What We Can Learn From The Jambudweepa Proclamation
The key takeaway is the clarion call for unity among all Indians
Mahakavi Bharatiyar has said, 'தண்ணீர் விட்டோ வளர்த்தோம் சர்வேசா. இப்பயிரை கண்ணீரால் காத்தோம்" Lord of the worlds, it wasn't tended by watering; Our tears nourished it (dream of Swarajya).
As the Mahakavi said, 'Our blood, sweat, and tears reinstated Swarajya."
In May 1801, the East India Company forces under Lt Col. Agnew captured Panchalankurichi after a prolonged siege. It was a costly campaign against Kattabomman that lasted more than a year. Kattabomman's capture and subsequent hanging in Kayathar, near Tirunelveli, is a matter of historical record. His brother, Oomathurai, escaped and was given refuge by the Maruthu brothers. How?
'The cavalry of the enemy in pursuit of the fleeing rebels engaged them in more battles. One of the insurgent parties took its stand near a village and fought a pitched battle but was routed. Most of this group fell wounded and dead… In the evening of the day of battle… the women of the village hurried to the blood-stained field… they made a close search for the persons in whom life might not have become extinct… Among the heaps of the slaughtered they discovered the son of one of them still breathing… To their dismay the afflicted young man rallied the energy that still remained at his command, and whispered into the ears of his mother: 'Oh mother let me die, but try to save the life of Swamy who lies near me' – 'Swamy' denoting Oomee."
History records that the mother complied with her dying son's wishes, carried Oomathurai to her village, nursed him like her own son, dramatically saved him from the company army, and played a significant role in Oomathurai reaching Kamuthi on 28 May 1801.
In October 1801, Kalayarkovil fell, and the Maruthu brothers were captured and hanged. While their entire family was exterminated, Chinna Maruthu's favourite son, Doraiswamy, was exiled to Prince of Wales Island, Penang, Malaysia. Doraiswamy was 15 when he boarded 'Admiral Nelson', the ship that transported the rebels. James Welsh, who had military custody of the seventy-three exiled rebels, said this about Doraiswamy, 'With a mild and dignified resignation, this amiable young man bore his cruel fate without a murmur; but such was the melancholy expression in his fine countenance that it was impossible to see and not commiserate him… I still seem to see the combination of affection and despair, which marked the fine countenance of my young friend, Doraiswamy, as I handed him into the boat, and the manly and silent misery, which his companions in affliction displayed, on quitting their dear native land forever."
Source: South Indian Rebellion: The First War of Independence, 1800-1801, Prof. K. Rajayyan
What compelled a mother to leave her dying son and save his commander?
What made a 15-year-old Doraiswamy bear his cruel fate without a murmur?
That feeling, the burning desire for Swarajya that everyone in Jambudveepa (India) held, is perfectly summarised in the famed 'Jambudveepa Proclamation" by the Maruthu Pandiyar brothers.
This is one of the overlooked chapters in Indian history. It is one of the foremost strategic documents advocating for the liberation of Bharat from colonial rule. This proclamation, pasted on the walls of Rockfort in Tiruchi and the Srirangam temple on June 16, 1801, appeals to the entire country, to all sections of Indian society, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion, to unite and rise against the East India Company and colonial oppression. While it emphasises local unity and sustained resistance, making this a national struggle against foreign rule, it also serves as a warning to locals collaborating with the oppressors. This proclamation exemplifies how our forefathers viewed Bharat as one land and how unity is the only way to achieve the vision of a free and great nation.
What can we learn from the Jambudweepa Proclamation?
We understand how our forefathers saw Bharat as one land united by culture. More importantly, the key takeaway is the clarion call for unity among all Indians. Even today, we fail to treat certain people as equals, assuming some are high-born and others low-born. This regressive and divisive thinking, treating some of our brothers and sisters as inferior, is a grave transgression. On the anniversary of the Maruthu Pandiyars' Jambudweepa Proclamation, let us pledge to ensure access to water sources, temples, and cremation grounds for all our fellow citizens.
As the proclamation states, 'It is certain that the man must die—although he may live a thousand years! And it is as certain that his fame will survive him as long as the Sun and Moon (shine)."
What greater acclaim can we achieve than being celebrated for contributing to an egalitarian, harmonious society?
Let us remember what Tiruvalluvar said,
'வசையிலா வண்பயன் குன்றும் இசையிலா
யாக்கை பொறுத்த நிலம்." (239)
Behold the land burdened by an inglorious people: its riches, even once renowned, will diminish – The Kural or The Maxims of Thiruvalluvar by VVS Aiyar.
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First Published:
June 16, 2025, 12:01 IST
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