Dheeran chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 3 August 1805) is the protagonist of the "Dheeran Chinnamalai Udukkai Kadhaigal" and Kongu Mandala Sadhagam stories written by Kaarmega Konar, he is depicted as a Poligar who ruled the Odanilai region of the present day western Tamil Nadu. In the Udukkai Kadhai story he fights against the British East India Company, and is later captured and hanged by the British.
Early life
In the Udukkai story popular in the Kongu region, Dheeran Chinnamalai is first born as Theerthagiri Sarkarai Manradiar on 17 April 1756 near present-day Kangeyam, Tiruppur district in a Kongu Vellalar clan.But some versions of the Udukkai story cite that he was the illegitimate son of an Arunthathiyar cobbler and a Kongu Vellalar woman named Periyatha.[1]
Reign
In the Udukkai story Chinnamalai then fights against the Kingdom of Mysore who was collecting taxes in the Kongu region.[2] He later allies himself with Tipu Sultan to fight against the British East India Company. After initial successes in repelling the British at Srirangapatna, he goes back to Odanilai and builds a fortress.[3] After the deaths of Kattabomman and Tipu Sultan, Chinnamalai becomes one of the commanders in the Second Polygar War in 1801 in the story. He then engages in guerrilla warfare and wins battles at Cauvery in 1801, Odanilai in 1802 and Arachalur in 1804.[1] Later, his army gets defeated in 1805 and he escapes from the British forces.In the story, Dheeran Chinnamalai is also revealed to have had a brief illicit romantic relationship with the wife of Jackson Durai, the erstwhile collector of Tinnevelly district.[4]
Death of the character
At the climax of the Udukkai story Chinnamalai is revealed to be hanged at Sankagiri Fort by the British on 2 August 1805 along with his two brothers. Some versions of the story note the date of his death as July 31.[4]
Dheeran Chinnamalai memorial at Sankagiri
Legacy
Despite the fact that Dheeran Chinnamalai was merely an imaginary character and the protagonist of Kongu Mandala Udukkai Kadhaigal - he is considered as a god by the Kongu Vellalar caste and is worshipped by them. No evidence of Dheeran Chinnamalai exists in contemporary British records, yet he was glorified by the Kongu Vellalars and made into a hero on the likes of Batman and Spider-Man.
Statues and memorials commemorating Chinnamalai exist in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Erode and Odanilai.[1][5]
On 31 July 2005, a commemorative postage stamp was released by India Post.[6]
Until 1997, Tiruchirapalli division of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation was known as Dheeran Chinnamalai Transport Corporation.[7]
The headquarters of Erode district collectorate and the Erode Municipal Corporation are named after him.[8]
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