By Abubaker.A,
The 20th Mappila Revolt can be traced to the Portuguese period. Anti-imperialist movement in Kerala started with the Portuguese occupying Kerala territories. A group of 2000 pilgrims, including women and children, were killed and the goods, ornaments and priceless articles were looted. The Arabs were the people who made Malabar a rich place. The Mappilas were highly respected by the rulers of Kerala, especially by the Zamorins of Calicut. Mappilas helped Zamorins to construct a prosperous kingdom and, in turn, Zamorins gave Mappilas all facilities to practise the faith without fear and outside interference.
With Zamorins’ rejection of Portuguese involvement in the commercial field in Kerala, replacing Muslims, aroused hate and misbehaviour in the Portuguese leader, Vasco da Gama. Gama destroyed Muslim commercial settlements in Calicut and played tricks to alienate Muslims from Zamorins. The Zamorins’ Mappila army fought against Portuguese’s powerful army and inflicted heavy loss on them. Later, they reinforced the army with modern weapons. However, unable to subdue Zamorins’ navy of Mappilas and Nairs headed by Kunhali Marikkar, the Portuguese treacherously trapped Marikkar IV with accusation of violating law of the land. The Zamorins were compelled to believe the charges made against Marikkar IV by the Portuguese, and, consequently, Zamorins turned an enemy of Kunhali Marikkar and ordered his arrest. Exploiting this political situation, the Portuguese captured Kunhali Marikkar IV, who surrendered to Zamorins on his assurance that he would not be handed over to the Portuguese. Marikkar and Mappila soldiers were taken to Goa to be hanged later (C.E.1600). This was the first phase of freedom movement against foreign imperialists.
SOCIAL LEADERS IN POLITICAL MOVEMENT
Shaik Zainudin Makhdoom 1 (Zainudin ibnu Ali ibnu Ahmad Al Malabari) was the first great social leader to fight against the Portuguese with a sharp weapon – the Qur’ān. After his death in C.E. 1522, his grandson and a renowned historian, Shaik Zainudun Makhdoom II (Shaik Ahmad Zainudin ibnu Mohammad Al Gazzali) continued the fight against the Portuguese.
Zainudin was the first person to write a history book on Kerala entitled Tuhfatul Mujahideen. He was also a great scholar, a good organiser and an efficient teacher. In Tuhfatul Mujahideen Shaik Zainudin impressed upon the Muslims to fight against the Portuguese intruders as they were illegal citizens in Kerala. The origin of Makhdoom’s family is in Arabia. Another great leader, Khazi Muhammad’s tradition goes back to Prophet’s disciple Malik ibnu Muhammad. A great scholar, Khazi Muhammad wrote Fatahul Mubeen to invoke Muslims to fight the foreign imperialists. Khazi Muhammad directly took part in the fight against the Portuguese in 1571 C.E. The Muslim force helped Zamorins in Chaliyar war in 1571. He served as Ghazi at Calicut from 1607 to 1616 C.E..
Tuhafathul Mujahideen gives the history of Portuguese cruelty and the history of Malabar till Shaik Zainudeen II’s time (Hijra 992).
FOREIGN DOMINATION IN KERALA
The dominance of Portuguese came to an end in 1658 when the Dutch drove them out from their settlements in Kerala. By 1663 C.E. Portuguese power was replaced with the Dutch. There was a temporary relief for Keralites from foreign domination from 1765 to 1799 C.E., the period of Mysore Sultans’ dominance. They reformed the people and put an end to landlordism. The defeat of Mysore ruler, Tippu Sultan, paved way for the British to topple all walks of administration in Kerala.
A new era started with the British period. Protest against the British policy began from different sections of people. As the British exploited the wealth and resources of Kerala, human life became very miserable. Mass protests first came from agriculturists who were charged more tax and paid less wages.
As the Portuguese destroyed Muslims commercial dominance, Muslims migrated to rural areas where they could get only the job of agricultural labourers. The agricultural lands were predominantly occupied by British people with landlords favouring them. Illogical taxation policy gave heavy burden to people. Tippu Sultan’s agricultural policy was in favour of agriculturists, but the British people favoured landlords and tax collectors.
THE FIGHT
People’s resentment came out in the form of revolt in 1836 for the first time. Thereafter a series of such revolts took place till 1921 and from 1836 to 1845 as many as 11 revolts took place. The leaders of the 19th century were Umar Ghazi (1765-1844), Syed Sanaullah Makti Thangal (1847-1912), Syed Fazal Pookoya Thangal (1824_ ) and Syed Alavi Thangal (1753-1844).
Syed Alavi Thangal was a brave fighter and great scholar. As the British feared Syed Fazal could organise people against them, he was expelled to Makka (1852). Umar Ghazi (1765-1844) was another great fighter who declared non-co-operation with the British administration many years before Congress Party’s non-co-operation movement in 1920s.
