www.tntextbooks.

in

Unit - 4

People’s Revolt

Learning Objectives
▶ To know the Palayakkarar (Poligar) system in Tamil Nadu
▶T
 o understand the role of PuliThevar and Kattabomman in the anti-
British uprising
▶T
 o know about the South Indian Rebellion
▶ To know the causes and effects of Vellore Mutiny
▶ To understand the causes and impacts of Revolt of 1857

Introduction So with the consultation of his minister

Ariyanatha Mudaliyar, Viswanatha instituted
The establishment of political and Palayakkarar system in 1529. The whole
economic dominance by the British over many country was divided into 72 Palayams and each
parts of India after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 one was put under a Palayakkarar. Palayakkarar
disrupted the political, social and economic was the holder of a territory or a Palayam. These
order of the country. This led to the divesting Palayams were held in military tenure and
many landlords and chieftains of their power extended their full co-operation to be need of
and estates. Naturally, many of them revolted
the Nayaks. The Palayakkarars collected taxes,
against the British. The English assumed the
of which one third was given to the Nayak of
right of collecting the annual tribute from the
Madurai another one third for the expenditure
Palayakkarar. The first resistance to the British
of the army and rest was kept for themselves.
was offered by the Puli Thevar. Since then there
had been rebellions by Palayakkarar such as Early revolts of South India
the Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Oomathurai,
Marudu brothers and Dheeran Chinnamalai. Revolt of the Palayakkars
During the 17th and 18th centuries the
Origin of Palayam Palayakkarars played a vital role in the politics
The Vijayanagar rulers appointed Nayaks of Tamil Nadu. They regarded themselves
in their provinces. The Nayak of Madurai in as independent. Among the Palayakkarars,
turn appointed Palayakkarar. Viswanatha there were two blocs, namely the Eastern and
became the Nayak of Madurai in 1529. He the Western blocs. The Eastern Palayams
noticed that he could not control the chieftain were the Nayaks ruled under the control of
who wanted more powers in their provinces. Kattabomman and the Western palayams
35

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 35 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

THE REBELS CONFEDERACY (1799 - 1800) N

W E
S

Vellore Madras

Sangagiri
Erode
Chennimalai
Odanilai
Coimbatore
Tiruchirapalli

Virupakshi Nagore
Naam Pudukoai
Dindigul
Tiruppaur
Madurai Kalaiyar kovil
Sivagangai
Tondi

Ramnad
Sivagiri
Nerkaumseval Kadalkudi
Eayapuram Nagalapuram
Kayaar
Panchalamkurichi

Nanguneri

Not to Scale

were the Maravas ruled under the control of Puli Thevar

Puli Thevar. These two palayakkarars refused to
Puli Thevar was the pioneer in Tamil
pay the kist (tribute) to the English and rebelled.
Nadu, to protest against the English rule in India.
The early struggle between the He was the Palayakkarar of the Nerkattumseval,
Palayakkaras and the East India Company had near Tirunelveli. During his tenure he refused
a strong political dimension. By the Carnatic to pay the tribute neither to Mohammed Ali,
treaty of 1792, consolidated the English power the Nawab of Arcot nor to the English. Further
over the Palayakkars. The English got the right he started opposing them. Hence, the forces of
to collect taxes. The result was the outbreak of the Nawab of Arcot and the English attacked
the revolt of Palayakkars. Puli Thevar. But the combined forces were
36 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 36 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

