User:Tintin1107/Paliath Achan

History of Kerala Vol 1 Page 512/627

22.   Paliyath Atchen. Even now, the Psliyaft Atchen is the premier nobleman of the Cochin State. Till recently, he was the hereditary Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom. He was the ruling chief of his own territories and possessed an excellent army. He held political relations directly with�

N. 22.]                     PALIYATH ATCHEN                            513 the foreign nations who held power on the coast. He was entitled to and was levying transit duties. As sovereign of the territories over which he held sway, the properties of extinct families within his jurisdiction escheated to him. Our author says that the dignity of General-in-Chief of the kingdom had hitherto belonged to another family. This dignity was at first hereditary in the family of Naykar Vittil Atchen, another chief of some fame. When and how the Naykar Vittil family became dispossessed of the dignity does not appear. After them, it devolved on the Paliyam family. The Kgralotpatti, however, says that Cheraman PerumSJ, in constituting the Perimpatappu or Cochin dynasty, gave the Cochin Raja 42 (or 72) ministers, of whom Paliyatt Atchen was the chief. Of these dignities of hereditary Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Cochin kingdom, the Paliyam family was deprived by the British Government for rebellion in 1809. We have little or no record of the Paliyam's doings during the Portuguese period. The Paliyam, however, seems to have taken a prominent part in the sieges of Cfanganur and Cochin by the Dutch. Bishop Sebastioni more than hints that the Paliyam had always proved faithless to the Por- tuguese and attributes the fall of Cranganur to the betrayal of a weak quarter, where the Paliyam and its followers had stood guard. The chief is said to have played a double game. While pretending to be friend- ly to the Portuguese, he was secretly treating with the Dutch. So early as the i2th of March 1661, i. e., two years previous to the capture of Cochin, the Psliyaft Atchen met Van Goens, the Dutch Admiral, and entered into an agreement with him, by which he placed himself under the protection of the Dutch East India Company, who were to restore him by force to the territories of which he had been deprived by the Portuguese and his other enemies, whilst, on his part, he undertook to BM.�

514                      LETTERS FROM MALABAR              [L. 8. obey the Dutch in all things- This agreement was entered into on board the ship De Muscaatboom. The following is the full text of the engagement: 411, Paljetter Come Menone, chief of the island of Baypin, being in difficulties on account of the Portu- guese and other enemies named, about having done great harm to my land and my subjects and having acted as my enemies and caused trouble to me, for which reasons, finding myself powerless to resist the said enemies, am compelled to look out for a powerful nation which will maintain and protect my land and subjects. With this object in view, I pray for and accept the protection of the Honourable United Ne- therlands East Indian Company in order that they protect me including the king of Zamorin, against all mischievous people and enemies of my state. And at the same time, I yield and surrender to the same Hon- ourable Company my person, territory and subjects. c< The council of this defensive fleet, in view of the active desire and earnest perseverance of the Paljetter, Come Menone, chief of the island of Baypin and Che- notty, has agreed to place him under the protection of the United Netherlands East Indian Company with the approbation of His Excellency the  Governor-General and Council of India, in so far only as the Honourable Company has power and opportunity with God's help to assist him, provided he assures us on his part,  that neither he nor his legal successors shall ever  make a contract or alliance with the Portuguese, either direct- ly or indirectly, under such  pain  as  is prescribed  by law, and more especially of losing his territory, person, subjects and properties, belike  as he has   made  sur- render of these to us in a separate  letter. On board ship,  the   Muscaatboom,   I2th   March   1661    (at    the bottom of the page). With approbation of the Honour- able members of the Council of India, (signed) Ryklof Van Goens (on the margin). The Honourable Com- pany^ seal and underneath this:  By order of His Hon- our, signed (Mr, Huysman, swora clerk)11.�

N. 22.]                           PALIYATH ATCHEN                      516 Cochin was captured by the Dutch in 1663, and the MUfta TSvali, Prince Vlra KErala Vaf ma, was in- stalled as Raja of Cochin. Three years after, on the 5th of April 1666, we see the Dutch Admiral entering into an engagement with Psliyaft Atchen guaranteeing Dutch protection against aggressions by the Malabar powers. It says, "If any of the Rajas of Malabar were to do the slightest injustice to the Psliyaft Atchen, his manager or any of his subordinates, such as do any- thing against the rules or do anything against the privileges granted by the ancient Rajas, the Commodor of the Company at Cochin shall order them to observe the rules and privileges. If, in spite of that, they were to do any further injustice, the Company itself will interfere}in the matter to help the Atchen and redress his grievances." The following letters will show in what estimation the Dutch held the Psliyaft Atchen, and how ready they were to render all assistance to him, whenever wan ted. They also throw considerable light on his power and status on the Coast at the time: " To " The Noble Lord, 14 The Palyath in the kingdom of Cochin. "We received two letters of your noble person of which we have seen the complaints regarding the in- jury and diminution, which your Excellency suffered in your honour and reputation. We ordered Mr. Flors Blom to repair there as our Commissary, and recommended him to do everything possible to please your noble personage, and have written to our new Commander Adrian Van Ommen to give your Excel- lency all possible pleasure. We further pray the Al- mighty to spare your Excellency for many years with�

