Periya Marudhu or Vella
Marudhu (1748–1801)

and his younger brother
Chinna Marudhu (1753-1801) were able generals of Muthu Vadugar of Sivagangai.
After Muthu Vadugar’s death in the Kalaiyar Kovil battle Marudhu brothers
assisted in restoring the throne to Velunachiyar.

· In the last years
of the eighteenth century Marudhu Brothers organised resistance against the
British.

· After the death
of Kattabomman, they worked along with his brother Oomathurai. They plundered
the granaries of the Nawab and caused damage and destruction to Company troops.
Rebellion of Marudhu Brothers (1800–1801)

· Despite the
suppression of Kattabomman’s revolt in 1799, rebellion broke out again in 1800.
In the British records it is referred to as the Second Palayakarar War.

· It was directed
by a confederacy consisting of Marudhu Pandyan of Sivagangai, Gopala Nayak of
Dindugal, Kerala Verma of Malabar and Krishnaappa Nayak and Dhoondaji of
Mysore. In April 1800 they meet at Virupachi and decided to organise an
uprising against the Company.

· The uprising,
which broke out in Coimbatore in June 1800, soon spread to Ramanathapuram and
Madurai.

· The Company got
wind of it and declared war on Krishnappa Nayak of Mysore, Kerala Varma of
Malabar and others. The Palayakars of Coimbatore, Sathyamangalam and Tarapuram
were caught and hanged.

· In February 1801
the two brothers of Kattabomman, Oomathurai and Sevathaiah, escaped from the
Palayamkottai prison to Kamudhi, from where Chinna Marudhu took them to
Siruvayal his capital.

· The fort at
Panchalamkurichi was reconstructed in record time. The British troops under
Colin Macaulay retook the fort in April and the Marudhu brothers sought shelter
in Sivagangai.

· The English
demanded that the Marudhu Pandyars hand over the fugitives (Oomathurai and
Sevathaiah). But they refused. Colonel Agnew and Colonel Innes marched on
Sivagangai.

· In June 1801
Marudhu Pandyars issued a proclamation of Independence which is called
Tiruchirappalli Proclamation. Proclamation of 1801

· The Proclamation
of 1801 was an early call to the Indians to unite against the British, cutting
across region, caste, creed and religion.

· The proclamation
was pasted on the walls of the Nawab’s palace in Tiruchirappalli fort and on
the walls of the Srirangam temple. Many palayakkars of Tamil country rallied
together to fight against the English.

· Chinna Marudhu
collected nearly 20,000 men to challenge the English army. British
reinforcements were rushed from Bengal, Ceylon and Malaya.

· The rajas of
Pudukkottai, Ettayapuram and Thanjavur stood by the British. Divide and rule
policy followed by the English spilt the forces of the palayakkarars soon. Fall
of Sivagangai

· In May 1801, the
English attacked the rebels in Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli. The rebels went
to Piranmalai and Kalayarkoil.

· They were again
defeated by the forces of the English. In the end the superior military
strength and the able commanders of the English Company prevailed.

 The rebellion failed and Sivagangai was
annexed in 1801. The Marudhu brothers were executed in the Fort of Tirupathur
near Ramanathapuram on 24 October 1801.

· Oomathurai and
Sevathaiah were captured and beheaded at Panchalamkurichi on 16 November 1801.

· Seventy-three
rebels were exiled to Penang in Malaya. Though the palayakkarars fell to the
English, their exploits and sacrifices inspired later generations. Thus the
rebellion of Marudhu brothers, which is called South Indian Rebellion, is a
landmark event in the history of Tamil Nadu. Carnatic Treaty, 1801

· The suppression
of the Palayakkarars rebellions of 1799 and 1800–1801 resulted in the
liquidation of all the local chieftains of Tamilnadu.

· Under the terms
of the Carnatic Treaty of 31 July 1801, the British assumed direct control over
Tamilagam and the Palayakarar system came to an end with the demolition of all
forts and disbandment of their army