Thread by @TalhaGulbargavi

#MalabarRebellion101
“You blindfold &shoot from the back. Shoot me from the front, with my eyes untied, and chains removed. The bullets that destroy my life must come and fall on my chest. I have to see it; I want to die with my face close to this land.”

1921 Malabar Rebellion: Historical Resistance to British Colonialism, widely considered to be one of the first nationalist movements in southern India was the one that shook up the entire subcontinent. #MalabarRebellion101

In a Legendary uprising, heroic Mapilla warriors from Malappuram challenged the biggest Kingdom that the world has ever seen. Ya Shaheed Assalam..#MalabarRebellion101

Leaders of #MalabarRebellion101 Ali Musliyar, Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji, Sithi Koya Thangal, M. P. Narayana Menon, Chembrasery Thangal, K. Moiteenkutti Haji, Kappad Krishnan Nair, Konnara Thangal, Pandiyatt Narayanan, Nambeesan, Mozhikunnath Brahmadathan Nambudiripad, & ors

The heavy-handed suppression of the Khilafat Movement by the colonial government was met by resistance in the Eranad and Valluvanad taluks of Malabar. The Mappilas attacked and took control of police stations, Govt offices, courts & government treasuries #MalabarRebellion101

For six months from August 1921, the rebellion extended over 2,000 square miles (5,200 km2) – some 40% of the South Malabar region of the Madras Presidency. #MalabarRebellion101

The British colonial government imposed martial law and sent troops.. 10,000 people were martyred, with 2339 freedom fighters martyred, some 1652 injured and 45,404 imprisoned. #MalabarRebellion101

Unofficial estimates put the number imprisoned at almost 50,000 of whom 20,000 were deported, mainly to the penal colony in the Andaman Islands, while around 10,000 went missing.
PS No one in 10000 wrote mercy letters to the British! #MalabarRebellion101

It was an unprecedented popular upheaval, the likes of which has not been seen in Kerala before or since. While the Mappilas were in the vanguard of the mvmt & bore the brunt of the struggle, many non-Mappila Ldrs actively sympathized with the rebels' cause #MalabarRebellion101

In 1971, the Government of Kerala officially recognized the active participants in the events as "freedom fighters". #MalabarRebellion101

In part The Revolt may have been inspired by The Tipu Sultan's Kingdom of Mysore, wo drove the Jenmi out of Malabar & installed a new system of land revenue #MalabarRebellion101

by highlighting the oppressive land taxation and holding pattern of Malabar, The revolt may also have laid the ground for the post-independence land reforms, etc in Kerala. #MalabarRebellion101

What Happened to the Leaders later
1. Ali Musliyar was among a dozen leaders who were arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. He was subsequently hanged at the Coimbatore Prison on 17 February 1922. #MalabarRebellion101

2. Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji was sentenced to death, and executed by Commander Colonel Humphrey's firing squad for his involvement in the Malabar rebellion. He was shot dead on 20 January 1922 at Kottakkunnu.#MalabarRebellion101

Before the execution, Haji said "You blindfold &shoot from the back. Shoot me from the front, with my eyes untied, and chains removed. The bullets that destroy my life must come and fall on my chest. I have to see it; I want to die with my face close to this land."

Haji's death sentence was carried out by British troops, who shot him in the chest without covering his eyes.

3 Mozhikkunnam Brahmadathan Namboodiripad: was arrested for destroying the Kakkathode bridge at Cherpulassery. After his arrest in 1921, Mozhikkunnam was tied behind a horse& dragged 14 km along the road from his his ancestral house (illam) near Cherpulassery in Palakkad district

4. MP Menon "Abu Talib of Malabar" jailed for 14 years. 12 fr Mapila Rebellion, due to His kindness and helping nature towards the Mapila tenants earned him names such as Malabar’s Abu Talib & Mapaila Menon. Rather he took pride in his asso with the lower tiers of society.