We have already seen earlier from the statements of the victims that so many Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam using physical and mental torture during the period of Moplah rebellion. Several requests were received by the Zamorin of Kozhikode and the government demanding bringing back those who were so converted to Hinduism. Such a demand had come up after the cessation of the outrages. A system for switching back to the original religion by those who were willingly or otherwise converted, was known to be in force as evident from historical records, since centuries back in Kerala. Accordingly since the Zamorin felt that an opportunity should be given to those who were forcibly converted during the Moplah Rebellion to come back to their original faith, he sent regal letters to 12 High priests of Hinduism (on Karkkidakam 27th of Malayalam era 1097) requesting to make arrangements for it. This was for purposes of getting an authoritative document authorizing reconversion to Hinduism after performing some rituals for atonement and purification. Everyone had sent favorable responses to it. After this, the Zamorin discussed the matter with the Malabar District Collector. Since the reconversion was being thought of in the background of atrocities committed during the Moplah rebellion, the same needed support from the government machinery. Accordingly on Sunday, 20thof August 1922, a meeting of the priests was held at the estate Kutchery of the Zamorin in the presence of His Highness and the Collector. The following decisions were made in the meeting.
“In this meeting it has been decided after deliberations by appropriate priests and other highly knowledgeable Brahmins on the basis of scriptural provisions that :
Those Hindus who belonged to Sudra cast and were subjected to innumerable atrocities during the Moplah rebellion held from 1096, Chingam (Malayalam era) and had to undergo under threats several heinous practices contrary to accepted cast based duties, have unknowingly sinned in several ways from which they have to be redeemed and brought back into their original cast. To redeem them from the sins so committed it has been decided that the following procedure for atonement will be adequate.
Evils reckoned as Sins: 1. Shaving of head. 2. Circumcision. 3. Recital of Koran. 4. Eating of unholy food cooked by Moplahs. 5. Piercing upper ears of women and wearing of big rings like Muslim women do. 6. Subjected to intercourse with Muslims. 7. Any other acts not approved by Hinduism.
Atonements: For those who have been subjected to shaving off head, reciting of Koran, piercing of ears and intercourse, may go to a nearest temple and take “Panchagavyam” (A holy concoction made of cow’s milk, ghee, butter, curd and urine) for three days with offerings made to the Lord according to the capacity of the individual and chanting of “Narayana” or “Siva” minimum three thousand times a day.
For those who have been subjected to circumcision and other acts not approved by Hinduism, they should visit their nearest temple and take Panchagavyam for twelve days with offerings given as per one’s capacity and chant the lords name minimum 12000 times a day.
Those who are polluted by taking food cooked by Muslims, after performing “Sethu snanam”(Holy dip in the river or sea) should collect evidence of it from the concerned temple authority or the priest and visit their nearest temple and take Panchagavyam for 41 days and chant the god’s name twelve thousand times a day.
Though the above penances have to be done through a priest, those who are not capable of getting one due to distance or other reasons, may perform the rituals oneself and get evidence from the temple authority or a responsible person and submit the same before the Zamorin. Then the Zamorin will give a certificate stating that all his sins are atoned and there is no harm in taking him back into the society to which he belonged to earlier.
- It is also decided that there is no objection in doing as above and they can continue to mingle in the society as before without any hindrances
The above rituals will be sufficient for all the casts below Brahmins. All such people should follow the temple customs as ordained for the respective casts.
Signed by: 1.Cherumukku Vaidikan vasudevan Somayajipad, 2. Kaplingad Vaidikan Ravi Nambudiripad, 3.Vaidikan Perumpadappu Narayanan nambudiri, 4.Thirunavaya Vadhyan Ittirayan Nambudiri, 5., Panthalvaidikan Shankaran Nambudiri, 6.Kaimukkuvaidikan Krishnan Nambudiri, 7.Vellakkattu Manakkal Damodaran Nambudiripad,8. Vaidikan Mepalli Vasudevan Nambudiri, 9. Irivasseri Pudayuru Vaidikan Nambudiri, 10. Smarthan Pattachomayarathu Jathavedan Nambudiri, 11. A. K .T. K. M. Valiya Narayanan Nambudiripad, 12. Killimangalath MahaMahopadhyayan Narayanan Nambudiri, 13. Padinjaradathil Parameswaran Nambudiri, 14. Kariyannur Manakkal Vasudevan Nambudiri, 16. Chiramangalath Cheriya Narayanan Nambudiripad, 17. Cherumukku Vaidikan Vasudevan Nambudiri, 18. Vannilaparambath Karipath Narayanan Nambudiri. 19 Perunthitta Esaiji Krishnan Nambudiri, 20 K P Maheswaran Nambudiri, Karassery, Parayur
Signed by: R H Ellis
(Collector)
Signed by: Manavikrama Samoothiri Raja
(Zamorin)
These twenty persons were the members of the meeting arranged for facilitating reconversion of victims of forced conversion to Islam during Moplah rebellion.
