The Lion of Kerala

Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (1753-1805) also known as Kerala Simham or the lion of Kerala, for his bravery and resistance exhibited against the English East India Company.He was a warrior Hindu prince of Kottayam.He was highly qualified in the field of martial arts especially in Kalaripayattu and possessed extraordinary fighting skills.He was the successor of his uncle Vira Varma.He took over the throne to replace his uncle who had fled to political asylum in Kallara near Vaikom fearing the invasion of Hyder Ali, who was the father of Tipu Sultan of Mysore.Pazhassi Raja was the only king who remained in Kottayam to protect his subjects, to fight and resist the invasion of Hyder Ali.Except him all the kings had fled to other kingdoms seeking asylum fearing the invasion of Hyder Ali.Pazhassiraja fought a war of resistance with Hyder Ali and defeated him to regain the kingdom of Kottayam.On account of his refusal to leave Kottayam and due to his effective resistance to Mysoreans, he gained firm support of his subjects.As Hyder Ali was the common enemy of Pazhassi Raja and the English East India Company, they both fought and defeated Hyder Ali.After defeating Hyder Ali, the English East India Company appointed Pazhassi Raja as the new king of Kottayam.This led to an internal conflict between Pazhassi Raja and his uncle Vira Varma.Pazhassi Raja was against an agreement which was signed by Vira Varma who was the former king of Kottayam.He was against this agreement because it imposes high taxes on common people and made the peasants to suffer.Most importantly the agreement highly favored the English East India Company to gain more revenue.As he never wanted the English East India Company to gain power and rule his land, he refused to sign the agreement.This caused the English East India Company to become hostile towards him.The Company imposed strict orders to arrest Pazhassi Raja.They also raided and looted many valuables from the Pazhassi kottaram, which was his native palace.This made Pazhassi Raja raged and disturbed.After losing his native palace he had threats from the company.Visualizing this he left Kottayam and went on to exile in the forests of Wayanad.

Pazhassi Raja with the support of his military chief Edachena Kunkan Nair, Kaitheri Ambu and Thalakkal chanthu, formed an army base and a military force comprising of his clan's military and Kurichya tribals in Wayanad to fight the English East India Company forces.Pazhassi Raja and his men settled in the forests of Wayanad and started planning warfare strategies to resist and defeat the Company.One of the significant methods used by Pazhassi Raja's military force was the Guerilla warfare method which was used inside the forest to threaten and defeat the British forces who invaded the new territory of Pazhassi Raja.The newly formed military force of Pazhassi Raja soon became efficient and effective.The military force even shattered the Company's fort in Wayanad.Pazhassi Raja was the only Indian king to defeat Lord Arthur Wellesley the Duke of Wellington.This evidently showed that he was a great warrior who used advanced warfare methods.The defeat proved that Pazhassi Raja was way more powerful than the Company thought.All these series of continuous struggles fought between the military force led by Pazhassi Raja and the English East India Company was referred to as the Cotiote war or the war of Kottayam.Pazhassi Raja and his men organized revolts and rebellions against the Company.Many of his men were hanged to death by the British for helping Pazhassi Raja.Pazhassi Raja for a long time possessed to be a huge threat to the British.They tried many methods to capture him, but they failed miserably.Pazhassi Raja fought the British forces till his last breath, finally he was martyred in a gun-fight at Mavila Thodu.He sacrificed his life to protect his motherland from the British  forces.Pazhassi Raja is remembered as one of the first freedom fighters of India.He still remains in the hearts of many people as a folk hero.

-Mukund T