516                   LETTERS FROM MALABAR                 [L. 8. health and prosperity, and with our cordial salut- ation, "We are as the good friend of your nobility, "(Signed) Neder Govoica, "The Governor-General of India. "Wiltun Van Outhorn- "In the Fort of liatavia, 2oth August, 1690. "Agreed with original- "(Signed) Paulus De Roo, "Secretary/' "The Paliyatt Atchens, being Chief Commander of and First Noble under, the Kingdom of Cochin and as such rendering faithful and ready service to its King did *          *          *         testimony of his Praise- worthy Sacrifice through the Admiral Ryclof and con- sidering we had not at that time become settled on the coast, did yet readily take from us an assurance. So wishing to renew our testimony in favour of the said Paliyatt Atchens, the Commander and Council for the time being are recommended to favour the said Paliya|t Family, should such be required, and to help them and defend them from their enemies because the Honour- able Company are indebted to them and are therefore bound to defend them. "On the Ship Dregterland\y\n% at anchor in the Roads at Cochin:— "23rd November 1691. "(Signed) A. V. Reede. "(L. S) "By order ofJHis Excellency. "(Signed) "Sea—Secretary." A few years later, we come upon a further com- munication, which shows that the Dutch Government sought the aid of the Psliyajt Atchen in dealing with certain country powers, and that the East India Com- pany cherished the friendship of the the Psliyatt house.�

518                LETTERS FROM MALABAR                     [L. 8. merchants had to be left unnoticed, as the Company felt that it was no match for his superior power- His own sovereign did not, however, leave the incident un- noticed. We learn from the chronicles of the Cochin State that, during the reign of king Ravi Vafma who died in 1732—3, Paliyatt Ikkela Atchen, a junior mem- ber of the family, slew one Malapai, a rich Canarese merchant, and committed other atrocities, for which the Raja assumed all the Paiiyam estates lying outside Chennamangalam, and confined the Paiiyam family and its adherents to Chenftamangalam. Many followers of the Paiiyam house were also slain. The Paiiyam faction caused considerable disturbance, and the country was much distracted, owing to the disturbances oc- casioned by Paiiyam and by the adherents of the Raja. But, before the Raja died, the differences were made up at the instance of Ittunni Kumaran Atchen and Kufiftittunnan Atchen. Paiiyam had to pay a heavy fine, and peace was restored in the country. In spite of the check thus administered to his ris- ing power by his suzerain, the Paliyajt Atchen continued to prosper and to consolidate his authority. The Raja of Cochin soon came to be completely under the influ- ence of the Atchens, and the Paiiyam estates spread far and wide throughout Cochin. The Dutch Govern- ment records of Cochin of the year 1743 say that "Paliyatt Atchen, or free Raja, had a residence at Chenotta (Ch5fifiamangalam), close to CfSnga- nur, and was the free-lord of the island of Vypln, and some time previously, he had become the ruling sovereign of Manakkotta and Mullurkkara, lying above ChEffuvaye: also his rights extended over the old kingdom of Williar Wattata (VillSr-vattam), an island, a little to the north from the town of Cochin, which he got, in Ancient times, from the king of Cochin who had inherited the same from a Nayar chief." The territory of Mullurkkara covered an area of 264 square miles. In 1743. it was a free-lordship possessed by the�

N. 22.]                    PALIYATH   ATCHEN                           51g Atchens of Manakkote, which was but another branch of the house of Psliyam. "It has since been rooted out, and hence it has now passed into the hands of the branch to which the present PaliyatJ Atchen belongs.111 They held it till 1809, when, on Psliyam rebelling against the British Government, it was assumed by the Raja and transferred to the Talappiili Taluk of Cochin. The Paiiyajt Atchen, as chief minister, continued to direct the affairs of Cochin, holding supreme power, and, at times, casting into the shade even the royal authority. In the year 1753, Paliyatt Komi Atchen, who was a clever diplomatist, succeeded, from his confinement at Trivandrum, in bringing about amicable relations between the Rajas of Cochin and Travancore, much to the advantage of Cochin. It was about this time that the Zamorin made endeavours to allure the Raja of Cochin, promising to give tip his hereditary feud with that State, if the Raja would only join the Zamorin in attacking Travancore. Looking to the recent events, the Raja was inclined to close with the bargain, but Komi Atchen felt the danger of the enterprise ; he foresaw the disaster it would lead to, and wisely weaned his sovereign from evil counsels, with the result that it was not long be Lore Cochin was able finally to drive the Zamorin out of Cochin territory with the active co-operation of Travancore, Of this Psliyaft Atchen, the Dutch Governor Moens writes, " The last Paljetter and Prime Minister of the king of Cochin, who died on the i;th June in the year 1779, was a statesmanly man and always full of plans to reinstate his king-" The Psliyaft Atchens retained their power till the year 1809, when the then Vaiia Atchen or senior mem- ber, in conjunction with Velu Tampy Dalava, minister of Travancore, incited a rebellion against the English, and endeavoured to murder Col. Macauly, the British i,   Moens' Memorials.�

520                    LETTERS FROM MALABAR                  [L, -8 Resident. The Atchen was then deprived of all his dignities, and deported to Chingelpet, and his estates confiscated to the State. From that time, the Psliyaft Atchens ceased to be hereditary ministers of Cochin, though they are even now reckoned the premier noblemen of the State. The exiled Atchen died at Chingelpet. The Paliyam estates were, after some timei restored to the family, but the chief was shorn of many of his dignities. Still, the Paliyam continued to com- mand considerable influence in the country though not at court. Latterly, the Cochin Rajas have, in one way or other, managed to curtail the power and influence of the family. Large estates, which have been enjoyed tax-free from time immemorial, have been assessed to tax on the plea that the Paliyam failed to prove the grant under rules passed by the State. The laws of escheat enforced by the revenue authorities, the jurisdiction of Civil Courts being taken away by special legislation, have also been the means of depriv- ing them of the Manakkote estate.1 The power of interdiction from, caste exercised by the Raja has also been the means of lowering the Paliyatt house much in the estimation of the people, and the family had to make large sacrifices to obtain communion with caste mem- bers. The following letters show what power the Atchen wielded in the country at one time, and how his assistance was availed of by Col. Macauly in those troubulous times: "INFORMATION. " The Resident of the Court of Trivandrum has ac- cepted the proposals made in the letter sent by Paliyat Achen through the hands of his man and also the ver- bal proposals delivered by the same message which will be without delay made known to Government un- til a favourable reply be obtained from Government. I have to say that the Resident of Trevedan is i.    This estate has been subsequently   restored  to  them on payment of a heavy fine, but not rent-free as before.�

N. 22.]                       PALIYATH ATCHEN                        5S1 acquainted that PSliyaft Atchen feels great sorrow on account of the misdeeds he had committed and on account of what had passed in the Court of Trevedan. I do recommend herein Pallya^: Atchen, as soon as he re* ceives this letter, to write a letter signed and sealed by himself stating that he will break off his close friend- ship with the Diwan of Trevadancoat    That he will act agreeably to the orders of the   Honourable Com- pany, that he agrees to let the  Company's forces come through the Territories of the King of Cochin. That he will supply those forces with provisions on receiv- ing the value of such supplies from  the   Honourable Company and that he will afford every assistance to serve the avowed enemy of both countries in the man- ner the Government of   Honourable Company  may judge proper. The Resident of Trevadancoat gives also assurances that,  agreeably   to the  former  agree- ment, he will procure the Honourable Company's as- sistance for the King of Cochin, that he will cause the necessary   respect  to    be  paid, that he will protect Paliyat Atchen,  his  property and his  relations   and afford them sustenance, and that he will make  proper inquiries and  regulate    matters. As for  all  other matters, the King of  Cochin, PSliya^ Atchen and the Inhabitants must faithfully depend upon  the goodwill of the British Government through the medium of the Resident of Trevedancoat since they are well acquaint- ed with the laudable proceedings of that  Government from a length of time. "ioth February,  1809 uOr l'27th Macarum, 984 "(Signed) C. MACAULY." "To " Colonel Macauly, 11 &c.             &c.              &c* " I have perused the letter you sent to me and have understood the contents of the same. Agreeably

522      LETTERS FROM MALABAR        [L, 8. to the instructions contained in this letter, I have broken off the friendship which had till now existed between me and the Diwan of Tiruvidam Cotta. I will strictly abide by the orders of the Honourable Com- pany, and I do also consent to the Honourable Com- pany's forces to pass through the territories of the King of Cochin. I will send for the necessary pro- visions and supply the Honourable Company's forces with them for price* \ I will also afford my assistance to the Honourable Company in all the measures they may adopt against their enemies. As I have now agreed to all these terms in writing, I entreat that you will yourself procure every necessary assurance for the King of Cochin, for his Kingdom and for myself. I beg also to be favoured with a reply to this letter acquainting me that this letter has reached that place and treating about the assurance you may obtain for doing in such things after acquainting the Government with these circumstances. " 28th of the month of Tye of the year 984, "(nth February 1809). "The Signature and Seal  of   Paliyaft Atchen."