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Dheeran Chinnamalai
Palayakkarar
Statue of Dheeran Chinnamalai at Odanilai
Successor	British Rule
Born	Theerthagiri Sarkarai Uthama Kaminda Manradiar (1756-04-17)17 April 1756 Melapalayam Palayakottai, Kangeyam (present day Tamil Nadu)
Died	31 July 1805(1805-07-31) (aged 49) Sankagiri, Madras Presidency (present day Salem district, Tamil Nadu)
Burial	July/August 1805 Odanilai, Madras Presidency (present day Erode district, Tamil Nadu)
Father	Rathnasamy Gounder
Mother	Periyatha

Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 31 July 1805) was a Palayakkarar and chieftain who ruled the Kongu Nadu region of the present day western Tamil Nadu. He fought against the British East India Company, was later captured and hanged by the British.

Early life

Dheeran Chinnamalai was born as Theerthagiri Sarkarai Manradiar on 17 April 1756 near present-day Kangeyam, Erode district. to Rathina Swamy and Periyaatha. He had an elder brother Kulandhaisamy and three younger brothers-Thambi, Kilothar and Kuttisamy and Parvatham, his younger sister.

His grandfather Kottravel Sarkkarai Mandraadiaar was one of the larger land owners, and his father looked after their lands in Melyapalam. While Kulandhaisamy and Kuttisamy, were involved in farming, Theerthagiri along with Thambi and Kilothar took care of administration and safety of the villages under their jurisdiction. Along with his brothers he was well trained in the martial arts, archery, horse riding. They also took part in village panchayats, and learnt how to settle family and land disputes.

==Reign==

Chinnamalai fought against the Kingdom of Mysore who was collecting taxes in the Kongu region. He later allied himself with Tipu Sultan to fight against the British East India Company. After initial successes in repelling the British at Srirangapatna, he went back to Odanilai and built a fortress. After the deaths of Kattabomman and Tipu Sultan, Chinnamalai became one of the commanders in the Second Polygar War in 1801. He engaged in guerrilla warfare and won battles at Cauvery in 1801, Odanilai in 1802 and Arachalur in 1804. Later, his army was defeated in 1805 and he escaped from the British forces.

Resistance against Hyder Ali

The Kongu region, then was part of the Mysore kingdom under Hyder Ali, during the later half of the 18th century. The diwan Muhammad Ali who was in charge of tax collection, followed rather unfair practices, sometimes even grabbing lands. Theerthagiri and his brother confronted Muhammad Ali between Sennimalai and Shivanmalai, and recovered the taxes he had forcibly collected. A furious Muhammad Ali, threatened them that Kongu being under Hyder Ali, the consequences would be severe. Theerthagiri shot back, saying Kongu would not accept Hyder’s rule, and it was capable of governing itself. And this was when he got the name of Chinnamalai, when it’s believed he stated to the Diwan- “I am Chinnamalai who reigns between Sennimalia and Shivanmalai”.

Hyder Ali, as expected struck back, sending an army to Kongu to attack Chinnamalai. However Chinnamalai, routed Hyder’s army on the banks of the Noyyal river. This only enraged Muhammad Ali even more, and vowed to wreak vengenance. Knowing Ali’s intentions, Chinnamalai himself began to build up his army. However Hyder was more preoccupied with the Nizam, British and Marathas, with whom he was in constant conflict, and so that attack never took place.

Resistance against British rule in India

When Tipu Sultan took over in 1782, he adopted an even more aggressive policy towards the British. And in order to fight against the British, he requested the Tamils of Kongu, to help him out. Dheeran and his brothers responded to that, as also their trusted commanders, Velappan and Karuppan. Chinnamalai himself was the commander of the Kongu regiment in the Mysore Army, and took active part in the 3rd and 4th Mysore Wars. However with the death of Tipu in 1799, Chinnamalai returned to Kongu along with Karuppan. Velappan however was captured by the British and he later became their agent. Chinnamalai had the benefit of receiving French training during his stint with Tipu Sultan.

On his return to Kongu, Chinnamalai built a fortress at Odaanillai and settled there along with his army, waiting for the right time to strike. He also reached out to the rulers of Malabar and Salem, hoping for a larger alliance against the British. Recognizing that Chinnamalai was a grave danger, the British tried to get him to sign a pact, where he was promised favors in return for accepting their sovereignty. He however refused to sign the pact, fully knowing it would result in war.

Victory at Noyall against Colonel Maxwell

Chinnamalai’s defiance annoyed the British, a man with no title, technically not a ruler, yet refusing to accept their sovereignty, this when most of the Rajahs had surrendered to them. In 1801, they sent a troop of soldiers under Colonel Maxwell, however Chinnamalai, having got advance news of the attack, defeated the British on the banks of the Noyyal. Maxwell returned again in 1802, and a long siege of Odaanillai fort, ended in total defeat for the British, and Maxwell himself was beheaded.

The British though furious, waited for the right opportunity and they got it in 1804, when during a particular day, Chinnamalai and his entire army would be attending the Arasalur Amman temple festivities. They felt this was the best chance and sent an army to capture Odaanilai under General Harris, who had led the campaigns in Mysore. Chinnamalai however got the news, and stayed back at the fort, with his contingent, while some went to the temple. Harris was taken by surprise when he attacked the fort, and Chinnamalai stormed out, throwing hand grenades, forcing Harris to retreat.

The British were now more determined than ever, and built up a huge army to take down Chinnamalai, with men from Kallikudi and cannons from Madras. With 140 cannons and 30,000 men, Harris attacked Odanilai, and surrounded the fort, demanding Chinnamalai to surrender. However, they found that the fort was abandoned, and also found a note from Velappan, whom they had captured. The fact is Velappan was acting as a double agent for Chinnamalai, while on the British side. Harris executed Velappan, and also razed the fort to the ground using cannons.

Death

Chinnamalai was hanged at Sankagiri Fort by the British on 2 August 1805 along with his two brothers. Some sources note the date of his death as July 31.

Legacy

Statues and memorials commemorating Chinnamalai exist in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Erode and Odanilai.

On 31 July 2005, a commemorative postage stamp was released by India Post.

Until 1997, Tiruchirapalli division of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation was known as Dheeran Chinnamalai Transport Corporation.

The headquarters of Erode district collectorate and the Erode Municipal Corporation are named after him.

References

1. ^ "Dheeran Chinnamalai statue to be installed in Odanilai soon". The Hindu. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007.
2. Sadasyula, Ratnakar. "Dheeran Chinnamalai: A Kongu hero who outwitted the British".
3. "Celebrating Dheeran Chinnamalai: Saluting his ideals or inciting casteist passions?". The News Minute. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
4. "Dheeran Chinnamalai remembered". The Hindu. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
5. ^ "Chinnamalai, a lesser-known freedom fighter of Kongu soil". The Hindu. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
6. Sadasyula, Ratnakar. "Dheeran Chinnamalai: A Kongu hero who outwitted the British".
7. "Memorial of Dheeran Chinnamalai set for face lift". The Times of India. 18 April 2013.
8. "Postage Stamps". India Post. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
9. P. Jegadish Gandhi (1998). State Transport undertakings. Deep and Deep. p. 143. ISBN 978-8-1762-9084-5.
10. "In memory of a valiant Kongu Chieftain". The Times of India. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2023.

• 1756 births
• 1805 deaths
• Indian revolutionaries
• Tamil monarchs
• People from Erode district
• People executed by British India by hanging