Oomaithurai
Encyclopedia
Oomathurai was an India
n Poligar (Palaiyakkarar) from Tamil Nadu
, who fought against the British East India Company
in the Polygar War
s. He was the younger brother of Veerapandiya Kattabomman
.
- Jagaveera Kattabomman and Arumugattammal .His birth name was Duraisingam. He was nicknamed as Ooomaithurai (lit. the dumb prince). Different reasons are given for this nickname. While contemporary Tamil accounts say he was nicknamed as the dumb one as a parody of his oratorical ability, European accounts refer to him as "dumby" or "dumb brother" because of his speech impairment. His elder brothers were Veerapandiya Kattabomman
and Dalavai Kumarasami (Sivathiah). Oomaithurai was involved in the Polygar War
s against the East India Company. In the first Poligar war, he was captured and imprisoned in Palayamkottai
prison. In February 1801, he escaped from Palayamkottai and rebuilt the Panchalankurichi fort which had been razed in the first war. In the second Poligar war that followed, he allied himself with Maruthu brothers
(who ruled Sivagangai) and was part of a grand alliance against the Company which included Dheeran Chinnamalai
and Kerala Verma
. The Company forces led by Lt. Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801 after a prolonged siege and artillery bombardment. Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Marudu brothers at their jungle fort at Kalayar Kovil
. The Company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801. Oomaithurai along with the Marudu brothers was hanged on 16 November 1801.
Oomaithurai was portrayed by O.A.K. Thevar
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Poligar (Palaiyakkarar) from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, who fought against the British East India Company
British 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...
in the Polygar War
Polygar War
Polygar War or Palayakarar Wars refers to the wars fought between the Polygars of former Madurai Kingdom in Tamil Nadu, India and the British East India Company forces between March 1799 to May 1802. The British finally won after carrying out long and difficult protracted jungle campaigns against...
s. He was the younger brother of Veerapandiya Kattabomman
Veerapandiya Kattabomman
Veerapandiya Kattabomman also known as Kattabomman was an 18th century Palayakarrar chieftain from Panchalankurichi of Tamil Nadu, India and the 47th King of Panchalankurichi who fought the British. His ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu from areas in present day Andhra Pradesh during the...
.
Biography
Oomathurai was born to the Poligar of PanchalankurichiPanchalankurichi
Panchalankurichi is a small but historic village, 3 km from Ottapidaram and 18 km from Thoothukudi in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India. Panchalankurichi was once a Palayam and is best known as the birth place of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a 17th century Palayakarrar , who opposed the British...
- Jagaveera Kattabomman and Arumugattammal .His birth name was Duraisingam. He was nicknamed as Ooomaithurai (lit. the dumb prince). Different reasons are given for this nickname. While contemporary Tamil accounts say he was nicknamed as the dumb one as a parody of his oratorical ability, European accounts refer to him as "dumby" or "dumb brother" because of his speech impairment. His elder brothers were Veerapandiya Kattabomman
Veerapandiya Kattabomman
Veerapandiya Kattabomman also known as Kattabomman was an 18th century Palayakarrar chieftain from Panchalankurichi of Tamil Nadu, India and the 47th King of Panchalankurichi who fought the British. His ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu from areas in present day Andhra Pradesh during the...
and Dalavai Kumarasami (Sivathiah). Oomaithurai was involved in the Polygar War
Polygar War
Polygar War or Palayakarar Wars refers to the wars fought between the Polygars of former Madurai Kingdom in Tamil Nadu, India and the British East India Company forces between March 1799 to May 1802. The British finally won after carrying out long and difficult protracted jungle campaigns against...
s against the East India Company. In the first Poligar war, he was captured and imprisoned in Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai , known as the "Oxford of South India", is a town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It is part of the Tirunelveli city corporation. It is on the eastern bank of the Thamirabarani river, while its twin city Tirunelveli is on the western bank.-Etymology:The archaic word Palayam...
prison. In February 1801, he escaped from Palayamkottai and rebuilt the Panchalankurichi fort which had been razed in the first war. In the second Poligar war that followed, he allied himself with Maruthu brothers
Maruthu Pandiyar
The Marudhu Pandiyar brothers ruled Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu towards the end of the 18th century...
(who ruled Sivagangai) and was part of a grand alliance against the Company which included Dheeran Chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai was a Kongu chieftain and Palayakkarar from Tamil Nadu who rose up in revolt against the British East India Company in the Kongu Nadu, Southern India...
and Kerala Verma
Pazhassi Raja
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , popularly known as Kerala Simham or Lion of Kerala, was the Hindu Nair King of Kottayam , which was based in modern Kannur District, North Malabar zone of Kerala State in...
. The Company forces led by Lt. Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801 after a prolonged siege and artillery bombardment. Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Marudu brothers at their jungle fort at Kalayar Kovil
Kalayar Kovil
Kalaiyar Kovil is a place which is situated in Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu, India which was ruled by the Maruthu Pandiyar. There is a very large Shiva temple. Kalaiyar Kovil is owned by the family of the Rajah of Sivaganga. It is run by their devasthanam, and a trust of the zamindar family of...
. The Company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801. Oomaithurai along with the Marudu brothers was hanged on 16 November 1801.
In popular culture
In the 1959 Tamil film Veerapandiya KattabommanVeerapandiya Kattabomman (film)
Veerapandiya Kattabomman is a 1959 Tamil feature film written by Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy and directed by B. R. Panthulu. The cast includes Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Padmini, S. Varalakshmi, and V. K. Ramaswamy....
Oomaithurai was portrayed by O.A.K. Thevar