The Marudhu Pandiyars (Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu) were Diarchal Kings of
Sivagangai
Sivaganga () is a city and headquarters of the Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Sivaganga is a rani velunachiyar kingdom of Tamil Nadu. It is an important city in this district for official and commercial purposes. Its ni ...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
, India, towards the end of the 18th century. They were known for fighting against the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
. They were finally executed by the EIC after being captured by them.
Childhood
Periya and Chinna Marudhu, sons of Mookiah Palaniappan Servai was native of Mukkulam, near Narikudi which was 18 miles away from Aruppukottai. Their mother Anandhayee alias Ponnathal was native of Pudhupatti near Sivagangai. Both the Brothers were born at Mukkulam in the year 1748 and 1753 respectively. The first son was named as Vellai Marudhu alias Periya Marudhu and the second son as Chinna Marudhu.
Rebellion
In 1772,
British East India company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
had killed Muthuvaduganatha Thevar over his refusal to pay taxes. However Marudhu Pandiyar and Queen Velunachiyar escaped, and stayed with Gopala Nayak in Virupatchi for 8 years. After this time, an alliance of kingdoms led by the Pandiyar attacked Sivagangai and retook it in 1789. Both Maruthu Pandiyar were given high positions in the kingdom.
They were good at aerodynamics and craftsmanship and is said to have invented the
Valari
A valari ( ta, வளரி) is a traditional weapon, primarily used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. The valari resembles, and is used like, a boomerang. It has been used by the Tamil people in ancient battles, for protecting ca ...
, a variant of the
boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
.
Death
The Marudhu Pandiyars, planned to war against
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
in India
IN, In or in may refer to:
Places
* India (country code IN)
* Indiana, United States (postal code IN)
* Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN)
* In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast
Businesses and organizations
* Indepen ...
. They gave the protection to Oomaithurai Kumaraswamy who was temporarily seeking refuge from the chaos of war. They along with the war leader Sivagangai and many of their family members, were captured at
Cholapuram
Cholapuram is a panchayat town in the Thanjavur district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.In ancient time, it's called as Bhairavapuram.
Population
According to the 2001 Indian population census, the population of Cholapuram was 6,364, of whi ...
and were killed at Tiruppattur. They were hanged in the fort of Tirupputhur, which is now Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, on 24 October 1801. The burial of Maruthu Pandiyars is located at Sivagangai .
Honour
Maruthu Brothers are good in aerodynamics and invented many variants of spears and
Valari
A valari ( ta, வளரி) is a traditional weapon, primarily used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. The valari resembles, and is used like, a boomerang. It has been used by the Tamil people in ancient battles, for protecting ca ...
. They also founded guerilla war tactic in India during the early stages of colonization. A commemorative postage stamp was released in October 2004. Every year people conduct Maruthu Pandiyars Guru Pooja at the Kalayarkovil temple in October.
Local Tamilians are also worshiping them and there is a temple dedicated and located at Batu Dua Mariamman Temple, Sungai Petani, Kedah at Malaysia.
A film was done about their lives in 1959:
Sivagangai Seemai
''Sivagangai Seemai'' () is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language historical drama film directed by K. Shankar and written by Kannadasan. Based on the life of the Maruthu Pandiyars, the film stars S. S. Rajendran, S. Varalakshmi, Kamala Lakshmanan and ...
.
See also
*
Indian independence activist
The Indian independence movement consisted of efforts by individuals and organizations from a wide spectrum of society to obtain political independence from the British, French and Portuguese rule through the use of a many methods. This is a l ...
*
Agamudayar
Agamudayar (otherwise Agamudaiyar, Akamudayar, Agamudayan) are a Tamil community found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In Southern parts of Tamil Nadu, they are considered as one of the three castes which make up the Mukkulathor community. A ...
Kalayar Kovil
Kalaiyar Kovil is a historic temple in Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu, India.
Location
The temple is in Sivaganga District, east of Sivagangai.
Name of temple
Kalaiyar Kovil derived its name from the Kaleeswarar temple of the place. ...
Rani Velu Nachiar
Rani Velu Nachiyar (3 January 1730 – 25 December 1796) was a queen of Sivaganga estate from 1780–1790. She was the first Indian queen to wage war with the East India Company in India.Maveeran Veerapandiya Kattabomma Nayakar