Pazhassi Revolt

While the British were busy with the political settlement of thedistrict, a serious revolt was headed by Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of the Padinjare Kovilakom of the Kottayam family. The potent cause of the revolt was the unpopular revenue policy followed by the East India Company in Malabar. He stopped all collections of revenue in Kottayam. The Raja further threatened to cut down all the pepper vines if the Company's officers persisted in revenue collection.

In April 1796, a determined effort was made by the Britsh to capture the Raja in his own palace at Pazhassi. This was in vain.

On December 18, the British Commissioner issued a proclamation forbidding the people to assemble or to assit the Pazhassi Raja and warning them that if they did so, they would be considered as irreconcilable enemies of the Company and that their property would be confiscated.

On December 30, a futile attempt was made to reconcile the differences between the Raja and the Company.

On eighth January 1797, Pazhassi Raja's men launched daring attack on the havildar's guard stationed at Pazhassi and the whole party except one man was killed. In the battle fought on three successive days, nineth, 10th and 11th March 1797, the detachment made by the Company forces was overpowered by the swords, spears, bows and arrows of Pazhassi Raja's men. As the situation was full of perils, a reconciliation with the Pazhassi Raja became a matter of political expediency.

While South Canara and other parts of South India were being brought under British imperial control, following the fall Srirangapatanum.(1799), Pazhassi Raja raised the standard of revolt a second time and shook for a while the very foundations of British power.

Colonel Stevenson's efforts early in 1801 cut off the Pazhassi Raja from his adherents in South Malabar and by May the British troops hadmade much headway and with every port both above and below the ghats in British hands and the whole country disarmed, the Pazhassi Raja became a wanderer in the jungles accompanied by his wife and immediate attendants.

On 24th May, 1804, Colonel Macleod issued a proclamation warning the people that they would be treated as rebels if they failed to furnish information about rebel movements and if they helped the Pazhassi troops with arms, ammunition or provisions. Finally the proclamation of June 16 offered rewards for the apprehension of Pazhassi Raja, two other members of his family and his principal lieutenants and declared their estates and properties confiscated from that date.

On first November, Baber took direct charge of the operations and on 30th November, 1805 he surrounded and shot the Raja dead in an operation on the banks of a nullah. The Raja's body was cremated with "customary honours". With the death of Pazhassi Raja, the resistance movement in north Kerala came to an end.