Modern history of tamilnadu

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Modern history of tamilnadu

Colonial Settlements

The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the British came as traders from Europe. Tamil Nadu was then a fragmented nation with many Nayaks, Nawabs and other local chieftains. The traders became rulers because some local rulers sought their help against others and the Europeans soon became their masters and demanded tribute. Those who obeyed were allowed to rule, those who refused were militarily defeated (with the help of other local chieftains) and their land handed over to other more subservient rulers or direct European rule was established. Eventually the British took control of all of Tamil Nadu with the exception of the small Pondicherry territory under the French. Pondicherry remained under French rule until the early 1950s.

French colony in Tamil Nadu 

The French East India Company soon setup trading posts at Pondicherry (Pudicherry) on the Coromandel Coast. They occupied Karaikal in 1739 and Joseph Francois Dupleix was appointed Governor of Puducherry. In Europe, the War of the Austrian Succession began in 1740 and eventually the British and the French forces in India were caught up in the conflict. There were numerous naval battles between the two navies along the Coromandel Coast. The French East India Company led by La Bourdonnais attacked the poorly defended Fort St. George in Madras in 1746 and occupied it. Robert Clive was one of the prisoners of war from this battle. The war in Europe ended in 1748 and with the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle Madras restored to the British.

British-French conflict

The conflict between the British and the French continued. This time the conflict was formed in political rather than military terms. Both the Nawab of the Carnatic and Nizams of Hyderabad positions were taken by rulers who were strongly sympathetic to the French. Chanda Sahib had been made Nawab of the Carnatic with Dupleix’s assistance, while the British had taken up the cause of the previous incumbent, Mohammed Ali Khan Walajah. In the resultant battle between the rivals, Robert Clive assisted Mohammed Ali by attacking Chanda Sahib’s fort in Arcot and took possession of it in 1751. The French assisted Chanda Sahib in his attempts to drive Clive out of Arcot. However the large Arcot army assisted by the French was defeated by the British. The Treaty of Paris (1763) formally confirmed Mahommed Ali as the Nawab of the Carnatic. It was a result of this action and the increased British influence that in 1765 the Emperor of Delhi issued a “firman” (decree) recognizing the British possessions in southern India.

Eastablishment of the Madras Presidency

The British East India Company with the object of establishing trading centres acquired Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, which later become the capitals of Bombay, Bengal and Madras presidencies respectively. There were several trials and tribulations, before the English established in textile trade, for which purpose they established a factory at Surat in 1612. On the east coast they established their factory at Machilipatam, the great part of the kingdom of Golkonda on the Coromandal coast But Dutch rivalry, Portuguese jealousy, and the oppresson of the local muslim officials of the sultan of Golkonda, forced them to abondon Machilipatam. The factories established in 1621 at Pulicat (Puli-Kattu) and at Armugaum in 1626 had to be given up owing to Dutch rivalry and unsuitability of the people for trade.

The constraction of Fort.St.George began in March 1640. As Madraspatnam grew in importance, it came to be known by the simple name Madras. On 24th September 1641 it was made the chief of the English factories in the east Coast. The privileges of English at Madras were conferred on them by Mir Jumla, when he conquered the neighbourhood of Madras in 1644. “In 1684 Madras was made a presidency. In 1688 it was provided with a municipal government with a Major and ten Aldermen, of whom seven were to be Indians. The develoment of Madras city on the Modern lines belongs to recent History.

British expansion

The city of Madras has been described as the ‘birth place’ of British India. It is, in fact, from their headquarters at Fort.St.George at Madras that the East India Company acquired the whole of the Carnatic including Tamil Nadu. This they were able to achieve through wars, alliances with the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Arcot.

The British diplomacy also played an important part in the acquisition procedure.Not withstanding the threat presented by the French in their expansion policy, they acquired in 1767 the Jaghir of Chengelput from Nawab Mohammad Ali of Arcot in return for the services rendered to him against Chanda Sahib, Nanja Raj of Mysore and the French. As a result of the Mysore wars between 1792 and 1799 resulting in death of Tippu Sultan, they acquired the western region of Tamil Nadu by the treaty of Srirangapattam. In 1799 they imposed a treaty on the Marathas of Thanjavur and forced the Maratha ruler to part with his kingdom on the Kaveri delta. “With the aquisition of Kongu Nadu from Mysore, Thanjavur from the Marathas and the Carnatic from the Wallajahs, the English gained possession of the entire Tamil nadu.

