Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

one. The Thangals were seen as the agency which theoretically legitimized the revolt,
whether they were actually involved in it or not. The British legal system was in a
quandary as to how to lead with such a situation. Finding incriminating evidence against
the Thangals for aiding and abetting the revolts was impossible. As Sayyid Fasl
explained, it was the spiritual duty of the Thangals to bless those who revered them, and
blessing is not a crime. It should also be noted that while thousands of people gathered to
seek the blessings of Thangals, the number of people who were involved in a direct act of
rebellion were only a small minority among them. The Thangals also encouraged
conversions from lower castes, and patronized their kavus and ceremonies. Such
activities, and also the Fatwas they issued show that the Thangals were probably more
interested in developing alternate legal institutions to the British legal system, which had
the spiritual sanction of Islam, rather than fanning direct rebellions. This is shown by two
instances. Sayyid Fasl’s children were threatened by one Chathu Menon, a drunkard and
the head Gomastah of the Catchery of Tirurangadi. About 300 Mappilas assembled
before the police station and demanded the apprehension of the guilty. They also
demanded that the guilty may be handed over to them. Chathumenon was brought before
Thangal, who gave good advice and sent him away. Anothercase is that certain Mappilas
approached the Gasholder of Vettathunad and told him that they prefer to settle a dispute
over a cow in the presence of the Thangal than in the presence of the Tahsildar. But such
an approach was not always feasible in practice, and it was probably the myth of the
Thangals, whose supposed supernatural deeds captured the faith and imagination of the
Mappilas and emboldened them to undertake hazardous deeds. Thus the rebels used the
spiritual sanction of the blessings of the Thangals, as well as the myth of the Thangals to
create a state of insurgency, which figures prominently in the records of the British, and
was behind the murder of Connolly.