Malabar History journal

Participation in the anti-colonial struggle

He was a member of the Congress party much before the Khilafat movement. On 18 and 19 August 1921, M.K Gandhi and Moulana Shoukathali came to Kozhikode to mobilise people for the anti-british movement. They suggested that the Britishers could be driven out of the country if peasant communities, proponents of the Khilafat movement and the Congress party could cooperate with each other. This persuaded Seethikoya thangal to become more active in the Khilafat movement along with Variyamkunnthu Kunjahmed Haji, Ali Musaliar, Chembrassery thangal and Konnara thangal. As a part of strengthening the movement, he presided over a Khilafat conference in Ariyoor, a place close to Kumaramputhur.

He worked alongside Chembrassery thangal during the armed struggle in Mannarkad, as part of the Malabar revolts. When Chembrassery thangal directed his focus to some of his other influential regions, he commissioned Seethikoya Thangal to lead the revolutionaries of Mannarkkad. As a result, he gave his complete attention to Mannarkkad. He mobilized people and organized various struggles against the British there. As per British records, 500 Mappila Muslims united on October 1 in Mannarkkad and about 40-50 of them were killed in an encounter. On October 11, a Mappila encounter with the British happened in Kottopaadam, a place near Kumaramputhur. About 30 people from the British army and 50 from the Mappilas were reported to have died. He also embraced ‘Mannarkad raja’ as a title to refer to him at a function held at Ponnani Juma masjid.

Amidst the chaos created by the encounter of Mappilas with the Britishers, a situation of lawlessness was created in Mannarkad. To solve this and deal with the issues created by the British supporters to sabotage the struggle, Seethikoya thangal appointed Saithali, a follower and supporter of the anti-British struggle to guard Hindu homes against violence. Very soon Saithali was killed. However, no Hindu homes were affected. To commemorate and offer gratitude for this noble act, Nayar homes in the region practice a ceremony called ‘Saithaalik kodukkal’ till now.

There are numerous reports regarding how Seethikoya thangal surrendered to the British. As per the report of R.H. Hitchcock, he was arrested at his brother Imbichikoya’s residence. The house was set on fire after the arrest. According to another report, Seethikoya Thangal was arrested when he was coming down from a mountain along with his supporters. He was arrested by the British with the promise of being released soon. However, the promise was not fulfilled. His body was burnt by the British.

References

Babu, P. K. (Ed.). Chembrassery Thangal: An Unsung Hero of Freedom Struggle in South Malabar. In Other Histories, Reading Histories Fault Lines, Department of Islamic History, MESMAC International Conferences, MES Mampad College.

Hitchcock, R. H. (1921). A History of the Malabar Rebellion. Usha Publications, Kozhikode, 1983.

Nasrudheen Mannarkkad. Kumaramputhur Seethikoya Thangalum Palakkadan Poraalikalum. Destiny Publishers, Kozhikode, December 2021.

“കുമരംപുത്തൂർ സീതിക്കോയ തങ്ങളും പാലക്കാടൻ പോരാളികളും.” The Pin, 4 Jan. 2022. Link.

G. R. F. Tottenham. The Moplah Rebellion, 1921–1922, p. 106. Cited in Kumaramputhur Seethikoya Thangalum Palakkadan Poraalikalum, Destiny Publishers, Kozhikode, December 2021.

Kodoor, A. K. (2020). Anglo-Mappila Yudham 1921. Grace Books, Malappuram.

K. Madhavan Nair (1987). Malabar Kalapam. Mathrubhumi Books, Calicut.