Punnapra-Vayalar uprising
Encyclopedia
The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising (October, 1946) was a popular people's uprising in the Princely State
of Travancore
, British India against the Prime Minister, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
and the state. Common men with slogans such as "chuck the American model into the Arabian Sea" fought against the Prime Minister in Punnapra and Vayalar, killing 200 people at Punnapra on October 24 and killing more than 150 at Vayalar on October 27. The total lose of life is estimated to be more than a thousand.
The interpretation of this incident is still debated. The Communists in Kerala
maintain this as a struggle for freedom against the oppression of the state by the Diwan. Some individuals argue this was neither an uprising or a liberation
struggle. They suggest certain Communist leaders instigated the coir
workers belonging to the Ezhava
community to wage a war against the then administration led by Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
. T K Varghese Vaidya, a leader of the struggle, had even gone on record saying it was a rehearsal for a larger revolution
with the ultimate objective of establishing a "Communist India". The historians like Prof. A Sreedhara Menon states that it was a proper political struggle by the Communists against the Travancore government.
In 1946, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
, the Diwan of Travancore, proposed constitutional reforms which the Communists opposed saying its for the creation of an "American model" of Executive in Travancore. The Communists opposed this move with the slogan "American Modal Arabi Kadalil" (chuck the American model into the Arabian sea). The region around Alleppey was a Communist stronghold and the communist workers organised a mass upheaval in October 1946 against the authority of the Diwan, and practically established their own government in the region. This led to attacks and deaths of Travancore police officials and government officials in that region.
Dismayed by the turn of events, the Diwan declared martial law in Alleppy on October 25, 1946. The Travancore army moved from their camp and surrounded the communists at Vayalar
by 27 October. The Travancore navy supported the army in isolating Vayalar, which is surrounded by water on three sides. Once the blockade was in place, the army moved in.
It is estimated that at least 150 people were killed on the spot during the army's pincer movement on October 27, and many more succumbed to injuries later. On the same same day, at least 130 people where killed in army firings, elsewhere in the district. The local people and press maintain that many more people were killed and the bodies disposed by the army. Historians like Prof. A Sreedhara Menon estimates that over a thousand people were killed during the Punnapra-Vayalar outbreak.
Atrocities were not one sided, and there are reports of murders of Travancore policemen after they had surrendered to the communists, during the early stages of the disturbances. Police Inspector Velayudhan Nadar had moved forward to reason out with the communists, but he was brutally stabbed to death. This hardened the stance of the police and the armed forces. Following the suppression of the communist local governments, the Travancore police used heavy-handed methods to repress the political movement in the region and detained many activists without any trial.
of Travancore desired to declare himself independent.
Supported by the Diwan, C. P., Chithira Thirunal issued a declaration of independence on June 18, 1947. As Travancore's declaration of independence was unacceptable to India, negotiations were started with the Diwan by the Government of India
. Family sources indicate that C. P., himself, was not in favour of independence but only greater autonomy and that a favourable agreement had been reached between C. P. and the Indian representatives by July 23, 1947 and accession to the Indian Union could not be carried out only because it was pending approval by the Maharaja.
Nevertheless, an assassination attempt was made on C. P. by a Brahmin youth named K.C.S. Mani
who was an activist of the Socialist group led by N. Sreekantan Nair
on July 25, 1947 during a concert commemorating the anniversary of Swathi Thirunal. Ramaswami Aiyer survived with multiple slashes on his face and neck and the attack hastened the accession of Travancore state to the Union of India soon after his recovery.
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, British India against the Prime Minister, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer, KCSI, KCIE , also called "C. P.", was an Indian lawyer, administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928,...
and the state. Common men with slogans such as "chuck the American model into the Arabian Sea" fought against the Prime Minister in Punnapra and Vayalar, killing 200 people at Punnapra on October 24 and killing more than 150 at Vayalar on October 27. The total lose of life is estimated to be more than a thousand.