The decision of the meeting was printed and published with all necessary importance by “Kerala Patrika”. Accordingly a large number of people returned to their old faith and informed about the same to the Zamorin of Kozhikode by a suitable letter. The letters received by Zamorin were found out by Dr.N.M.Nambudiri and were published by him. Since those letters are important documents the relevant details are appended below.
In a letter written by P.P.Karunakara Menon (Karyasthan) on 28th August 1922, to the Kovilakam, the names of those who had performed purification rites at Varakkal temple between 25th August and 27th August were furnished.
- Details of names: Vellattuvalappil Parameswaran enna(alias) Kutti.Nani Amma, Ammalu Amma, offspring of Ammalu Amma namely,Kuttikrishnan Parvathi,Kalyani, karthyayini,Cholakkara Kunjikutty amma, Pottakkat Kalyani Amma, Her offspring, Narayanikutty, Kuruvathodi Govindan enna Kutty, Krishnankutty Nair, Appu Nair , Narayanan Nair son of Kuruvathodi Ithuru Amma.
- Those who performed the purification rites at Tali temple between August 22 to 24.
Pulathottathil Thayyilthodiyil Madhavi Amma, son, Shankunni, Payikkat Shankaran Nair, Velayudhan Nair s/o Kannath Thambiyamma, Kunjirama Menon s/o Mukkassa Nairveettil Parukutty Amma,Mukkassa Govindankutty Menon, Gopala Menon s/o Nurungidiyamma, Sankaranarayana Menon s/o Ammalu Amma.
3 .Those who performed purification rites at Varakkal temple between August 22-27
Mukkassa Nayaruveettil Kamakshiyamma, Ammalu enna Kunjthayi Amma, Parukutty amma, her daughters, Laksmikutty, Kaveri, Bharathi,Meenakshi, Raghavan s/o Chimmukutty, Parukutty & Chenthamaran, offspring of Ammalu Amma,Sreedevi, Padmavathi, Vishalakshi, Mukkassa Sekhara Menon offspring of Kamakshiyamma.
4.Kaithakkal Jathavedan Nambudiri has informed Zamorin that Vallikkat Krishna Menon, who was subjected to shaving of head and recital of Koran had performed purification rites at Andkizhane Shiva temple on 1097 Chingam 16 (Malayalam era).
- Perur Neelkandan Nambudiri had informed of the details of those who underwent purification rites at Thachara temple during 26th to 28th of October 1922.
Mavur Kannanpilakkal Konthan, Krishnan, Shankaran Raman, Krishnan, Imbichunni, Pulparambil Krishnan, Kakkasseri Kunjan enna Chappan, Shankaran, Kodisseeri Raman, Elampulasseri Appu, Koomamkuzhi Sankaran, Poolakodu amsam Vadakkeveettil Unnikunjan, Alikkathodi Narayanan, Peeruvayal desathu Veluthedathuprambil Govindan, Mavoor amsathil Edukkandi Korukkutty enna Theeyan.
- Kannathali Ghrini Nambudiri informed on 1098 Thulam, 28 (Malayalam era) that Eranad thaluk, Nannambra desathu, Poozhikkal Narayanan’s daughter Oolikkutty sat in prayer for 41 days at Kannathali Siva temple and completed the penances.
- Thennatt Sreedharan Nambudiri had sent details of those who underwent purification rites supervised by Vallakkat Bhattathiri on 1098 Kanni 6 (Malayalam era)
Thrikkalyur desathu Anabhagath Nambiar, Govindan, Karikkad desathu Nambrath Narayani, Kali, Ithiru,(Minor child) Panotha Narayani, Thrikkalyur desathu Moongathadathil Narayanan.
- As per the letter written by Eranad Thaluk, Cheekode amsam, desathu, Areekkara azhakath Sankaran about those who underwent purification rites at Cherukuttassery Vettakkorumakan temple.
Puthanpurayil Kunjan Nair,Chiruthevi Amma, Chinnamma, Kanakkot Govindan Nair, Narayani Amma, Kiriyarakath Karunakara Panicker, Chundalingayil Velayudhan Nair, Cheruvayur desathu Kulangara Karunakaran Nair, Kannanthodiyil Chathukutty Nair.
- From letters sent by Zamorin allowing people to follow the cast related practices as before, the following persons also seem to have come back to their original faith.
February 21st 1923: Alakkal Kunju of Eranad taluk, Parappur amsam, Iringallur desam.
March 2nd 1923: Eranad Taluk, Areakode amsam Ugrapuram desath Parikkamale Chekku.
March 7th 1923: Kozhikode taluk Chulur amsam deasth Pilathayi Narayanan, Poolakode amsam Nayarukuzhi deasth Iripra Koru, Cholkkal Kannan.
March 21st 1923: Palakkad taluk Koduvayur amsam desath Puthiyaparabath Parakkad Velu.
December 9th 1926: Thachamath Vadakkeppat Ittirarichan enna Kuttan. (This man underwent imprisonment of two years during Moplah rebellion period before reconversion to his old faith)
Only very few details are available about those who returned to their old faith. More details have to be unearthed in this regard. A large number of people have come back to Hinduism through AryaSamajam at Kozhikode and Ponnani.
