Great Vanvasi martyr Thalakal Chandu remembered

Kerala unit of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram celebrated 204th death anniversary of great Vanvasi martyr Thalakal Chandu on November 15 at Panamaram in Wayanad. Thalakal Chandu was the army chief of Kerala Verma Pazhassi Raja. Being the leader of Kurichya Vanvasi community he organised them into a well-equipped fighting group. These people were well known for their ability on using bows and arrows. For the development of the people Pazhassi Raja made various trade treaties, including a treaty with East India Company. But due to the failure of paddy and other crops he could not fulfill the conditions of the treaty. On the pretext of this failure the East India Company made attempts for subjugating the Malabar region and deployed its army and started collecting taxes. Pazhassi Raja with the help of Thalakal Chandu fought guerilla war against the British army and defeated them. Even the famous Colonel Wellesly too tasted defeat here. Through these attacks the East India Company lost their many armymen. When all attempts of the British army failed they decided to arrest the king and Chandu by hook or crook. In November 1805 Chandu was arrested by a cheat and he was beheaded and exhibited on a tree at Panamaram in Wayanad on November 15.

The Kalyan Ashram and other nationalist organisa-tions observe this day as Veerahuti Day every year. This year padyatras were conducted, corner meetings were organised and house-to-house contact drive was conducted throughout Wayanad district. A smriti yatra was also conducted with the help of Balagokulam.

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