defeated by Puli Thevar at Tirunelveli. Kattabomman met Jackson

Puli Thevar was the first Indian king to have In 1798, Colin
fought and defeated the British in India. After Jackson, the collector of
this victory Puli Thevar attempted to form a Ramanathapuram wrote
league of the Palayakkars to oppose the British letters to Kattabomman
and the Nawab. asking him to pay the tribute
In 1759, Nerkattumseval was attacked arrears. But Kattabomman
by the forces of Nawab of Arcot under the replied that he was not in
leadership of Yusuf Khan. Puli Thevar was a position to remit the tribute due to the
defeated at Anthanallur and the Nawabs forces famine in the country. Colin Jackson got
captured Nerkattumseval in 1761. Puli Thevar angry and decided to send an expedition to
who lived in exile recaptured Nerkattumseval in punish Kattabomman. However, the Madras
1764. Later, he was defeated by Captain Campell government directed the collector to summon
in 1767. Puli Thevar escaped and died in exile the Palayakkarar at Ramanathapuram and
without fulfilling his purpose, although his hold a discussion.
courageous trail of a struggle for independence
in the history of South India. In 1798, Kattabomman and his
minister Siva Subramaniam met the Collector
Virapandya Kattabomman at Ramanathapuram. Upon a verification of
The Ancestors of accounts, Colin Jackson was convinced that
Kattabomman belonged Kattabomman had cleared most of the arrears
to Andhra. They migrated leaving only 1080 pagodas as balance. During
to Tamil country during this interview Kattabomman and his Minister,
the 11th century. As a Sivasubramaniam, had to stand before the
feudatory under Pandyas, arrogant collector for three hours. The
Jagaveerapandiaya Collector insulted them and tried to arrest
Kattabomman ruled Kattabomman and his minister. Kattabomman
V i r a p a n d y a p u r a m . Virapandya Kattabomman tried to escape with his minister. Oomathurai
Panchalankurichi was suddenly entered the fort with his men and
its capital. He later became a Poligar during helped the escape of Kattabomman. But
the rule of Nayaks. He was succeeded by his unfortunately Sivasubramaniam was taken as
son Veerapandya Kattabomman. His wife was prisoner.
Jakkammal and his brothers were Oomathurai
Edward Clive and Kattabomman
and Sevathaiah.
After his return to Panchalamkuruchi,
Nawab of Arot
Kattabomman wrote a letter to the Madras
After the decline of the Vijayanagar Council narrating the behaviour of the Collector
empire, the mughals established their Colin Jackson. Edward Clive, the Governor
supremacy in the south. The Nawabs acted of Madras Council ordered Kattabomman
as their representatives in Karnataka. to surrender. The Madras Council directed
Panchalamkuruchi palayam was acted as an ally Kattabomman to appear before a Committee.
to the Nawab of Arcot. Hence it paid tribute to Meanwhile, Edward Clive dismissed the
the Nawabs. But in 1792, the political condition Collector for his misbehaviour and released
had completely changed. Based on the Carnatic SivaSubramania. Kattabomman appeared
treaty of 1792, the company gained the right before the Committee, and found Kattabomman
to collect taxes from Panchalamkuruchi. The was not guilty. S.R. Lushington was appointed
collection of tribute was the main cause for the collector in the place of Colin Jackson, who was
rivalry between the English and Kattabomman. eventually dismissed from service.
People’s Revolt 37

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 37 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

The confederacy of Palayakkarars near Dindigul. During

During that time, Marudu Pandyan of this period she organised
Sivaganga formed the South Indian Confederacy an army and employed her
of rebels against the British, along with the intelligent agents to find
neighbouring Palayakkarars. This confederacy where the British stored
declared a proclamation which came to be known their ammunition. She
as Tiruchirappalli Proclamation. Kattabomman arranged a suicide attack
was interested in this confederacy. He tried to by a faithfull follower
establish his influence over Sivagiri,who refused Kuyili, a commander Velu Nachiyar
to join with alliance of the rebels. Kattabomman of Velu Nachiyar. She
recaptured Sivagangai and was again crowned
advanced towards Sivagiri. But the Palayakkar
as queen with the help of Marudu brothers. She
of Sivagiri was a tributory to the Company.
was the first queen to fight against the British
So the Company considered the expedition of
colonial power in India. She is known by Tamils
Kattabomman as a challenge to their authority.
as Veeramangai and also known as ‘Jhansi Rani
So the Company ordered the army to march to
of South India’.
Panchalamkuruchi.
Marudu Brothers
Fall of Panchalamkuruchi
Marudu brothers
Major Bannerman moved his army to were the sons of
Panchalamkuruchi on 5th September. They Mookiah Palaniappan
cut of all the communications to the Fort. In and Ponnathal. The elder
a clash at Kallarpatti, Siva Subramaniyam was brother was called Periya
taken as a prisoner. Kattabomman escaped to Marudu (Vella Marudu)
Pudukottai. Vijaya Ragunatha Tondaiman, Raja and the younger brother
of Pudukottai, captured Kattabomman from Chinna Marudu. Chinna
the jungles of Kalapore and handed over to the Marudu was more
Company. After the fall of Panchalamkuruchi, Marudu Brothers
popular and was called
Bannerman brought the prisoners to an Marudu Pandiyan. Chinna Marudu served
assembly of the Palayakkarars and after trial under Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Udaya Devar
sentenced them to death. Sivasubramania was (1750-1772) of Sivaganga. In 1772 the Nawab
executed at Nagalapuram. On the 16th October of Arcot laid seige of Sivaganga and captured
ViraPandya Kattabomman was tried before it. Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Udaya Devar,
an assembly of Palayakkarar, summoned at died in battle. However after a few months
Kayathar. On 17th October 1799, Kattabomman Sivaganga was re-captured by Marudu Brothers
was hanged at Kayathar. Kattabomman’s heroic and Periya Marudu was enthroned as the ruler.
deeds were the subject of many folk ballads Chinna Marudu acted as his adviser. Due to
which kept his memory alive among the people. the terrorist activities against British, he was
called as “Lion of Sivaganga”. In the later half
Velu Nachiyar
of the eighteenth century the rebellion against
Velu Nachiyar was a queen of Sivagangai. the British was carried by Marudu Brothers in
At the age of 16, she was married to Muthu South India.
Vaduganathar, the Raja of Sivagangai. In 1772,
Causes for the conflict
the Nawab of Arcot and the British troops invaded
Sivagangai. They killed Muthu Vaduganathar in Kattabomman was hanged to death
Kalaiyar Koil battle. Velu Nachiyar escaped with and his brother Umaithurai and others
her daughter Vellachi Nachiyar and lived under fled to Sivaganga, where Marudu Pandya
the protection of Gopala Nayaker at Virupachi gave protection to them. The merchants of

