We have been reading and listening to the heart breaking stories of those killed and converted during the Mappila Riot of 1921 till now. Whenever, I visualize the stories about Muslims, who came shouting Takbir with arms in their hands, one question pops up to my mind. Where there no Hindu males who were brave enough at the Eranad and Valluvanad to stop these Muslims?!
Malabar, North Kerala is home to many warrior clans and families who practiced martial arts. While researching about the Moplah riots, the author had tried to find instances where the Hindus bravely faced and defeated the rioters. Two such instances could be recorded after meeting many people whose ancestors witnessed and suffered due to Moplah riots. Those brave hearts that fought against the rioters are to be remembered now. Many more such instances would have happened but got dispersed in the sands of time.
Narayanan
One among the story is of a disciple of Kodungallooramma, Narayanan, who was killed during the riot. Narayan stood tall in front of the Nilambur kovilakam when the Mappila army came to attack but killed him and entered the kovilakam. TN Bharathan an inmate of kovilakam and once an RSS leader told about Narayanan’s brave story to the writer. Narayan, who hails from Chalia Community, use to visit kovilakom often though he wasn’t an inmate or relative of the same. It was on a 21st of August of 1921, the Mappilas came to attack Nilambur kovilakom. Narayanan was sitting at the arch gate of the kovilakam when the Muslims marched shouting the Takbir towards them. Narayan took a pickaxe and jumped towards them to attack. Though the Muslims were huge in numbers Narayanan fought and killed 8 of them. He couldn’t stand for long. Hundreds of Muslims attacked him and cut him into pieces. Following this, the attackers killed 17 inmates including two women. But those who attacked the kovilakam were not Nilambur Muslims. Instead the native Muslims stopped the attackers from killing the Chief of the kovilakam saying “who is daring enough to kill our thampuran “. As a token of appreciation a monthly assistance was provided to the native Muslims by the Kovilakam. T N Bharathan said Narayanan was considered a Hero thereafter.
Kunnath Chanthu Nair
Another story is about Kunnath Chanthu Nair, who protected a village from the Mappila riot. Another unrecorded part of history. Kunnath Chanthu Nair is Edavalath Gopalan Master’s uncle. Another uncle is Kunjan Nair who is also called Chanthu. Master who retired from his job and is seventy four years old, tried to remember the riot era. Kunjan Nair had told the story to his next generations as he wished that the story will pass through them. Kunnath House is situated in Vattoli Village of Kezhakoth Panchayath of Koduvalli Mandala , 22 kilometers away from Kozhikode. The inmates of the house were soldiers of Zamorins. An old Nair house with all the aminities likes storage space, outhouse and what not. There was a kalari where martial arts were trained and presence of Shiva and Bhagavathi.
Chanthu Nair was the founder of Avuppattu Aandu Nercha during 1921 (yearly offerings) for Aboobacker Koya Thangal’s Jaram. Chanthu Nair was respected irrespective of their religion. He was an expert in martial arts too.
During the Mappila Riot, the villagers of the Vattoly village panicked learning that the attackers are barging in by killing and converting people of Mukkam, Areekode, Thamarassey via Koduvalli. Villagers including Muslims were scared. They were bothered about the destruction the attackers are going to make and also about the religious conversions that was likely to happen. They pleaded Chanthu Nair to protect the village. Chanthu Nair decided to stop the attackers from entering the Village. He gathered with all the healthy youngsters of the village. The attackers are trying to enter the Vattoli village and we should stop them from doing so. We need weapons. He also said that its always better to stop them from entering the village than fighting them in the village. People who gathered were ready to fight with the attackers. Chanthu Nair bowed before Bhagavathi (Deity) at the Kunnath House before going to take part in the riot. He also took his nephew Kunjan Aka Chanthu with him.
The young villagers along with Kunjan and Chanthu Nair went in search of the attackers. They travelled through Mukkam, Kurichipuram, Omassery and then 10 kilometers away from Vattoli village at a place called Puthur they found the attackers. The attackers were stopped there and asked to step back keeping the weapons down. Not only that they didn’t obey Chanthu Nair’s orders but instead attacked them. The villagers fought like experts in martial arts. Chanthu Nair led the villagers like an army chief. Hundreds of attackers were injured and some of them were thrown into the wells. Attackers couldn’t stand for long and they left the war ton. This is the story of a whole village that stood against the Mapila Riot. Panicker, from the village army was slightly injured and rest everything was fine with them. After the attackers left, the British came there and honored the army chief Chanthu Nair. They took him to Madras and gave him license to use guns. He was remembered as a brave soldier. Other than Mapila riot the Kunnath House stands tall for the religious harmony in the Vattoly Village. A smrithi mantapam in the memory of Chanthu Nair has been built at Kunnath House. Story of Chanthu Nair deserves an important place in the history of Mappila riot.
