Thalakkal Chanthu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thalakkal Chanthu, also spelled Thalakkal Chandu, was an archer and commander-in-chief of the Kurichya soldiers of the Pazhassi Raja who fought British forces in the Wayanad jungles during first decade of the 19th century.

Career[]

Chanthu began his career under Edachena Kunkan, who later promoted him to the rank of general.[citation needed] Pazhassi Raja and his other generals and troops saw Chanthu as their ablest war leader.[citation needed]

Panamaram fort massacre[]

The British East India Company fixed a high revenue tax on agricultural produce of Wyanad farmers causing widespread dissent.[citation needed] One of the Company peons was killed by Edachena Kunkan when the peon demanded paddy from a Kuruchiya man.[1] This prompted the entire Kuruchiya tribe to join hands with Edachana Kunkan who was carrying on a fight against the British on behalf of Pazhassi Raja.[citation needed] The rebellion on 11 October 1802 by a group of tribal soldiers (comprising 175 Kurichya archers), led by Thalakkal Chandu and Edachena Kunkan, captured the British fort at Panamaram which was defended by the I battalion of 4th Bombay infantry.[1] Commanding officer Capt. Dickinson and Lt. Maxwell were killed in action along with entire detachment of 70 soldiers which was guarding the fort.[1]

The British forces launched a retaliatory attack and trapped Chanthu on 15 November 1805.[citation needed] He was executed under a Koly tree. Edachana Kunkan was killed by the British army at Panniyil later (now called Pannichal, Kerala).[2]

Memorial[]

The Kerala State Government installed a memorial to Chanthu on 22 September 2012, near Panamaram Fort on the banks of the Kabini river.[3] In the form of a museum, the memorial displays weapon models used by Chanthu and his tribesmen, the Kurichiya archers and the tribe's traditional agricultural implements.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Logan, William (1989). Malabar Manual, Volume I ([Facsim. ed.]. ed.). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 539, 540. ISBN 9788120604469.
  2. ^ "Demand for memorial to tribal warriors". The Hindu. 15 November 2008. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Monument to honour Chandu". The Hindu. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
Retrieved from ""