Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

unto death, presumably because they believed that their case was a lost one. Probably the
most interesting point is the conversion itself, in front of the Thangal, showing that the
oppressed castes were using conversion as an act of defiance, and Thangal was actually
encouraging such acts, as an act of proselytisation and also against the Janmis. Sayyid
Fasl continued this anti-landlord stance and encouraged conversions in a big way.
Cherur revolt took place in October 1843. Another incident that took place earlier in
1841 was at Muttiara near Thalappara. The revolt centered on the murder of another
landlord, Thottassiiri Thachu Panikkar. The incidents began when Panikkar complained
that a person, named Naganar Moideen started a shop and a schoolroom in the waste land
held by Panikkar without obtaining the due permission. Moideen denied this and refused
to move out, although it was found later that they had held the land from Panikkar first
under mortgage and afterwards on full purchase. Panikkar sent his people to capture
Moideen. Apparently, Panikkar was acting according to the information given by his
karyasthan, Athikkal Achchu (athenkatt Achchu? There is no family with the name
athikkal in the area today).Panikkar and people went to the Muttiara mosque, and
disturbed the devotees who were assembled for their Friday noon prayer in the month of
Ramadan. There is another version also, that Panikkar was traveling in his cart, chewing
betel and spat his chew out, and the spit fell on an assembly holding their noon prayer.
Moideen was dragged out of the mosque and was bound. Whatever may be the reason; a
group of Mappilas, relatives of Moideen pounced on Panikkar and the peon and killed
them. On November13, 1841, a posse of British soldiers was sent out to capture the
Mappilas who were hiding in the mosque. When the British soldiers advanced the
Mappilas rushed out to meet them and eleven Mappilas were killed, that included
Kaithakath Moideenkutty, who was one of the principal functionaries of the mosque. The
soldiers seized the bodied, refused to hand them over to the Muslims for the due burial,
and threw the bodies into stone pit. Later, on November17th, about 200 mappilas forcibly