With the so called Mutiny of 1857, when the Indian spirit rose against the wayward rule of the East India Company, there was an agitation in England against the constitution of the rule of the Company in India. Along with Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1858,’came the Government of India Act of 1858 abolishing the rule of the East India Company . This Act declared that hence forth India shall be governed by and in the name of the Queen, and vested in her all the territories and powers of the Company. However, the Government of India had to be carried on by the Viceroy on behalf of the Queen, while the military and naval forces of the Company were transferred to the Crown.

After the Queen’s proclamation in 1858, there were a number of changes in the Viceroy’s executive council. By the Indian Councils Act of 1861 he was given the power to create new provinces, and the power to appoint Lieutenant Governors. He was given the powers to alter or divide the limits of any  Presidency, province or territory . Agitation against British administrative methods was the dominant feature everywhere in the country, for the British generally did not give laws to better the condition of the people, not were the Indians properly represented in the Viceroy’s Council and the Provincial Councils of Madras and presidencies. In 1877 Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India, which signified practical hegemony of England over india.

Independent struggle in tamil nadu

Poligar Rebellion

While the Company was seeking the establishment of its direct rule over the country it found itself confronted with a formidable challenge. The rigorous measures adopted by the Company to enforce its authority emitted the poligars. The chieftains, from humble beginnings, emerged into a power to be reckoned with during the eighteenth century. Taking advantage of the political turmoils, they acquired territories, maintained their own armed establishment, developed an administrative system and extended their patronage to religion and art.

The Company found it essential to suppress the poligars for the consolidation of its power in the southern provinces. The poligars were holders of estates called pollams or palayams which literally meant an armed camp. It was an estate granted by a sovereign to a chieftain, for the performance of military duties to the central authority.

Besides rendering military services, a poligar had to pay an annual tribute. In return for these, the poligar was entitled to collect taxes from the inhabitants of his estate and to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction.

The stormy political atmosphere and the in efficiency of Nawab’s administration contributed to the growth of the influence of the poligars. Nawab granted lands and other concessions to the poligars in return for their assistance. The inhabitants paid taxes to the poligars for protection, usually in proportion to the increase of their duties and of their resources.

A combination of circumstances led the Company into a confrontation with poligars.  Despite the starvation and mass-exodus, the evil force combined together in oppressing the people. The renters and the assignees increased the prices of articles by common agreement. Extortion and plunder made the adventure of a merchant enterprising. The stagnation of the petty traffic caused by the withdrawal of carriage-bullocks to be employed with the forces sent against Mysore prevented the importation of grain from northern territories.

Edward Clive, who issued a proclamation in1801 announced the decision of the Company to abolish the poligari system and to introduce the zamindari system in its place. The proclamation was applicable to the poligars of Tirunelveli, Madurai, Sivaganga and Dindigul declaring its intention to disarm the country and abolish the military service.

Formation of different political and social associations in tamilnadu

The educated elite of Madras played a prominent part in the formation of political associations in the later half of the 19th Century. The Land Lords, rich merchants and service minded savants of the Presidency, with their intellectual clout, social status and inclination to articulate their interests and that of the people, came forward to form the Madras Native Association (1852), the Theosophical Society (1882) and the Madras Mahajana Sabha (1884) . Besides these major political formations, the Muslims of Madras established the Madras branch of the Central National Mohammedan Association of Bengal (1883). Similarly the Madras Christians formed the National Church with a view to assert their identity, free from the control of the European Missions.

Congress session at madras,1987

The first session of the Indian National Congress was “a ramshackle set of local linkages . A contingent of 47 delegates from Tamil Nadu attended the second session of the Congress held at Calcutta in 1886. Madras had the honour of organizing the third session of the Congress in 1887. It was held at Makkis Garden, now known as the Thousand Lights. 607 delegates attended the session. Badruddin Tyopji persided over the meeting.

