Captivity of Nairs at Seringapatam
Encyclopedia
The Captivity of Nairs at Seringapatam was imposed on the Nair
Hindu
s of Malabar by Muslim
s under Tipu Sultan
, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore
from 1786 to 1789. They were subjected to forcible conversions to Islam
, death, and torture. The Nairs were treated with extreme brutality by the Muslims due to their strong adherence to the Hindu
faith and martial tradition. The captivity ended when Nair troops from Travancore
, with the help of the East India Company
defeated Tipu in the Third Anglo-Mysore War
. It is estimated that out of the 30,000 Nairs put to captivity (including women and children), only a few hundred returned to Malabar alive.
conquest of Malabar between 1766–1793 was met with stiff opposition from the local Nairs. In 1766, he marched into Palakkad
and Malabar, followed by another march into Malabar via Thamarassery ghat in 1767. Hyder quickly understood the Nair psyche and caste pride and decided to use it to facilitate conversions. To this end, he deprived Nairs of caste privileges, equating them to Paravas
, prohibited them from carrying arms, and outlawed them. Furthermore, he offered privileges back to anybody who converted to Islam. This led some Nairs and many members of the lower castes to embrace Islam, and resulted in the first appearance of Islam in the Malabar countryside. Humiliated by these perceived slights imposed by the Sultan, the Nairs rose in rebellion. They harassed isolated block-houses set up by Hyder, raided, pillaged, and destroyed stores and munition dumps.
His proclamation was met with widespread resentment and consequently, the Hindus of Malabar rose in rebellion. 30,000 Brahmins fled to Travancore
, out of fear of being converted to Islam. The Kottayam and Kadattanand Rajas sought protection from the English East India Company. In November 1788, Tipu's forces attacked Calicut and captured the Karanavappad of Manjeri. Their assaults were met with resistance by the Nairs of Calicut and southern Malabar led by Ravi Varma
and other princes of the Padinjare Kovilakam. Tipu set 6,000 troops under his French commander, M. Lally to raise the siege, but failed to defeat Ravi Varma.
The following year in 1789, Tipu crossed the Tamarasseri Ghat and entered Malabar to enforce his proclamation. General orders were issued to his army that 'every being in the district without distinction should be burned, that they should be traced to their lurking places, and that all means of truth and falsehood, force or fraud should be employed to effect their universal conversion'. He besieged the Kadattanad Raja's fortified palace at Kuttipuram, and 2,000 Nairs—forced to surrender after a resistance of several days—were forcibly converted, circumcised and made to eat beef. Several Rajas and wealthy land owners fled to Travancore, where the Dharma Raja
helped them to rehabilitate themselves in their new surroundings. The poor Nairs, on the other hand, retreated into the jungles where they engaged in guerrilla warfare against the invading Mysorean army.
Tipu further organised a regular and systematic hunt for Nairs. He then proceeded to Cannanore
and after celebrating the marriage of his son with the daughter of the Ali Raja
, marched along the coast of Chowghat. He then made arrangements for the administrative reorganisation of the province, and retired to Coimbatore
, leaving a permanent occupying to frighten and subjugate the local population.
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s of Malabar by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s under Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
from 1786 to 1789. They were subjected to forcible conversions to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, death, and torture. The Nairs were treated with extreme brutality by the Muslims due to their strong adherence to the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
faith and martial tradition. The captivity ended when Nair troops from Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, with the help of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
defeated Tipu in the Third Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company and its allies, including the Mahratta Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad...
. It is estimated that out of the 30,000 Nairs put to captivity (including women and children), only a few hundred returned to Malabar alive.
