Veerapandiya Kattabomman, One of the Earliest Freedom Fighter of India:
‘Come hell or high water, I won’t let my beloved motherland fall into the hands of the British’
This was the approach of a Nayaka Palayakarrar [military governor] Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a chieftain born at Panchalankurichi near Thoothukudi district. He was a well-known warrior, gifted with sharp political acumen, and was well respected throughout his region.
The peaceful reign, however, did not last long. By the time the 18th century was drawing to a close, the British had gained a significant control over most of India. The last significant resistance in the form of Mahadji Shinde had broken down with his untimely death in 1794, and the Maratha Empire under Peshwa Madhavrao II provided little resistance to the onslaught of the British.
The British were almost invincible to the core, and were conquering one territory after the another, when destiny made their forces clash with that of Veerapandiya Kattabomman. A headstrong warrior, who refused to bow down to the suzerainty of the British imperialists, Veerapandiya Kattabomman rebelled against their atrocities, and led the rebellion against the British from Tirunelveli.
When the British forces raided his region of Panchalankurichi Palayam, he initially came out to negotiate. But the haughty attitude of the British infuriated him and he killed the British commander on the spot, leading to the first Poligar War, in which Kattabomman won without any trouble.
Aghast at a loss to mere chieftain, the British regrouped quickly, with additional support from the region of Tiruchirappalli. However, Veerapandiya Kattabomman did not give up and continued a violent resistance against the British through guerrilla warfare. He was betrayed by the Pudukottai ruler, Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman, and was hanged to death at Kayathar on 16 October 1799.
Though he had given up his life fighting against the British, Veerapandiya’s sacrifices did not go in vain, as the seeds of rebellion ignited a huge uprising against British rule in 1857, which almost freed the whole of India from the British rule, and went on to inspire millions in their fight to freedom, ultimately ending in India’s freedom on 15 August 1947.
Veerapandiya Kattabomman was One of the earliest who opposed British rule. He undertook a war with the British, sixty years before Indian War of Independence which occurred in 1857 in Northern parts of India. After a war with the British kattabomman was captured by British and hanged in 1799 CE. His fort was destroyed and his wealth looted by the British army. Panchalankurichi is a historically important place in the present day Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu state, India.
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