Kerala historians question move to give ‘Paika Bidroha’ first war of independence tag

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A section of historians in Kerala today disputed the Centre’s move to announce Odisha’s 1817 Paika rebellion as the “First War of Independence,” saying various uprisings against foreign powers had occurred in the southern state much before it, but never got due recognition.

They said the coastal state had witnessed a number of minor and major struggles against foreign powers even before the 1857 ‘Sepoy Mutiny,’ which has so far been regarded as the first war of Indian Independence.

A few among the historians wanted the tag of first war of independence for ‘Attingal Revolt,’ an agitation by locals in the then princely state of Venad against the English East India Company in 1721 over the latter’s arrogant approach and unjust measures that they tried to implement in the land.

As many as 133 English East India Company soldiers were killed during the revolt which according to state historians, was the first organised uprising against the foreign powers in the country.

The struggles led by legendary king of Malabar, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja who locked horns with the British during the period 1795-1805, the strike by Nair Brigade in Travancore in 1804 and the agitation led by Travancore diwan (prime minister) Veluthambi Dalawa in 1809 were some of the uprisings against foreign powers witnessed by the state, they said.

The fight of 16th century naval captain Kunjali Marakkar against the Portuguese forces was also prominent among them, they added.

‘History Protection Council,’ a state-based outfit, is planning to submit a memorandum to the state government to press the Centre to declare the ‘Attingal Revolt’ as the first freedom struggle of the country instead of ‘Paika Bidroha.’ Eminent historian and former chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), M G S Narayanan said facts should be examined before including Odisha’s “Paika Bidroha as the first war of independence” in school textbooks.

“The matter should be examined thoroughly before taking a decision to include so in school textbooks,” he told PTI.

Noted historian K N Ganesh questioned the government’s right to decide the prominence and value of historical movements and struggles.

“I am not questioning the significance of Paika rebellion.. But how can a government decide the merit and significance of revolts, struggles and agitations in history?” he asked.

“It should be decided by the academicians and the bodies like history research council and so on.. No minister can simply say that Paika rebellion is the first war of independence in the country without due consultation with historians and academicians concerned,” he said.

Historian and academician P M Rajan Gurukkal, said many local struggles happened in this part of the country including the historic Colachel War did not get deserved recognition.

“It is true that many local uprising had gone unnoticed in the history.. One of the most significant among them is the Colachel War between Travancore king Marthanda Varma and Dutch East India Company in the year 1741.” “It was the first ever victory of a princely state against a European power in Asia.. But, it did not get deserved recognition,” he told PTI.

A debate on the first war of independence was triggered after union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar’s recent announcement that ‘Paika Bidroha’ of 1817 would find a place in the history books as ‘the First War of Independence’ from the next academic session.

The announcement was made at a function marking the bicentenary of the historic rebellion.

According to historians, Paikas, the peasant militia under the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during the times of war, had rebelled against the British rule under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara as early as 1817.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had, in a letter to the Centre, urged that it should recognise ‘Paika Bidroha’ as the first war of independence against the British rule as it took place four decades before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, which has so far been regarded as the first war of Indian Independence.

Source:- New Indian Express

Experts predict death of 6 rivers

Sand-mining, degradation of tributaries, illegal fishing major threats

Is Central Travancore fast becoming a graveyard of rivers and natural streams? At least this is what the studies conducted by a team of experts led by scientist Ajayakumar Varma hint at.

Dr. Varma has predicted that the Pampa will die in 55 years, if the present situation with the river system continues.

The study report, prepared by Dr. Varma and his team, gives just another 15 years for the Achencoil, 20 years for the Manimala, 45 years for the Meenachil, 30 years for the Muvattupuzha, and 15 to 20 years for the Chalakudy rivers.

Climate change

However, climate change and changes in the pattern of rains can improve or worsen the situation, says Dr. Varma.

Degradation of virgin forests in the catchment areas, unscientific sand-mining, degradation of tributaries, pollution caused by garbage, and illegal fishing using poison, dynamite, etc. are posing major threats to these once vibrant river systems of region comprising Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and parts of Alappuzha.

Dr. Varma said extensive deforestation in the catchments during 1940-1980 had resulted in drying up of many tributaries of these river systems, badly affecting the regular flow, especially during summer.

Land conversion

Land conversion as part of urbanisation too has blocked many natural streams leading to the rivers. Without sand deposit, the riverbeds have lost their water-holding capacity, leading to fast flow of flood waters into the downstream immediately after cessation of the rains.

The situation in the Pampa along the upper reaches of Kozhencherry amply testifies the degradation of the river system as a whole, says N.K. Sukumaran Nair, Pampa Parirakshana Samiti general secretary, who has been campaigning for the Pampa river for three decades.

Lowering of riverbeds

Mr. Nair said the condition of bridges across the rivers as well as water pumping stations was precarious because of the drastic lowering of riverbeds.

Experts pointed out that sand-mining from the vicinity of the piers led to the caving in of the concrete bridge across Pampa in Ranni on July 29, 1996.

Mr. Nair says the Pampa and Achencoil, regarded as the lifeline of Central Travancore, are the worst affected by man’s criminal negligence towards environment and river conservation.

He stressed the need for an integrated action plan for the conservation of the Pampa, Achencoil, Manimala and Meenachil rivers that empty out into the Vembanad lake.

Source :- The Hindu