Swadesi movement in tamil nadu

The fire of Swadeshi movement, started in Bengal, soon spread to Tamil Nadu. Swadeshism captured the imagination of the Tamil Extremists. They encouraged boycott of foreign cloth and products and supported Swadeshi goods. The Industrial Association established warehouses to store and sell Swadeshi products. The Swadeshi League carried the message of Swadeshism to the masses. The Balabharath Association arranged popular discussion and debate in support of the mass movement. Similarly Swadeshivastu Pracharini Sabha popularized the sale of locally made goods. A National fund was raised in support of the Movement.

Subramania Bharati’s patriotic sogns fanned the fire of Swadeshi nationalism and his articles in ‘India’ demonstrated that the Swadeshi Movement had struck deep roots in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Tirunelveli District. More important, the launching of Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company by V.O. Chidambaram Pillai in 1906 challenged the maritime might of the British imperialism and the company “Marked the Most spectacular development in the history of the Movement.

The Swadeshi Movement spread like wild fire in southern Tamil Nadu. Sensing the danger of the Movement going out of control, the Government decided to stem the tide. The shops suspected of dealing with Swadeshi goods were raided. Meetings and demonstrations were prohibited. Newspapers were prescribed. Sub-Collector Robert William Ashe fired into striking workers at Tirunelveli (1908).

V.O. Chidambaram organized a massive mass procession in Tirunelveli to celebrate the release of Bipin Chandra Pal. He and Subramania Siva spoke at a mammoth meeting held in front of the office of the District Munsif and passionately praised Pal. Subsequently, V.O. Chidambaram, Subramania Siva and Padmanabha Iyer were arrested by the Collector Vinch of Tirunrlveli on charge of sedition. They were tried and V.O. Chidambaram was sentenced to 40 years of imprisonment. He was imprisoned in Coimbatore prison. His appeal against the court verdict was of no avail. However, the Privy Council in London reduced the life imprisonment in rigorous sentence. He was then transferred to Kannanur jail in Kerala. V.O. Chadambaram was treated as criminal in the prisons. He was finally released on Dec. 1912.

 

 

Rowlatt satyagrah 1919

Rowlatt Satyagraha had its genesis in Tamil Nadu. Even when the Rowlatt Bills were discussed in the Central Legislature V. Srinivasachari warned that there would be an upheaval in India if the Black Bills were to be enacted into law.

On 6th April 1919 anti – Rowlatt Day was observed in Tamil Nadu Protest demonstrations were held at several parts of the presidency. Processions from many areas of the city converged in the Marina beach. In the evening a mammoth public meeting was addressed by C.Rajagopalachari, Kasthuri Ranga Iyengar, S.Satyamurthy and George joseph. A separate meeting of workers was addressed by Thiru. V. Kalyanasundaram, P.P.Wadia, V.O. Chidambaram and S. Dandapani Pillai. Complete hertal was observed at Sowcarpet under the leadership of Ramji Kalyanji. Several Muslim traders extended their support to the styagraha. Trams ceased to run. Workers struck work satyagrahi was published defying the News papers Registration Act. Proscribed books like sarvodaya, Indian Swaraj, V.D. Savarkar,s Volcano were sold by satyagrahis. Though the satyagraha was mainly concentrated in the cities and towns, its reverberations were felt in the muffussil areas also. Thus, Tamil Nadu earned a niche place in the national Rowlatt Satyagraha.

Non cooperation movement 1920-21

Non-cooperation Movement gained momentum in Tamil Nadu under the dynamic leadership of C.Rajagopalachari. It turned to be a mass Movement. People of Tamil Nadu hoisted National flag, installed photos of national leaders, organized meetings, demonstrations and hartals. Several leaders like Madurai advocate George Joseph, S. Srinivasa Iyengar, N.S. Varadachari, S.Ramanathan and V.O. Chidambaram renounced their titles or resigned their posts and joined the Movement. By the end of 1920 Tamil Nadu Congressmen boycotted the legislature and the election. The workers of the Buckinham Mills struck work (27 June 1921).

