Step back in time with this fearless king in Chennai

Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Veerapandiya Kattabomman has his own story about a king who never bowed down before the Britishers.
Veerapandiya Kattabomman poster
Veerapandiya Kattabomman poster

CHENNAI : The first thing that comes to our mind when we think of freedom fighter and king Veerapandiya Kattabomman is actor Sivaji Ganesan in the Tamil biographical film after the king. The talk titled ‘Reinvention of Kattabomman’ by historian Venkatesh Ramakrishnan as part of Tamil Heritage Trust at Arkay Convention Centre kindled our curiosity to know further about the king who never bowed down before the Britishers.

Kattabomman was a Polygar — feudal title for a class of territorial administrative and military governors — from Panchalankurichi near Thoothukudi.  “In 1798, while Kattabomman was paying taxes, he received a letter from collector Jackson asking him to pay the leftover amount. Jackson refused to meet him in person despite Kattabomman waiting for him. After three months, he met him at Ramalinga Vilasam, the palace of the king of Ramanathapuram. The meeting turned violent and Clarke, the deputy commandant of the company’s forces, was killed. Kattabomman wrote a letter to the Governor of Madras Edward Clive illustrating the incident. He was acquitted post inquiry,” said Venkatesh.

The new collector of Tirunelveli wrote to Kattabomman calling him for a meeting in 1799. Kattabomman refused to meet the collector and a fight broke out. Under Major Bannerman, the army stood at all the four entrances of Panchalankurichi’s fort. Sensing that his troop was unprepared, Kattabomman escaped from the fort. He was hiding in a forest near Pudukottai. The British received information about his hideout from the king of Pudukottai Vijaya Raghunatha Thondaiman. After his arrest and interrogation, he was hanged to death on October 1, 1799, when he was 40.

Meanwhile, Oomaithurai, the deaf and dumb brother of Kattabomman, escaped and survived for a couple more years. In the first Polygar 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.

“The company forces led by Lt Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801. Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Marudu brothers — who ruled Sivagangai — at their jungle fort at Kalayar Kovil. The company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801. Oomaithurai and the Marudu brothers were hanged on November 16, 1801” he adds.It is said that Thirukalambur forest near Pudukottai, where Kattabomman was hiding, continues to remain uninhabited except for an Ayyanar temple. 

On screen

In 1959, a biographical war film Veerapandiya Kattabomman was directed and produced by BR Panthulu. The film starred Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and Padmini. The story was an adaptation of the play with the same name written by Sakthi TK Krishnasamy in 1957. The film was dubbed and released in Telugu and Hindi.

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