38 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 38 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

Sivaganga did not like the interference of English annexed Sivagangai

the company in their internal politics. The In May 1801, English attacked the rebels
company waged war against Sivaganga for in Thanjavur and Tiruchi areas. The rebels
these two causes. went to Piranmalai and Kalayarkoil. They were
again defeated by the forces of the English. In
The South Indian Rebellion (1800-1801)
the end, the superior military strength and the
In February 1801 the brothers of able commanders of the British army won the
Kattabomman, Oomathurai and Sevathaiah battle. The rebellion failed and English annexed
escaped from Palayamkottai prison and reached Sivagangai in 1801. The Marudu brothers
Kamudhi. Chinna Marudu took them to were executed in the Fort of Tirupathur in
Siruvayal, his capital. They reconstructed their Ramanathapuram District on 24 October 1801.
ancestral fort at Panchalamkurichi. The British Oomathurai and Sevathaiah was captured
troops under Colin Macaulay retook the fort and beheaded at Panchalamkuruchi on 16
in April and the Palayakkarar brothers sought November 1801. Seventy three rebels were
shelter in Sivaganga. The English demanded sentenced to Penang in Malaya, then called the
Marudu Pandyas to hand over the fugitives, the Prince of Wales Island. Though they fell before
latter refused. Col. Agnew and Colonel Innes the English, they were the pioneers in sowing
marched against them. the seeds of nationalism in the land of Tamil.

The Palayakkarar War assumed a much Thus the South Indian Rebellion is a land
broader character than its predecessor. It was mark in the history of Tamil Nadu. Although the
directed by a confederacy consisting of Marudu 1800-1801 rebellion was to be categorized in the
Pandiar of Sivaganga, Gopala Nayak of Dindigul, British records as the Second Palayakkarar War.
Kerala Varma of Malabar and Krishnappa Under the terms of the Karnataka Treaty on 31
Nayak and Dhoondaji of Mysore. The English July 1801, the British assumed direct control
declared war against the confederacy. over Tamil Nadu. The Palayakkarar system was
abolished.
The Tiruchirappalli Proclamation (1801)
The Marudu Pandyas issued a Dheeran Chinnamalai
proclamation of Independence called Dheeran Chinnamalai was born at
Tiruchirappalli Proclamation in June 1801. The Melapalayam in Chennimalai near Erode.
Proclamation of 1801 was the first call to the His original name was Theerthagiri. He was a
Indians to unite against the British. A copy of palayakkarar of Kongu country who fought
the proclamation was pasted on the walls of the the British East India Company. The Kongu
Nawab’s palace in the fort of Tiruchi and another country comprising Salem, Coimbatore, Karur
copy was placed on the walls of the Vaishnava and Dindigul formed a part of the Nayak
temple at Srirangam. Thus Marudu brothers kingdom of Madurai but had been annexed by
spread the spirit of opposition against the English the Wodayars of Mysore. After the fall of the
everywhere. As a result many Palayakkarars of Wodayars, these territories along with Mysore
Tamil Nadu went on a rally to fight against the were controlled by the Mysore Sultans. After the
English. Chinna Marudu collected nearly 20,000 third and fourth Mysore wars the entire Kongu
men to challenge the English army. British region passed into the hands of the English.
reinforcements were rushed from Bengal, Dheeran Chinnamalai was trained by
Ceylon and Malaya (Malaysia). The rajas of French military in modern warfare. He was along
Pudukkottai, Ettayapuram and Thanjavur the side Tipu Sultan to fight against the British
stood by the British. Divide and rule policy East India Company and got victories against the
followed by the English spilt the forces of the British. After Tipu Sultan’s death Chinnamalai
Palayakkarars. settled down at Odanilai and constructed a fort
People’s Revolt 39