The visit of S. Satyamurthy to several places including Rajapalayam roused the patriotic feelings of the people. I.P. Arangasamy Raja laid a firm foundation to the historic Khadi Movement in the town. Anti-Liquor Agitation was intensified by leaders like V.G. Vellingiri Gounder, N.S. Ramaswami Iyangar and E. Ramaswamy Naicker. When the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, visited Madras he was boycotted though he was given a rousing reception by the justicites. There was spontaneous emotional upsurge in Tamil nadu when Gandhi was arrested on 18 March 1922.

Poorn swaraj declaration 1930

At the congress session in Dec. 1927 at Madras, Nehru got through a snap resolution on complete Independence. The seed sowed in the Madras Session sprouted as Purna Swaraj resolution at the Calcutta Congress in 1927. C. Rajagopalachari re-emerged as popular leader in Tamil Nadu politics, toured across the Presidency to prepare the people for Complete Independence of India. On 26 Jan. 1930 Purna Swaraj Day was observed in every city. town and village. C. Rajagopalachari and Madurai A. Vaidyanatha Iyer actively participated in the celebration. National Flag was hoisted at Madras. A mass meeting was held at Triplicane Tilagar Ghat in which Purna Swaraj Oath was read and repeated by thousands of people assembled there.

Salt satyagraha

  1. Rajagopalachari, the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, was nominated by the Congress High Command to lead the Salt Satyagraha in the Presidency. He shifted the Congress Head Quarters from Madras to Trichi, which served as the center of Civil Disobedience Movement. He went to Madurai to seek the support of N.M.R. Subbaraman, President of Madurai District Congress Committee and A. Vaidyanatha Iyer, local leading lawyer. At the residence of Ayer the final decision was taken to stage the Trichi Vedaranyam Salt March similar to that of Dandi March.

As the Salt Satyagraha was gaining ground the provincial administration unleashed repressive measures. On 11 march 1930 police opened fire at the meeting of workers at Choolai, Madras. The volunteers who picketed the toddy shops at Madurai (17 July) and Satygrahis at Madurai (6 Aug) were subjected to police shooting, killing many people. On 11 Jan. 1932, the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse a procession in which Tirupur kumaran was brutally attacked and he died on the spot holding the National Flag high and singing patriotic song.

Quit india movement in tamil nadu

Following the failure of the Cripps Mission, Gandhiji came out with his clarion call mantra of Do or Die. The Government arrested the top leaders of the Congress and on 9th Aug. 1942 Gandhiji and other leading lights were arrested in a single sweep and shifted to unknown destination. In Tamil Nadu, K. Kamaraj, Vellore V.M. Ubayadulla, Thiruvannamalai N. Annamalai, C.N. Muthuranga Mudaliar, M. Baktavatsalam, S. Satyamurthy were arrested when they were returning to Madras after attending the Bombay meeting and sent to Vellore Jail.

The Quit India Movement spread fast like wild fire to the districts. In the North and South Arcot Districts, the agitators went berserk and cut off telegraph and telephone lines, burnt Government properties and derailed goods train. The students of Annamalai University plunged in the agitation. Tanjore district witnessed several attempts at sabotage and surreptitious activities. Widespered violence broke out in the Combatore district. Singanallur Mill workers defied law and went on a procession. The Sulure Aerodrome was burnt and about 200 tanks were damaged. About 30 agitators died in the police firing. In a neighboring village all males were arrested and confined in a small place.

Total hartal was observed in the Madurai district. At several places young agitators came into clash with the police. A. Vaidyanatha Iyer, B. Chidambara Bharathi, K. Rajaram Naidu and others were arrested for making inflammatory speeches. There was conformation between the public and the police at the Jhansi Rani Park resulting in firing. Post office was burnt. Circle Inspector Visvanathan was subjected to acid bomb attack. Since the situation went out of control, curfew was clamped and the district handed over to the army.

