‘Malabar, Mysore & a tale of two Sultans’: How Tipu's atrocities in Coorg live on in Kodava oral history

The Kodavas of the Coorg preserved the memories of his savagery in his fierce bid to subjugate the hilly terrain, Pushpa Kurup has written in her book – ‘Malabar, Mysore And A Tale of Two Sultans’.

Tipu Sultan

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New Delhi: Even after over two centuries of the fall of Tipu Sultan, the Kodavas of the Coorg preserved the memories of his savagery in his fierce bid to subjugate the hilly terrain, Pushpa Kurup has written in her book – ‘Malabar, Mysore And A Tale of Two Sultans’.

“The Mysore sultans desired unimpeded access to the Malabar Coast and the Arabian Sea. The mountainous country of Coorg stood in their way, inhabited by the fierce Kodava warriors. Tipu found them exasperating, despising them almost as much as the Nairs of Malabar,” wrote Kurup in the book.

She stated that Tipu Sultan was determined to teach the Kodavars a lesson they would not soon forget.

“Tipu did succeed in leaving behind unforgettable, festering memories – memories of genocide. The Kodavas held onto these remembrances, passing them down from generation to generation by word of mouth,” added the author.

She stated that “when Karnataka announced Tipu Jayanthi celebrations in the early 21st century, the Kodavas raised furious voices of dissent. More than two momentous centuries had passed since the downfall of the Mysore sultans, yet the people of Coorg had not forgotten.”

“Like the Nairs of Malabar, they had their unrelenting memories. ‘Coorg’ is the Anglicized version of the original Kannada name ‘Kodagu’. Dubbed the ‘Scotland of India’ by the British, Coorg lacked a formal standing army, relying instead on spirited bands of Kodava warriors,” added Kurup, while she recounted tales of fierce battles fought by the Kodava warriors against Tipu Sultan.

But the Kodava warriors had no respite even after the demise of Tipu Sultan.

“Constant Mysorean military interventions drove them into the arms of the British. Following Tipu’s demise, they found themselves unable to break free from the vice-like grip of their British overlords,” added Kurup in the book, published by BluOne Ink.

Giving the history of the region, the author stated that “when the mighty Vijayanagar kingdom collapsed in 1565 following their defeat at the hands of the Bahmani sultans, many of their feudatories gained sudden independence. Soon, the big fish began to devour the smaller fish. Among these big fish were the Ikkeri Nayaks, who quickly expanded their influence from Honavar in north Canara to Chandragiri in the south.”

“By then, the Portuguese had established a strong presence in Goa. In Ullal, near Mangalore, the courageous queen Abbakka Rani Chowta fiercely resisted Portuguese incursions. The British and other European powers had yet to venture into India,” she wrote in the book.

The author further stated that “the Kodava warlords, who also referred to themselves as Nayaks, worshipped the forest god Ayyappa and the river goddess Kaveri. Initially, every village in the region possessed its own devarakadu or sacred grove. Temples and Vedic gods were later introduced by Brahmin settlers.”

“The sultans of Mysore would soon enforce Islam through military conquest. Later, the British would introduce Christianity. In 1600, Veeraraja, a Lingayat relative of the Ikkeri raja, seized control of Coorg and proclaimed himself king,” Kurup added.

It was Mudduraja, the grandson, who shifted the capital from Haleri to Madikeri in 1681, she added.

“By the mid-18th century, Mudduraja’s son, Siribai Veerappa, had expanded his domain significantly. He emerged victorious in battles against the Mysore raja and Veera Varma of Wayanad, whom he captured and executed,” Kurup wrote as a background to the history of the region.

“By the time Chikka Veerappa’s rule ended in 1766, the Haleri dynasty of Kodagu was over 150 years old. Then Haider Ali arrived on the scene,” added Kurup.

The author quoted historian Hayavadhana Rao, saying that “neither De la Tour nor Robson mentions Haider Ali’s initial invasion of Coorg in 1765. Peixoto, the sole contemporary writer who refers to the invasion of Coorg under Fazalullah Khan, indicates that it occurred after Madhav Rao’s campaign of 1764–1765. It is likely that the campaign extended until 1768, as the definitive treaty with Coorg was signed at that time.”

“When Haider Ali marched from Bidanur to launch an attack on Coorg, Fazalullah Khan simultaneously marched on the northeastern frontier, catching the Kodavas off guard. Many battles ensued, resulting in Fazalullah Khan and his forces being routed and forced to flee the country,” added Kurup, spotlighting the valour of the Kodava warriors.

She also stated that “Haidar offered a compromise, proposing ‘eternal peace’ and the Uchchingi district, adjacent to Coorg’s northern frontier, in exchange for a payment of 3 lakh pagodas. Chikka Veerappa agreed to the proposal, with a portion of the amount paid immediately and hostages provided for the remainder.”

“Following Chikka Veerappa’s death in 1766, his successors, Muddaraja and Muddaiya, ruling jointly, called on Haidar to fulfil the terms agreed upon with their predecessor. However, the negotiations failed, leading to a resumption of hostilities,” added Kurup, as she chronicled the unending battles in the Coorg region.