The interpretation of this incident is still debated. The Communists in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
maintain this as a struggle for freedom against the oppression of the state by the Diwan. Some individuals argue this was neither an uprising or a liberation
Decolonization
Decolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
struggle. They suggest certain Communist leaders instigated the coir
Coir
Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses etc. Technically coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery...
workers belonging to the Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
community to wage a war against the then administration led by Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer, KCSI, KCIE , also called "C. P.", was an Indian lawyer, administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928,...
. T K Varghese Vaidya, a leader of the struggle, had even gone on record saying it was a rehearsal for a larger revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
with the ultimate objective of establishing a "Communist India". The historians like Prof. A Sreedhara Menon states that it was a proper political struggle by the Communists against the Travancore government.
In 1946, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer, KCSI, KCIE , also called "C. P.", was an Indian lawyer, administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928,...
, the Diwan of Travancore, proposed constitutional reforms which the Communists opposed saying its for the creation of an "American model" of Executive in Travancore. The Communists opposed this move with the slogan "American Modal Arabi Kadalil" (chuck the American model into the Arabian sea). The region around Alleppey was a Communist stronghold and the communist workers organised a mass upheaval in October 1946 against the authority of the Diwan, and practically established their own government in the region. This led to attacks and deaths of Travancore police officials and government officials in that region.
Dismayed by the turn of events, the Diwan declared martial law in Alleppy on October 25, 1946. The Travancore army moved from their camp and surrounded the communists at Vayalar
Vayalar
This article is about a place. For the poet, go to Vayalar RamavarmaVayalar is a village in Cherthala taluk, Alapuzha district, Kerala state, India.- Overview :...
by 27 October. The Travancore navy supported the army in isolating Vayalar, which is surrounded by water on three sides. Once the blockade was in place, the army moved in.
It is estimated that at least 150 people were killed on the spot during the army's pincer movement on October 27, and many more succumbed to injuries later. On the same same day, at least 130 people where killed in army firings, elsewhere in the district. The local people and press maintain that many more people were killed and the bodies disposed by the army. Historians like Prof. A Sreedhara Menon estimates that over a thousand people were killed during the Punnapra-Vayalar outbreak.
Atrocities were not one sided, and there are reports of murders of Travancore policemen after they had surrendered to the communists, during the early stages of the disturbances. Police Inspector Velayudhan Nadar had moved forward to reason out with the communists, but he was brutally stabbed to death. This hardened the stance of the police and the armed forces. Following the suppression of the communist local governments, the Travancore police used heavy-handed methods to repress the political movement in the region and detained many activists without any trial.
Aftereffects
The killings of communist comrades turned the Communists totally against C. P. Ramaswami Iyer.When, on June 3, 1947, United Kingdom accepted demands for a partition and announced its intention to quit India within a short period, the MaharajaMaharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of Travancore desired to declare himself independent.
Supported by the Diwan, C. P., Chithira Thirunal issued a declaration of independence on June 18, 1947. As Travancore's declaration of independence was unacceptable to India, negotiations were started with the Diwan by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. Family sources indicate that C. P., himself, was not in favour of independence but only greater autonomy and that a favourable agreement had been reached between C. P. and the Indian representatives by July 23, 1947 and accession to the Indian Union could not be carried out only because it was pending approval by the Maharaja.
Nevertheless, an assassination attempt was made on C. P. by a Brahmin youth named K.C.S. Mani
K.C.S. Mani
Konattumatam Chidambara Subrahmania Iyer , known better as K. C. S. Mani , was a communist activist of Kerala who is known for his attempt of assassination on C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, the then Diwan of Travancore...
who was an activist of the Socialist group led by N. Sreekantan Nair
N. Sreekantan Nair
N. Sreekantan Nair was a long time Member of Parliament of Kollam, Freedom Fighter, Trade Unionist and Writer.-Early life:He was born to N. Neelakanta Pillai M.A. , , , who was a Principal of Govt.Sanskrit College, Trivandrum and who has authored several books in the three languages and JanakiAmma...
on July 25, 1947 during a concert commemorating the anniversary of Swathi Thirunal. Ramaswami Aiyer survived with multiple slashes on his face and neck and the attack hastened the accession of Travancore state to the Union of India soon after his recovery.