Rebellion of veerapandya kattabomman 1790-1799

Veerapandya kattabomman

Veerapandya kattabomman became the palayakkar of panchalamkurichi at the age of thirty on the death of his father,Jagavira Pandya kattabomman.The company’s administrators James London and Colin Jackson ,had considered him a man of peaceful disposition.However ,soon several events led to conflicts between veerapandya kattabomman and the East India company.The Nawab under the provisions of a treaty signed in 1781,had assigned the revenue of the Carnatic to the company to be entirely under their management and control during the war with Mysore sultan.One-sixth of the revenue was to be allowed to meet the expenses of Nawab and his family.The company had gained the right to collect taxes from panchalamkurichi.The company appointed it’s collectors to collect taxes from all the palayams.The collectors humiliated the palayakkarars and adopted force to collect the taxes .This was the bone of contention between the English and kattabomman.

Confrontation with Jackson

The land revenue arrear from kattabomman was 3310 pagodas in 1798.collector Jackson,an arrogant English officer, wanted to send an army to collect the revenue dues but the Madras government did not give him permission.On 18 August 1798,he ordered kattabomman to meet him in Ramanathapuram.But kattabomman attempts to meet him in between proved futile ,as Jackson refused to give him audience both in courtallam and srivilliputhur.At last,an interview was granted and kattabomman met Jackson in Ramanathapuram on 19 sep 1798.It is said that kattabomman had to stand for three hours before the haughty collector Jackson .sensing  danger , kattabomman tried to escape ,along with his minister sivasubramanianar.Oomaithurai suddenly entered the fort with his men and helped the escape of kattabomman .At the gate of the Ramanathapuram fort there was a clash ,in which some people including Lieutenant Clarke were killed.Sivasubramanianar was taken prisoner.

Appeance before Madras council

On his return to panchalamkurichi , kattabomman represented to the Madras council about how he was ill-treated by the collector about how he was ill-treated by the collector Jackson.The council asked kattabomman to appear before a committe with William brown , William Oram and John casamajor as members.Meanwhile,governor Edward Clive , ordered the release of sivasubramaniyanar and the suspension of the collector Jackson.kattabomman appeared before the committee that sat on 15 Dec 1798 and reported on what transpired in Ramanathapuram.The committee found kattabomman was not guilty.Jackson was collector S.R.Lushington appointed.kattabomman cleared almost all the revenue arrears leaving only a balance of 1080 pagodas

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Kattabomman and the confederacy of palayakkarars

In the meantime ,Maruthu pandiyar of sivagangai formed the south Indian confederacy of rebels aganist the British,with the neighbouring palayakkars like Gopla Nayak of Dindigul and Yadul Nayak of Aanamalai .Maruthu pandiyar acted as it’s leader.The Tiruchirappalli proclamation had been made.Kattabomman from meeting the Maruthu Brothers .But Maruthu Brothers and kattabomman jointly decided on a confrontation with the English.Kattabomman tried to influence sivagiri Palayakkarars,who refused to join . Kattabomman advanced towards sivagiri.But the palayakkarars of sivagiri was a tributary to the company.So the company considered the expedition of Kattabomman as a challenge to their authority.The company ordered the army to march on to Tirunelveli.

The siege of panchalamkurichi

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In May 1799,Lord Wellesley issued orders from Madras for the advance of forces from Tiruchirappalli,Thanjavur and Madurai to Tirunelveli.Major Bannerman commanded the troops .The Travancore troops too joined the British .On 1 sep 1799,an ultimatum was served on kattabomman to surrender.kattabomman’s “evasive reply “prompted Bannerman to attack his fort.Bannerman moved his entire army to panchalamkurichi on 5 September.They cut off all the communications to the fort.Bannerman deputed Ramalinganar to convey a message asking kattabomman to surrender.Kattabomman refused.Ramalinganar gathered all the secrets of the Fort,and on the basis of his report, Bannerman decided the strategy if the Operation.In a clash at kallarpatti , Sivasubramaniyanar was taken a prisoner.

Execution of kattabomman

Kattabomman escaped to pudukottai .The British put a prize on his head . Betrayed by the rajas of Ettayapuram and pudukottai kattabomman was finally captured.Sivasubramanianar was executed at Nagalapuram on the 13 September . Bannerman made a mockery of a trial for kattabomman in front of the palayakkarars on 16 October.During the trial kattabomman bravely admitted all the charges levelled against him.Kattabomman was hanged from a tamarind tree in the old fort of Kayathar ,close to Tirunelveli,in front of the fellow palayakkarars.Thus ended the life of the celebrated palayakkarars of panchalamkurichi.Many folk ballads on Kattabomman helped keep his memory alive among the people.