During Krishna Devaraya’s rule, Tamil Nadu was split into 64 settlements and Palayakkars/Poligars were granted the right to tax. After the disintegration of the Vijayanagara Empire, these Palayakkars declared independence and functioned like independent Kings.  Veerapandiya Kattabomman was a 17th-century Palayakkar of Panchalankurichi, near Ottapidaram in the Thoothukudi district. Veeran Sundaralingam Kudumbanar was the Army General of Palayakkar Kattabomman. He was born in Govarnagiri near Panchalankurichi.

Sundaralingam’s path to Kattabomman’s Army General

During the early adulthood of Sundaralingam, the Ettayapuram Maharaja’s private farmland was once supplied with water from a canal in Governagiri. The people of Governagiri relied on this canal for their drinking water as well. Once there was a shortage of water to Maharaja’s farms. Kattabomman ordered his soldiers to close the Governagiri channel so that his farm could be supplied with water. When the soldiers arrived in Governagiri to close the canal, they faced stiff resistance from Sundaralingam and his friends. However, the resistance they encountered was so strong that they had no alternative but to retreat. After learning of the incident, Kattabomman informed his soldiers that he wishes to visit Sundaralingam. Sundaralingam was taken to a house by the soldiers, who told him that Kattabomman would be coming to visit him. Sundaralingam was expecting Katabomman to arrive, but instead, he received two other guests. They told him that they had come to rob the house and that if he remained silent, he would get a share of the loot. Sundaralingam became enraged and fought the robbers vehemently. The robbers had no choice but to expose their identities. They were none other than the Veerapandiyan and his Secretary Thanapathi Pillai, who had come to put Sundaralingam’s trustworthiness to test. Sundaralingam was appointed as the Army General by Veerapandiyan Kattabomman.

The transition of Sundaralingam to Veeran Sundaralingam:

After India coming under direct British rule in 1857, Collectors were appointed as their representatives and given the authority to levy taxes. The Palayakkars in many places refused to pay taxes to the British government. The English government cracked down on Palayakkars who refused to pay taxes.

When many kings bowed to the demands of the British East Indian Company, Veerapandiya Kattabomman stood firm and waged a war against them, with Sundaralingam’s support. On 5^th September 1799, the British forces without any prior notice surrounded the Panchalankurichi Fort, but Sundaralingam did not back off. Not many knew that he himself had a devious plan to put an end to the British plans of destroying the Panchalankurichi Fort. To save Panchalankurichi fort, Sundaralingam and his fiancée Vadivu jumped into a British ammunition stockpile with a fire torch and detonated the ammunition, killing several British soldiers in the process. They became one of the first-ever known ‘human bombs’ and written into history for eternity. And thus he is aptly called ‘Veeran’ Sundaralingam.

Legacy towards the end:

Dr. Krishnasamy’s Puthiya Tamilagam, which emerged from the Devendrakula Velalar Federation, has asserted Maveeram Sundaralinga Kudumbanar as a cultural symbol. In 1997, when the Government of Tamil Nadu renamed Virudhunagar division of the state owned bus transport corporation as Veeran Sundaralingam Transport Corporation, it evoked opposition from several BC castes which ultimately led to caste clashes. As a result, the TN government removed the names of all  leaders and personalities from the names of districts and state-owned entities.

But the history of these immense, irreplaceable hero Sundaralingam and Tyagi Vadivu has been deliberately hidden. Even though our history pages have failed to recognize Veeran Sundaralingam, he continues to live through local legends and folklore.

(with inputs from Dr.Krishnasamy)

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