The Chempil Thailamparambil Anantha Padmanabhan Valiya Arayan Kankumaran, [1] known as Chempil Arayan, was the Admiral of the Travancore Navy in the service of Avittam Thirunal Balarama Varma, King of Travancore. [2] He was born at Chempu, near Vaikom, in Kottayam, Kerala, India. He belongs to the Koli caste of Kerala. [3] [4] Chempil Arayan is recognized as first freedom fighter of South India. [5]
Valiya Arayan Chempil Arayan Chief of Chempu | |
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Native name | चेम्पिल आर्यन |
Birth name | Chempil Arayan |
Nickname(s) | Chempil Koli |
Born | Chempu, Vaikom, Kottayam district, Travancore kingdom |
Died | 1809 British India |
Allegiance | Travancore kingdom |
Service/ | Travancore navy |
Rank | Admiral |
Battles/wars | Travancore rebellion |
Chempil Arayan was involved in the Travancore War under the command of Velu Thampi Dalawa in 1809; among other things he led an attack on Bolghatty Palace, the residence of the then Company Resident, Colin Macaulay. The Resident escaped narrowly with his life, eluding the attackers through a tunnel and fleeing in a small boat. The Arayan was later captured, and freed after the payment of a ransom; he died in battle against the forces of the company. [6]
Chempil Arayan was well known for his naval exploits using the traditional Kerala boat known as the "Odi Vallam". Chempil Arayan's Nalukettu (Ancestral home) known as Thailamparampil House is in Chempu, Vaikom. The family members have preserved the Nalukettu and all the old artefacts used by Mr. Arayan including his sword and stone statue. Chempil Arayan's tomb is situated next to his ancestral home.
Kottayam is one of 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. Kottayam district comprises six municipal towns: Kottayam, Changanassery, Pala, Erattupetta, Ettumanoor, and Vaikom. It is the only district in Kerala that neither borders the Arabian Sea nor any other states.
The Kingdom of Travancore, also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin. However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India.
Vaikom, IPA:[ʋɐjkːɐm], is a municipal town and a capital town of Vaikom Taluk, situated in the northwest of Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India. The town is also noted for its role in the Indian independence movement for being the venue of Vaikom Satyagraham, a civil rights movement aimed at securing freedom of movement for all sections of society through the public roads leading to the Vaikom Shiva Temple.
Mannathu Padmanabhan was an Indian social reformer and freedom fighter from the south-western state of Kerala. He is recognised as the founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS), which represents the Nair community that constitutes 15.5% of the population of the state. Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised the Nair community under the NSS.
Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran also spelt Kerala Varma Valiya Koilthampuran and known as Kerala Varma, was a Malayalam - language poet and translator who had an equal facility in writing in English and Sanskrit from the Indian state of Kerala. He was part of the royal family of erstwhile Parappanad, Malappuram district. Kerala Varma is also known as the Kalidasa of Kerala.
The Temple Entry Proclamation was issued by Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma on November 12, 1936. The Proclamation abolished the ban on the so-called 'low caste people' or avarnas from entering Hindu temples in the Princely State of Travancore, now part of Kerala, India.
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-west Kerala. Kottayam is located in the basin of the Meenachil River at an average elevation of 3 metres (9.8 ft) above sea level, and has a moderate climate. It is located approximately 155 kilometres (96 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
Thalayolaparambu is a town situated in Kottayam district in Kerala, India. Spanning over an area of 19.3 square kilometres with a population of 22,571 people, this mini-town is home to some of the well-known personalities such as the former Chief minister of Travancore-Cochin A. J. John, Anaparambil, the late Malayalam novelist/writer Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, the former Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan. Thalayolaparambu also hosts the major market established during the administration of Velu Thampi Dalawa, and is one of those few Keralite markets that still retains its old-world charm till date.
Chempu is a village near Vaikom in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It is bounded by the shores of the Lake Vembanad, and is crossed by various distributaries of the River Muvattupuzha.
Thrikkakara is a municipality in Ernakulam District in Kerala, India. The municipality comprises 43 wards, including Marottichuvadu. It is especially notable for its significance in the festival of Onam, and in the tale associated with it linked to the famous Thrikkakara temple. Thrikkakara is home to the Cochin University of Science and Technology. The state owned Model Engineering College is also situated here. It is also home to many well known schools like Bhavans Varuna Vidyalaya, Cardinal Higher Secondary School, Cochin Public School and colleges like Bharat Mata College. The Infopark, Kochi and SmartCity Kochi are also situated in Thrikkakara municipal premises.
Kaduthuruthy is a town in Kottayam District in the state of Kerala, India.
Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi ofThalakulam (1765–1809) was the Dalawa or Prime Minister of the Indian kingdom of Travancore between 1802 and 1809 during the reign of Bala Rama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal. He is best known for being one of the earliest individuals to rebel against the British East India Company's authority in India.
The Kingdom of Thekkumkur was an independent kingdom in the southern part of Kerala in India from 1103 CE until 1750 CE. It was ruled by the Thekkumkur Royal Family. Thekkumkur lies between the Meenachil River and the Pamba River, from the Western Ghats to the Vembanad Kayal. Thekkumkur emerges as a result of administrative changes in the princely states at the end of the Chera Kulasekhara dynasty of Mahodayapuram. The literal meaning of the title is the southern regent and the attribute southern distinguished them from another kingdom known as Vadakkumkur which bordered it in the northern side. The royal household, Thekkumkur Kovilakam, were at Vennimala and Manikandapuram near Puthuppally, later it shifted to Neerazhi Palace at Puzhavathu of Changanassery and Thalilkotta at Thaliyanthanapuram (Kottayam).
Inchiyani is a village near Mundakayam in Kanjirappally Taluk of Kerala, India.
Kundara is a census town in Kerala and is part of the Kollam Metropolitan Area, India. Kundara is situated 13 km east of Kollam city, 14 km west of Kottarakkara, and 24 km north of Paravur. Kundara is significant for its historic involvement in the Indian independence movement.
The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. They had to give up their ruling rights in 1949 when Travancore merged with India and their political pension privileges were abolished in 1971. The family is descended from the Ay/Venad family and the Chera dynasty.
Vaikom Padmanabha Pillai (1767–1809) was a militia leader and military officer of the Kingdom of Travancore. In 1808 he led an uprising against British control in Travancore. He was captured in 1809 and hanged for his role in the rebellion.
Aditya Varma Manikandan popularly known as Aditya Varman, was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely State of Thekkumkur. He was the ruler until September 1749 when the king of Travancore Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma ousted him from Neerazi Palace at the Battle of Changanassery. Thekkumkur kings were known as Manikandan. The goddess was Cheruvally Bhagavathi in the space. The official residence of Sri Aditya Varma was Neerazi Palace.