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 39 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

there to continue his struggle against the British. Causes for the revolt
He sought the help of Marathas and Maruthu � The strict discipline, new weapons, new
Pandiyar to attack the British at Coimbatore in methods and uniforms were all new to the
1800. British forces managed to stop the armies
sepoys.
of the allies and hence Chinnamalai was forced
to attack Coimbatore on his own. His army was � The sepoys were asked to shave the beard
defeated and he escaped from the British forces. and to trim the moustache.
Chinnamalai engaged in guerrilla warfare � The wearing of religious mark on the
and defeated the British in battles at Cauvery, forehead and the use of ear-rings were also
Odanilai and Arachalur. During the final battle, banned.
Chinnamalai was betrayed by his cook Nallapan � The English treated the Indian sepoys as
and was hanged in Sankagiri Fort in 1805. their inferior. There was the racial prejudice.
Vellore Revolt (1806) Immediate Cause
In June 1806, military General Agnew
The family members
introduced a new turban, resembling a
of Tipu were imprisoned at
European hat with a badge of cross on it. It
Vellore fort after the fourth
was popularly known as ‘Agnew’s turban’.
Mysore war. Some three
Both the Hindu and Muslim soldiers opposed
thousand ex-servants and
it. So the soldiers were severely punished by
soldiers of Hyder and Tipu
had also been moved to the the English.
vicinity of Vellore and their property in Mysore Course of the Revolt
confiscated. It was quite natural that they were The Indian soldiers were waiting for an
all unhappy and they hatred the English. opportunity to attack the English officers. Tipu’s
family also took part. Fettah Hyder, the elder
son of Tipu, tried to form an alliance against
the English. On July 10th in the early morning
the native sepoys of the 1st and 23rd Regiments
started the revolt. Colonel Fancourt, who
commanded the garrison, was their first victim.
Vellore Fort The fort gates were closed. Meantime, the rebels
The Vellore fort consisted of large proclaimed Futteh Hyder, as their new ruler.
majority of Indian troops, a good part of it The British flag in the fort was brought down.
recently been raised in Tirunelveli after the The tiger-striped flag of Tipu Sultan was hoisted
Palayakarar uprising of 1800. Many of the on the fort of Vellore.
trained soldiers of the various Palayams were Suppression of the Revolt
admitted into the English army. Thus the Vellore Major Cootes who was outside the
fort became the meeting ground of the rebel fort rushed to Ranipet and informed Colonel
forces of South India.
Gillespie. Col. Gillespie reached Vellore fort.
In 1803, William Cavendish Bentinck He made an attack on the rebel force. The revolt
became Governor of Madras. During his period was completely suppressed and failed. Peace
certain military regulations were introduced was restored in Vellore. On the whole, 113
in 1805-06 and were enforced by the Madras Europeans and about 350 sepoys were killed in
Commander-in-Chief Sir John Cradock. But the uprising. The revolt was suppressed within a
the sepoys felt that these were designed to insult short period. It was one of the significant events
them. in the history of Tamil Nadu.
40 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 40 1/5/2022 6:48:15 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

