling from Calicut to Thrissur we used to travel through the district of Malappuram. One particular place which had always captured my attention was the headquarters of the MSP - Malabar Special Police. It was a huge campus with barracks and training grounds for the paramilitary stationed there. As someone who was interested in detective stories, I used to look out of the window of the car with lots of eagerness. One of the reasons for the establishment of MSP was the Malabar Rebellion of 1921.
Another memory which comes to my mind is the movie 1921 directed by I. V. Sasi. The particular scene which portrayed the Wagon Tragedy is still a haunting memory. During my innumerable travels to Chennai, when Madras Mail reached Tirur station, I used to have a strange numb feeling and could feel a shortness of breath which lasted almost till the train reached Podanur in Tamil Nadu
Jallianwala Bagh
This is a story of silence and suffering. No weapons were raised against the oppressors. Only the guns spoke that day. Bullets and blood were scattered all around the place. The Jallianwala Bagh memorial was in the news recently. There were allegations that the new memorial was a mockery of the tragedy and it has failed to preserve the history of the place. The social media storm started with Kim Wagner tweeting about the new memorial. Kim Wagner is the author of the book ‘Amritsar 1919’. Examining the history of this 1919 massacre I stumbled upon the name Udham Singh. The legend has it that Udham Singh who was 19 years old in the year 1919 was wounded in British firing at Jallianwala Bagh. He stayed with the bodies that night. The next day morning he took a pledge that he will take revenge by smearing the blood-soaked soil on his forehead. In the year 1940, Udham Singh shot Michael O’Dwyer who was Punjab’s Lieutenant Governor in 1919. ‘The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and India's Quest for Independence’ by Anita Anand will be a good reference book for digging deeper into the life and times of Udham Singh. The book begins with a quote from ‘A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. “Vengeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule”. A memorial statue of Udham Singh is kept in Jallianwala Bagh. Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh requested the central government to bring back the personal belongings of Udham Singh from the U.K to India.
Santhal Uprising 1855-1856
Santhal Revolt is a peasant uprising. It happened between the years 1855 and 1856. The rebellion was against the East India Company and the exploitative practices of the feudal zamindars. The revolt happened because of the excessive land tax imposed by the Santhals. Santhals are native to the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. The two brothers who stirred the emotions of the tribal community are Sidho Murmu and Kanhu Murmu. There is a memorial for these brothers at Ranchi. The brothers used a system of communication that was unique since the tribal villages were in far-off places. Word was spread using the ‘dharwak’ .ie.the messages were circulated in folded Sal leaves. Santal Adivasis and lower caste peasants fought against the upper-caste zamindars, money lenders, police, traders and East India Company in the Bengal Presidency. William Wilson Hunter was a Scottish historian who documented the life of Santhals under oppressive circumstances. All his findings are recorded in the book — ‘The Annals of Rural Bengal’ The book was published in the year 1868. The book is criticised for portraying the ‘colonial point of view’ “ with hope in their hearts, a song in their lips and bows and arrows in their hands, the Santhal peasants raised the flag of open-armed insurrection against the unholy trinity of their oppressors” - Quoted from the ‘Santhal Insurrection 1855-56’ Natarajan L - Oxford University Press (p 138)
References:
Remembering Santa Hul - A 19th Century Struggle Against Imperialism - The Wire - Online Edition.
Vellore Mutiny of 1806
The Vellore Mutiny is regarded as a dress rehearsal for the 1857 Revolt. The desire for freedom and the resolve to rise up against imperial domination are the factors that led to the mutiny. It is fascinating to note that facial hair played a part in the fermentation of feelings. The Britishers implored the Indian Soldiers to have their chin clean shaved and there should be uniformity in terms of the quantity and shape of hair on the upper lip. Many members of the army expressed their anger and they refused to follow the orders. The presence of Tippu Sultan’s family is regarded as another influence that led to the mutiny. One of the deeds done by the mutineers after taking over the Vellore Fort is to hoist the flag of the Tippu Sultan inside the fort. Tippu’s imprisoned sons were trying to reclaim their past glory. K.A Manikumar, former Professor of History at MS University, Tirunelveli has authored a new book titled - Foreshadowing the Great Rebellion - The Vellore Revolt, 1806. The book examines the cause that led up to the revolt, the events that happened and the consequences of the mutiny. 15 European officers and 119 European soldiers were killed on that day. The events unfolded on July 10, 1806.
References:
The Causes of the Vellore Mutiny - KK Pillay.
Published by Indian History Congress
1806 Revolt at Vellore Fort - K A Mani Kumar
Frontline Magazine, July 30, 2021.
Pazhassi Raja’s Revolt
T.H Barber who led the final assault on Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja describes him as a ‘natural chieftain of the country’ who was able to ‘resist the East India Company for more than nine years. He continues by describing Pazhassi Raja as someone with an extraordinary and singular character. The name Pazhassi Raja is a mnemonic trigger that is part of the collective memory of North Malabar especially Wayanad. He is regarded as a rebel who refused to ally with the enemy. His tale is represented both as a cinematic/digital memory and even in books. His final resting place is a tourist attraction. There is a museum named after him in Kozhikode. Pazhassi Raja is also known as the Lion of Kerala like Omar Mukhtar, the Lion of the Desert. He was able to garner support from the Tipu Sultan and the tribes of the hills of Wayanad. He is remembered for his guerrilla warfare techniques.
Attingal Revolts of 1721
On April 13th, 2021, the 300th Anniversary of the Attingal Revolt was held at Thiruvanthapuram. It was a three-day commemoration event which had an exhibition of historical documents, seminars, recital of patriotic poems. Attingal Revolt is considered the first organised rebellion against the English East India Company. The revolt happened on 1721, April 14th, 36 years before the Battle of Plassey that laid the foundation for British rule in India. The Paika Rebellion in Odisha is regarded as the first war of Independence in India. Historians and history enthusiasts point out the fact that there are 4 rebellions against the British before 1817. One of them is the Attingal Riots of 1721 which resulted in 133 British nationals. The reason for the revolt was the monopoly over Pepper. The Dutch were already enjoying the monopoly in the Pepper trade. With the arrival of the British, there was competition in trade. The British showered the Rani with expensive gifts and was able to build a fort in 1694 and they were ready to buy pepper at a much cheaper rate. This led to protests from farmers and traders. The Pillai, the feudal lords, turned against the British. Attingal Revolt is seen as a people’s revolt because Attingal came together forgetting caste, class and religious barriers. The fight was based on the love for the motherland rather than any nationalistic fervour. One book which traces the details of the Attingal Revolt is written by C.V Giri Aradhya and the title of the book is ‘Attingal Kalapam’. No one remembers this riot anymore. The Attingal Rani’s palace is in a state of decay. History textbooks in Kerala, have only two lines on the revolt.
Freedom at Comilla
For the past six days, we have been reading about the unknown and untold tales from India’s fight against the imperialistic powers. It was a journey of discovery. I feel that I have learned more about certain known events like the Vellore Mutiny and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. All the tales posted here are also part of the collective memory of India. I have tried to add some personal narratives to these grand historical events.
Today’s post is the last in the series and it is about two girls who shot a British Magistrate at Comilla in East Bengal. Suniti Choudhury along with Santi Ghose assassinated a British district magistrate when they were just 16 years old. They both believed that it was the need of the hour. They both were inspired by the Chittagong Uprising which was again inspired by the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. Their act of assassination is regarded as the only successful one done by women during India’s freedom struggle. The Times of India published an interview with the daughter of Suniti Choudhary.
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