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A prominent scholar and one of the most eminent leaders of the anti-British rebellion in Malabar in 1921, Chembrassery Thangal (1875-1922 ) is well known for leading people in struggles such as the Pandikkad struggle.
Otakath Sayyid Muhammad Aidroos Kunjikoya Thangal also known as Chembrassery Thangal was born in 1875 in Arichola of Chembrasseri section in Pandikkad Taluk (present-day Malappuram district) of Malabar province. He was born to Sayyid Abdulla Koya thangal and Fatima binth Ahmed. He acquired basic religious knowledge from Abdul Qadir Musliyar of Arichola. After his education, he worked as a Mudarris at Thodikappurathu. Later, he moved to Tuvvur of Chembrasseri with his father. He studied Arabic language under Otakathu mammu musliyar and Qadir molla and Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) under Anjarakandi Muhammad musliyar and Maqdoom kunjava musliyar.
Anti-British struggle
In July 1921, a meeting was held in Tuvvur masjid. The meeting formed a Khilafat committee and elected Chembrasseri Thangal as its president. The position demanded him to activate Khilafat struggles in regions such as Chembrasseri, Tuvvur, Kalikaav, Karuvarakund, Wandoor and Melattur. At the time, in Malabar, the landlords with the support of the British officials exploited the poor tenants. The Khilafat movement received the support of many of those tenants who suffered under British rule. The most famous of his struggles was the one held at Pandikkad. Due to his influence, prominent freedom fighter, Seethikoya thangal joined the anti-British struggles and occupied the leadership position of Mannarkad.
Pandikkad struggle
Pandikkad was one of the important places where the Malabar rebellion took place. In 1921, Chembrasseri Thangal held a meeting at Pandikkad. The meeting had prominent people such as Variyamkunnathu Kunjahmed Haji, M.P Narayana Menon, and Kattilasseri Muhammad musliyar as its participants. The meeting discussed about drafting plans to strengthen the anti-British struggles in the region. To do so it appointed Chembrasseri thangal as a leader of the Khilafat movement in Pandikkad and its nearby areas such as Chembrasseri, Kalikavu, Karuvarakkund, Wandoor and Melattur. On 21 August 1921, a rumour spread in Pandikkad that the Mamburam maqam was destroyed by the British. Also, the rumours said the Magistrate, Superintendent of Police of the district and Deputy superintendent died in an encounter between Muslims and the British army. On behalf of this incident, thangal divided the places under his control as Khilafat regions and appointed leaders in each region. He concentrated on activating Khilafat struggles in the Tuvvur region. As a response to the rumours of 21 August, a meeting was held by Muslims in the region. In the afternoon of the same day, armaments were brought from Pandikkad police station to Manjeri in response to an order from the Circle Inspector. However, before the armaments could be shifted to Manjeri. they were attacked by a group of 50 Mulims who organized under the leadership of Variyamkunnathu kunjahmed haji. They took over all the British armaments and attacked Pandikkad police station. They also fired at some institutions run by The British namely Amshakacheri and Post office.
Soon on September 12 and 13, the Britishers moved forward in retaliation. A group of warriors moved from Melattur to Mannarkkad under Thangal’s guidance. Considering the relevance of a leader to lead the struggles in Mannarkad, he appointed Seethikoya Thangal. On September 20, in ‘Kanjiramukk’ a place near Cherpulassery a meeting of the revolutionaries was conducted by him and Variyankunnathu kunjahmed haji. The Britishers brought the powerful Chin, Pin and Gorkha Battalions of the British army. They attacked Chembrassery thangal. On November 14, under the leadership of Variyamkunnath and Chembrassery thangal, thousands of people of Malabar attacked the camp of Gorkhas in Pandikkad. The camp had a group of 80 Gorkhas. They retaliated powerfully making the pre-planned struggle of the Mappilas a failure. More than 200 Muslims died on the spot and only four among the Gorkhas died. The failure of the struggle left Mappila Muslims unable to go forward with another collective struggle. They split into small groups and fought in small numbers which were often unsuccessful. At this instance, Chembrassery thangal tried to unite the people. He wrote letters to many of the leaders of such small groups of fighters. He drafted a plan for a final struggle against the British on 1 December 1921 after offering prayers at Mamburam maqam. This could not be fulfilled as his letter explaining the struggle was found by the Gorkha unit on 1 December 1921. The Gorkhas sent him back a letter which comprised a justification for their attacks.
There are two reports regarding how Chembrassery thangal surrendered and was killed by the British. One account says that he was given the promise to be exiled to Makkah if surrendered by Ramanatha Iyer. Due to this, he presented himself to the sub-inspector of Melattur. However, he was arrested on the spot and imprisoned at the MSP headquarters in Malappuram. After that, the Britishers spread rumours that he was exiled to Mecca. On 9 January 1922, Chembrassery was shot and killed from Kootakkunnu of Malappuram along with other leaders of the Khilafat movement such as Kumaramputhur Seethikoya Thangal, Amakondan Mammad and Thaliyil Unneen Kutty. According to another account, he was produced before the Sub inspector on 17 December using Koyisheri Mammad. Further, he was produced on 9 January at a court and was shot along with Koyisheri Mammad.