Effects of the Vellore Revolt � The conversion activities of Christian

� The new methods and uniform regulations missionaries were looked upon with
were withdrawn. suspicion and fear. The priests and the
� The family of Tipu as a precautionary
maulavis showed their discontent against
measure was sent to Calcutta. the British rule.
� William Cavendish Bentinck was removed � Abolition of practices like sati, female
from his service. infanticide, support to widow remarriage
and female education were seen by many as
Causes for the failure of the Revolt
interference in their Indian culture by the
� There was no proper leadership to guide the
Europeans.
soldiers properly.
The Indian sepoys were looked upon as
� The rebellion was also not well organised.
�
inferior beings and treated with contempt by
� Divide and Rule policy of the English, split their British officers. They were paid much
the unity of the Indians. less than the British soldiers. All avenues of
V.D. Savarkar calls the Vellore revolt of the promotion were closed to them as all
1806 as the prelude to the first War of Indian the higher army posts were reserved for the
Independence in 1857.
British.
The Revolt of 1857
Immediate cause
The early uprisings did The immediate cause was the
not succeed in threatening introduction of new Enfield Riffles in the army.
the British in India. It took The top of the cartridge of this rifle was to be
the Revolt of 1857 to bring removed by the mouth before loading it in the
home to the Company and the rifle. The cartridges were greased by the fat of
British thought that their rule pig and the cow. The Indian sepoys believed
was not accepted to a large that the British were deliberately attempting to
section of the population. The Revolt of 1857 spoil the religion of both the Hindus and the
was a product of the character and the policies Muslims because while the Hindus revered the
of colonial rule. The cumulative effect of British cow, the Muslims hated the pig. The soldiers,
expansionist policies, economic exploitation therefore, determined to refuse their service
and administrative innovations over the years and, ultimately revolted. Thus, the primary and
had adversely affected the positions of all rulers the immediate cause of the revolt was the use of
of Indian states. the greased cartridges.
Causes of the Revolt
The Outbreak of the Revolt
� The most important cause of revolt 1857 was
a popular discontent of the British policy of On 29 March
economically exploiting India. This hurt all 1857 at Barrackpur
sections of society. The peasants suffered (near Kolkata) Mangal
due to high revenue demands and the strict Pandey, a young Sepoy
revenue collection policy. from Bengal Regiment,
� Policies of doctrine of lapse, subsidiary refused to use the greased
alliance and policy of Effective Control cartridge, and shot
created discontentment among people. down his sergeant. He
Annexation of Awadh (Oudh) proved that was arrested, tried and Mangal Pandey
even the grovelling loyalty can't satisfy British executed. When this
greed for territories. news spread many sepoys revolted.

People’s Revolt 41

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 41 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

CENTRES OF THE REVOLT OF 1857

N
W E
S

Meerut
Delhi
Bareilley
Agra

r
pu

ad
Gwalior Luknow

n
zab
Ka
Jagdispur
Jhansi Banaras
Fai
Kalpi

Barrackpore

Not to Scale

Course of the Revolt Delhi became the centre of the Great Revolt
On 10 May 1857, the Sepoys of the and Bahadur Shah, its symbol.
third cavalry at Meerut openly revolted by
The revolt spread quickly. There were
swarming the prisons and releasing their
mutinies at Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Bareilly,
comrades. They were immediately joined by
Bihar, Faizabad, and many other places in
the men of the 11th and 20th Native Infantries, north India. Many of them found that it was
and they murdered some English officers and a good opportunity to burn the papers of
then marched to Delhi. The arrival of Meerut their landlords. Many others whose titles and
sepoys at Delhi on 11th May and declared of pensions were abolished by the British who
Bahadur Shah II as the Emperor of India. participated in it, inorder to take revenge.
42 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 42 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