Khilafat Movement started in 1920 with Maulana Shaukat Ali and Gandhiji visiting Calicut. With Maulana’s first visit Mappilas co-operated with Congress en masse. Not only Muslims, even Hindus of upper caste like M.P. Narayana Menon joined Muslims in the Khilafat Movement. Ali Musaliar (Maulavi), Kattilasseri Muhammad, Chembrasseri Thangal, Varian Kunnath Kunhammad Haji were main Mappila leaders and they were joined by Hindu leaders like M.P. Narayana Menon, K.P. Kesava Menon, K. Madhavan Nair, Gopala Menon and so on. M.P. Narayanan Menon, dressed like a Muslim, supported the movement till the end.
The clash of landlords and tenants got a political colour when the British involved in it supporting the landlords. When the British safeguarded the landlords, the clash became direct with the British. The landlords held a meeting against the tenants. The tenants also formed an organisation named as Malabar Tenants Association. E.M.S. Namboothirippad (former chief minister of Kerala) in his book entitled National Question in Kerala explains the reason for Mappila participation and their role in the freedom movement. In 1920 Manjeri Congress meeting out of 3000 representatives 1000 were Mappila (Muslim) tenants due to Maulana Shaukat Ali’s visit to Calicut.
Even though 1921 movement is called ‘Mappila Rebellion’, there were many Hindus in the movement. On 15 February 1921 All India Khilafat leader Yakub Hasan arrived in Calicut but was arrested. On 21 February 1921 other Khilafat leaders were arrested. On 27 April 1921 the police lathicharged Congress-Khilafat members gathered at Ottappalam (Palghat District). Illegal arrest and detention caused anger among the workers and they planned to conduct mass movements.
Southern Malabar regions like Pookotur, Tanur, Tirur, Parappanangadi, Manjeri, Kottakal, Kalpakanchery were centres of revolt.
Khilafat leaders gave clear instructions that the revolt should not turn communal and no Hindu should be attacked. The Hindus and Muslims who had joined hands with the British were attacked as a part of the freedom struggle.
IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK
The immediate cause of the outbreak of war between Mappila forces and the British was that a caretaker in Nilambur Kovilakam (landlords) Muhammad was dismissed and his salary was not paid for the reason that he had joined the Mappila movement. As he protested it, he was falsely charged and arrested. The Khilafat leaders, who questioned the false charge-sheet, were arrested on 16 August 1921 as per infamous ‘Mappila Act’, intended to detain Mappilas without stating the reason.
THE FIRST WAR
The first war between the British and Mappila forces took place in August 1921. Many Mappilas were killed and many others were rendered wounded. Heavy fighting took place at Tirurangadi and Pookotur. Mappilas occupied many regions held by the British and declared independence with Varian Kunnath Kunhammad Haji as the administrative head. He ruled for six months during which Hindus and Muslims lived in peace. The British began the policy of ‘divide and rule’, and rumours were spread. Mappilas attacked only British officials and even the Hindus like Raman Nair who was seen with a British official, Eten, was not attacked (Malayala Manorama newspaper, 30 August 1921).
On 25 August 1921 British warship (Comus) arrived and the next day ‘Martial law ordinance’ was declared by which freedom fighters could be tried as per military law. Gurkha regiment was brought to Malabar. Heavy fighting took place at Tirurangadi where Ali Musaliar surrendered to the British to safeguard the Mosque to which the British fired. At Pookotur, Varian Kunnath Kunhahammad Haji lost the war and was caught. Ali Musaliar and Kunhahammad Haji were murdered by the British. By January 1922 the movement came to an end.
CASUALTIES
It is calculated that about one lakh people were affected in the incident. Ten thousand people lost life on the spot; ten thousand were missing; fifty thousand were arrested; twenty thousand were expelled to Andaman. This information is furnished by famous historian Dr. K.N. Panikkar in his Kerala History (1992).
As history of freedom movement is related with the freedom movement under the Congress Party. This part of the movement was not given proper place. Moreover, Gandhiji was misinformed as communal clash. Recent researches revealed how Mappila leaders protected the Hindu community from anti-social elements during the time. Famous historians like Dr. M. Gangadhararan (Mappila Studies), Prof. M.P.S. Menon (Malabar movement) and scholars like E.M.S Namboothirippad and Congress leaders like K. Madhavan Nair (K.P.C.C President) have revealed the real situation during the time and how Mappila leaders punished miscreants who disturbed Hindus.
No doubt, 1921 Mappila Revolt is one of the great epochs in the history of freedom movement in Kerala.
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The article was first published in Radiance Viewsweekly.