• Dr.M. GnanaOslin

Between 1799 and 1802 formed one of anti-British outbreaks in Tamilnadu, the growing unrest in Ramanathapuram, Madurai and Tirunelveli culminated in the Poligar uprising of 1799. The victory of the British in the acquisitions and consolidation of their power in Madras strengthened their political power. After defeating the French and their Indian allies in the three Carnatic Wars, the East India Company began to consolidate and extend its power and influence. Poligar war refers to the wars fought between the poligars of former Madurai kingdom in Tamilnadu and the English East India Company forces between March 1799 to May 1802. The Poligars were free to collectrevenue, administer the territory, settledisputes and maintain law and order. The Company branded the defiant Poligars as rebels and accused them of trying to disturb the peace and tranquility of the country. PuliThevar wielded much influence over the western Poligars. The Collectors humiliated the Poligars and adopted force to collect the taxes. This was the bone of contention between the English and Kattabomman. In the meantime, MarudhuPandiyar of Sivagangai formed the South Indian Confederacy of rebels against the British, with the neighbouringPoligars like GopalaNayak of Dindigul and YadulNayak of Aanamalai. Bannerman made a mockery of a trial for Kattabomman in front of the Poligars on 16th October. During the trial Kattabomman bravely admitted all the charges leveled against him. Kattabomman was hanged from a tamarind tree in the old fort of Kayathar, close to Tirunelveli, in front of the fellow Poligars. Despite the suppression of Kattabomman’s revolt in 1799, rebellion broke out again in 1800. In the British records it is referred to as the Second Palayakarar War. It was directed by a confederacy consisting of MarudhuPandyan of Sivagangai, GopalaNayakof Dindugal, Kerala Varma of Malabar and KrishnaappaNayak and Dhoondaji of Mysore. The British finally won after carrying out long and difficult protracted jungle campaigns against the Poligar armies and finally defeated them.

Palayams and Poligars, Divisions of Palayams, Revenue Collection, Revolt of PuliThevar, Kalakadu Battle, Yusuf Khan and PuliThevar, Velunachiyar, Rebellion of VeerapandyaKattabomman, Kattabomman and the Confederacy of Poligars, Rebellion of Marudhu Brothers, Fall of Sivagangai, DheeranChinnamalai

"EARLY REVOLTS AGAINST THE COLONIAL POWER IN TAMILNADU", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 1, page no.1057-1066, January-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1801197.pdf

"EARLY REVOLTS AGAINST THE COLONIAL POWER IN TAMILNADU", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 1, page no. pp1057-1066, January-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1801197.pdf