British Officials
In Central India the Places of
Indian Leaders who suppressed
revolt was guided Revolt
the revolt
by Rani Lakshmi
Delhi Bahadur Shah II John Nicholson
Bai of Jhansi. She
was one of the Lucknow Begum Hazrat Mahal Henry Lawrence
greatest patriots of India. Sir Hugh Rose Kanpur Nana Saheb Sir Colin Campbell
occupied Jhansi. Rani Lakshmi Bai fled from
Jhansi & Lakshmi Bai,
Jhansi and joined hands with Tantia Tope General Hugh Rose
Gwalior Tantia Tope
who had assumed the leadership of the rebel
army at Gwalior. But the British captured Bareilly Khan Bahadur Khan Sir Colin Campbell
Gwalior in June 1858. Rani was killed in the Bihar Kunwar Singh William Taylor
battle. Tantia Tope fled away but was captured
and later executed. According to the British The Causes for the Failure of the Revolt
historians, present at the time of revolt, Rani
Lakshmi Bai was the best and the bravest Various causes were responsible for the
among the leaders of the Revolt of 1857. failure of the revolt.
� Lack of organisation, discipline, common
plan of action, centralised leadership,
Suppression of the Revolt modern weapons and techniques.
Lord Canning, the governor-general � The rebel leaders were no match to the
took immediate steps to suppress the revolt. British Generals. Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tantia
He collected the forces of Madras, Bombay, Sri Tope and Nana Saheb were courageous but
Lanka and Burma. On his own initiative, he they were not good generals.
called the British army which was deputed to � Non-participation of Bengal, Bombay,
China by Britain to Calcutta. He ordered the Madras, western Punjab and Rajputana.
loyal Sikh army to proceed to Delhi immediately.
� The modern educated Indians did not
The British regained their lost positions very support the Revolts as they believed that
soon. only British rule could reform Indian society
and modernize it.
Delhi was recaptured by General
John Nicholson on 20 September, 1857 and � The British managed to get the loyalty of the
deportation of Bahadur Shah II to Rangoon Sikhs, Afghans and the Gurkha regiments.
where he died in 1862. Military operations The Gurkhas actually helped the British in
suppressing the revolt.
with the recovery of Kanpur were closely
associated with the recovery of Lucknow. Sir � The British had better weapons, better
Colin Campbell occupied Kanpur. Nana Saheb generals, and good organisation.
was defeated at Kanpur and escaped to Nepal. Consequences of the Revolt
His close associate Tantia Tope escaped to � The Revolt of 1857 marked a turning point
central India, was captured and put to death in the history of India. It led to changes in
while asleep. The Rani of Jhansi had died in the system of administration and the policy
the battle-field. Kunwar Singh, Khan Bahadur of the Government.
Khan were all dead, while the Begum of Awadh � The administration of India was transferred
was compelled to hide in Nepal. The revolt was from the East India Company to the British
finally suppressed. By the end of 1859, British Crown through the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’
authority over India was fully re-established. in 1858.
People’s Revolt 43

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 43 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

� The governor general was given the title of Recap

viceroy.
� The Vijayanager ruers appointed Nayaks in
� The Board of Directors and the Board of
their provinces.
Control were replaced by the Council of 15
members headed by the Secretary of State to � The Nayak of Madurai in turn appointed
supervise Indian affairs. Palayakkarar.
� The Indian Army was thoroughly � The English got the right to collect taxes and
reorganised. More Britishers were employed the result was the outbreak of the revolt of
in the army. Palayakkarars.
� The British military policy came to be � The collection of tribute was the main cause
dominated by the idea of ‘divide and for the rivalry between the English and
counterpoise’. Kattabomman.
Infact, the Revolt of 1857 played an � Marudu brothers were the sons of Mookiah
important role in bringing the Indian people Palaniappan and Ponnathal.
together and imparting them the consciousness � Dheeran Chinnamalai was trained by
of belonging to one country. The Revolt paved French military in modern warfare.
the way for the rise of the modern national
movement. It was at the beginning of the � Tipu Sultan fought against the British East
twentieth century that the 1857 Revolt came India Company.
to be interpreted as a “planned war of national � Rani Lakshmi Bai was the best and the
independence”, by the Historian V.D. Savarkar bravest among the leaders of the Revolt of
in his book, 'First War of Indian Independence'. 1857.

GLOSSARY
Beheaded hanged to death துாக்கிலிடு
Betrayed give away information about somebody காட்டிக்கொடு
Cartridge bullet த�ோட்டா
Eventually in the end முடிவாக
Infantry an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot காலாட்படை
Tribute payment made periodically by one state கப்பம்
Swarm crowd கூட்டம்

Evaluation 2. Which of the following Palayakkarar

of Tamil Nadu was the pioneer against
the English rule
I Choose the correct a) Puli Thevar
answer b) Yusuf Khan
1. The Palayakkarar system c) Kattabomman
was instituted in d) Marudu brothers
a) 1519 b) 1520 3. C olin Jackson was the collector of
c) 1529 d) 1530 a) Madurai b) Tirunelveli
c) Ramanathapuram d) Tuticorin
44 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 44 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