Independence

The agitation was resumed in Tamil Nadu when Gandhiji commenced his 21 day fast on 10 Feb 1943. In Madras, hartal was observed in front of the State Secretariat and several activists were arrested. In towns like Trichy, and Madurai the agitation was widespread and many courted arrest. On 9 Aug 1944 , the people of Tamil Nadu celebrated the Second Aniverary of the Quit India Movement62 Congress swept the polls in the Provincial election held in 1946 and on 30 April 1946 T. Prakasan formed the ministry. Political prisoners were released. T. Prakasam was succeeded by O.P.Ramswamy Reddiar (23 March 1947) C. Rajagopalachari was included in the Indian Government headed by Nehru. Of the 49 representatives sent from the Madras Presidency to the Constituent Assembly 22 were from Tamil Nadu.

When India became Independent on the mid-night of 14-15 August 1947, Tamil Nadu celebrated the event with geity, gust and happiness. The National Tricolour Flag with Ashok Chakra in the middle was hoisted in St. George Fort replacing the Union Jack Flag. The Madras Legislature formally adopted a resolution welcoming the transfer of power of India. Tamil Nadu reverberated with the Bharathi song Aduvome pallu paduvome, Ananda swathantiram Adaintanvittom Enru.

Freedom fighters from tamil nadu     

V.O Chidambaram Pillai

V.O Chidambaram Pillai one of the predominant Indian freedom fighter in short called as V.O.C was a lawyer and famous figure in Indian Political life. He was born on 5th September 1872 to Ulagnatha Pillai and Parvathy ammal at Vandanam a small town at Ottapidaram in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu.

V.O.Chidambaram Pillai entered into politics in 1905 by becoming a member of India National Congress. In 1890 and 1900 Indian Independence movement and Swadeshi movement was at a huge impact of height and these movements were initiated by Balagandharar Tilak and Lala Lajapat Rai made Chidambaram pillai to become a discipline of Tilak in 1892.

Veerapandiyan Kattabomman

Kattabomman was the 5th ruler from kattabomman clan and a palyakavar of Madurai Nayak kingdom. Kattabomman was a big devotee of Tiruchendur lord Murugan and due to his devotion he installed 40 belles at this temple and now called as Mani Mandapam. During the war the fort of panchalakuruchi was destroyed to the ground and all the wealth of kattabomman was thrown away by the English soldiers. But inspite of the above Kattabomman made a revolution in the history of independence and his story are being celebrated in many legends and epic poetry in Tamil Language.

Tirupur kumaran

Tirupur kumaran another Indian revolutionary freedom fighter participated in Indian independence movement. Kumaran was called as kodikatha kumaran as he died holding the Indian flag in his hand during a protest march against British government. Kumaran was the founder of Desa Bandhan youth association and was a great contributor towards congress movement. A stamp was issued in October 2004 towards his memory on his 100th birth anniversary and even now his statue erected at Tirupur acts as a best landmark and point of public administration meetings.

Subramanina Bharathi

Bharathi was born on December 11th 1882 to Chinnaswami Subramanaya iyer and Lakshmi ammal at Ettaiyapuram who was a well known writer, poet, journalist and a social reformer. Bharathi was an independent freedom fighter and reformer and he is still pioneer and considered as a greatest Tamil poet of modern era. Bharathi had his schooling at MDT Hindu college and worked as a Tamil teacher in Madurai Sethupathy High School. Bharathi had his participation in historic surat congress in the year 1907 and he impressed himself towards his writings and political activity. His nationalistic poem Vandhae Madaram is referred to as National poem of India.

Maruthu pandiyar

During the end of the 18th century the sivagangai area was ruled by periya maruthu and china maruthu who were also called as maruthu pandiyargal.56 years back before the occurrence of sepoy mutiny first war of indepence in many parts of north India during 1857 these brothers has pride to make an issue about a public announcement towards independence from colonial british rule from Trichy Thiruvarangam temple of Tamilnadu which was held on June 10th 1801. In 1748 mookiah palaniappan (Agamudayar) servai and Andayer gave birth to one of the maruthu brothers periya maruthu as their elder son at narikkudi near aruppukkottai and later after 5 years on 1753 they gave birth to another son who was called by the name china maruthu.

 

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