Nairs under Hyder Ali
The period of Sultan of Mysore Hyder AliHyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
conquest of Malabar between 1766–1793 was met with stiff opposition from the local Nairs. In 1766, he marched into Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
and Malabar, followed by another march into Malabar via Thamarassery ghat in 1767. Hyder quickly understood the Nair psyche and caste pride and decided to use it to facilitate conversions. To this end, he deprived Nairs of caste privileges, equating them to Paravas
Paravas
Parava or Paravar , also known as Parathavar , Bharathar , Bharathakula Pandyar or Bharathakula Kshathriyar is a caste in southern India that in ancient times were subordinate Tamil chiefs and coastal fishermen, as well as, according at least to one modern writer, "ferocious...
, prohibited them from carrying arms, and outlawed them. Furthermore, he offered privileges back to anybody who converted to Islam. This led some Nairs and many members of the lower castes to embrace Islam, and resulted in the first appearance of Islam in the Malabar countryside. Humiliated by these perceived slights imposed by the Sultan, the Nairs rose in rebellion. They harassed isolated block-houses set up by Hyder, raided, pillaged, and destroyed stores and munition dumps.
Nairs under Tipu Sultan
In 1788, Tipu issued a proclamation to the Hindus of Malabar, wherein he outlined his new scheme of social reform:His proclamation was met with widespread resentment and consequently, the Hindus of Malabar rose in rebellion. 30,000 Brahmins fled to Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, out of fear of being converted to Islam. The Kottayam and Kadattanand Rajas sought protection from the English East India Company. In November 1788, Tipu's forces attacked Calicut and captured the Karanavappad of Manjeri. Their assaults were met with resistance by the Nairs of Calicut and southern Malabar led by Ravi Varma
Ravi Varma of Padinjare Kovilakam
Ravi Varma Raja was a Nair warrior prince from Calicut who fought a two decade long revolt against the Mysore Sultanate under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan between 1766–1768 and 1774–1791, and the British East India Company in 1793....
and other princes of the Padinjare Kovilakam. Tipu set 6,000 troops under his French commander, M. Lally to raise the siege, but failed to defeat Ravi Varma.
The following year in 1789, Tipu crossed the Tamarasseri Ghat and entered Malabar to enforce his proclamation. General orders were issued to his army that 'every being in the district without distinction should be burned, that they should be traced to their lurking places, and that all means of truth and falsehood, force or fraud should be employed to effect their universal conversion'. He besieged the Kadattanad Raja's fortified palace at Kuttipuram, and 2,000 Nairs—forced to surrender after a resistance of several days—were forcibly converted, circumcised and made to eat beef. Several Rajas and wealthy land owners fled to Travancore, where the Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
helped them to rehabilitate themselves in their new surroundings. The poor Nairs, on the other hand, retreated into the jungles where they engaged in guerrilla warfare against the invading Mysorean army.
Tipu further organised a regular and systematic hunt for Nairs. He then proceeded to Cannanore
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
and after celebrating the marriage of his son with the daughter of the Ali Raja
Ali Raja
The Ali Raja was the title of the Muslim raja of Cannanore from the 16th to early 19th Century. The king's palace, which he purchased from the Dutch in 1663, was named Arakkal Palace after the ruling dynasty.-Origins:...
, marched along the coast of Chowghat. He then made arrangements for the administrative reorganisation of the province, and retired to Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
, leaving a permanent occupying to frighten and subjugate the local population.
See also
- Mysorean invasion of KeralaMysorean invasion of KeralaThe Mysorean invasion of Kerala was the the military invasion of parts of present day Kerala, India, by Hyder Ali, the Muslim de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and his successor and son Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan's army is recorded to have forcefully converted over 400,000 Hindus to Islam...
- Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at SeringapatamCaptivity of Mangalorean Catholics at SeringapatamThe Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at Seringapatam was a 15-year imprisonment of Mangalorean Catholics and other Christians at Seringapatam in the Indian region of Canara by Tipu Sultan, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore...
- Captivity of Coorgis at SeringapatamCaptivity of Coorgis at SeringapatamThe Captivity of Kodavas at Seringapatam was the imprisonment of Kodava Hindus by Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1785 onwards....