4. Veera Pandiya Kattabomman was III Match the following

hanged at
1. Delhi Kunwar singh
a) Panchalamkurichi b) Sivagangai 2. Kanpur Khan Bahudar Khan
c) Tiruppathur d) Kayathar 3. Jhansi Nana Saheb
5. Velu Nachiyar was a queen of 4. Bareilly Lakshmi Bai
a) Nagalapuram b) Sivagiri 5. Bihar Bahadur Shah II
c) Sivagangai d) Virupachi
IV State true or false
6. Tiruchirapalli proclamation was issued
by 1. 
The Vijayanagar rulers appointed
Nayaks in their provinces.
a) Marudu Pandiyars
Sivasubramania was the minister of
2. 
b) Krishnappa Nayak Marudu pandiyas.
c) Velu Nachiyar Kattabomman was hanged on 17th
3. 
d) Dheeran Chinnamalai October 1799.
7. Which of the following place was Fettah Hyder was the elder son of
4. 
associated with Dheeran chinnamalai Tipu Sultan.
a) Dindigul b) Nagalapuram V a) Consider the following
c) Pudukottai d) Odanilai statements and tick (✓) the
8. Rani Lakshmi Bai led the revolt at appropriate answer
a) Central India b) Kanpur i) The Vellore revolt was held in 1801.
c) Delhi d) Bareilly ii) The family members of Tipu were
imprisoned at Vellore fort after the
fourth Mysore war.
II Fill in the Blanks
iii) At the time of Vellore revolt, the
1. The Eastern Palayms were ruled under Governor of Madras was Lord
the control of . William Bentinck.
2. 
Vishwanatha Nayakar instituted iv) 
The victory of revolt of Vellore
the Palayakarar system with the against British was one of the
consultation of his minister . significant event in the history of
India.
3. 
T he ancestors of Kattabomman
a) i & ii are Correct
belonged to .
b) ii & iv are Correct
4.  was known by Tamils as c) ii &iii are correct
Veera mangai and Jhansi Rani of south d) i, ii & iv are correct
india.
b) Find out the wrong pair
5.  was called as ‘lion’ of
a) Marudu Pandiyar - Ettayapuram
sivagangai.
b) Gopala Nayak - Dindigul
6.  was described the revolt
of 1857 as First War of India c) Kerala Varma - Malabar
Independence. d) Dhoondaji - Mysore
People’s Revolt 45

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 45 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM

 www.tntextbooks.in

c) Find out the odd one IX Map skill

a) Kattabomman b) Oomaithurai On the River map of India mark the
c) Sevathaiah d) Tipu Sultan following centres of the revolt of 1857.
1) Delhi 2) Lucknow
VI Answer the following in one
3) Meerut 4) Barrackpore
or two sentences
5) Jhansi 6) Gwalior
1. What do you know about the 7) Kanpur
Palayakarars? Name some of them.
2. What was the part of Velu Nachiyar in
X Project and Activity
the Palayakkarar revolt?
3. Who were the leaders of Palayakkarar collect pictures of Palayakkarars and
confederacy in the south Indian prepare an album.
rebellion?
4. W hat was the importance of
Tiruchirappalli proclamation? REFERENCE BOOKS
5. Bring out the effects of the Vellore
 ajayyan, K. - South Indian rebellion :
1. R
revolt.
The First War of Independence 1800-
6. What was the immediate cause of the
1801, Mysore : Rao and Raghavan,
Revolt of 1857?
Mysore 1971
VII Answer the following in
 ipan Chandra - History of Modern
2. B
detail India, Orient Blackswan Private
1. What do you know about the Limited 2018
Puli Thevar? 3. Ishita Banerjee-Dube - A History of
2. Explain the events that led to conflict Modern India, Cambridge University
between Dheeran Chinnamalai and Press 2014
the British.
3. What were the causes for the Great INTERNET RESOURCES
revolt of 1857?
4. What were the causes for the failure „„ https://www.britannica.com
of the Revolt of 1857? „„ https://www.ducksters.com/
VIII HOTs „„ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellore_
mutiny
Prove that there was no common
purpose among the leaders of the Great „„ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_
revolt of 1857. Rebellion_of_1857

46 People’s Revolt

Unit-4 HISTORY.indd 46 1/5/2022 6:48:16 PM