User talk:NadarChembulingam

Nadar

== The Legend  of  Swayampu  Lingam  Nadar  :  The  King  of  Bandits  - Travancore == The country Robin Hood of the 19th century

Swayampu Lingam  [Nadar]  alias  Chembu  Lingam  alias  Suampu  lingam   was  a   humble  farmer  living   at  the  19th  century  Travancore  at  the early  1800s. He was  born  near  Kottaram  in  the  Kanyakumari  District   which  was  part  of  the  Thiruvidankur   kingdom  ruled  by  the  Venad  kings. Kottaram had  a  Palace  of  the  Venad  Kings. Swayampu  Lingam  was  born   in  the  Nadar  community  which  was  Kshatriya  community    descended  from   the  ancient  Pandiyan  kings  who  ruled  Southern  Kerala  and  Tamil Nadu  until  900 AD  from  Madurai.

Nadar community
But during   Sempu  Lingams times   kerala  was  ruled  by  a  another   dynasty and  the  people  from  Nadar  community   was  harassed  and  considered  low  by  the  ruling  agricultural  communities  who  were  enjoying  a  preferential  treatment  under  the  Travancore kings. The Nadar  community  was otherwise  called   Chanars ( Shanar) by  others. In the  19th century  Nadars  were mostly agriculturist  including  cultivating  Paddy. One of the professions of  Nadars  other than  agriculture  was  tapping  the  sweet  juice of  the  Palmyra  tree  which  was  rich  in  sugars   and  making  Jaggery. The fermented  juice of  palm  trees  was   also  used  to make  an ineberiating  liquour, the  Palm  Wine. Nadars though  poor  had  maintained  perfect  military  tradition  since  the  time  immemorial, since  the  days  of  the  old  Pandiyan  kingdom   when  they were the  Soldiers and Rulers for thousands  of  years. Nadar were  trained  in  martial  arts  including  the  Swordmanship, Fencing  using  sticks, Varmam / Marmam   an  ancient  technique  of  warfare  in  which  the  the  warrior  attacks  the  vital  spots of  the  opponent,  Adi  Murai,  an  ancient martial  art in which  the  opponent  is fought  with  bare  hands  etc. Nadars were  trained  in  the Kalaris (a  place  where  martial  arts are trained)  since  their  childhood.

The Feudal Lords of Travancore
Chempu Lingam was living  peacefully  as  a  farmer  in  his home town at  Kottaram  with  his  wife. But when one day he found his wife abused and killed by a  vellala  neighbour. This changed the mentality of Chempu Linka nadan as he was popularly called. Since then he waged a war against the local feudal chieftains, who had killed his wife. He avenged his wifes death by killing those persons responsible for his  wives   death. But he never attacked anybody who did not attack him. Since then  he  fought  against  injustice  throughout  his  life.

Maruthuva mala
In a  nearby hill  called  Maruthu Va  Malai ( Marunthu  Vaz  Malai  other wise  known Medicine  Hill, which  was  believed to  to  have  been  thrown by  Lord  Hanuman himself )  he  and  his friends  hid  themselves  and  started  robbing  the  caravans  passing  by.

Caravans of Bullock carts
The rich travelled in a  caravan of  ten are fifteen bullock carts  guarded by armed  guards. He and his friends watched the caravans from the top of the hill, Maruthuvamalai and other hills of the Western Ghats near the Southernmost tip of India near Kanyakumari. From the top of the hills they descended along the slopes within minutes some times riding a horse. He attacked and robbed the rich of their gold and valuables. The wealth thus attained was distributed among the poor and the destitutes of the region.

Gold through roof
Swayampu Lingam  Nadar   and his friends used to visit the houses of the poor people in the night, removed a tile from the roof and through the roof they dropped gold and money inside the house. Sometimes he  threw  money  at the compounds of poor. Many people thus got the gift of money and valuables in the night. He never waited there to feel the gratitude of those persons whom he had helped.

Warrior tradition
Chempulingam was  armed   double  barrel  hand  made  gun  and  a  Sword  as  it  was common  among  the  Nadar  warriors  and  soldiers. He travelled  light. He was  fed  by the  grateful  people  who  opposed  the  feudalism  and  oppression of  that  era. In the  nights  he  could  get  refuge  in  the  houses  of  poor. He was  particularly  not  happy  with  the  local  feudal  lords  whose  houses he attacked   with  his  friends. Chempu lingams  fame  spread  throughout  Travancore. He and his  friends  Kasi  Nadar, Duraiyappa  Nadar  were  invincible. The Royal  soldiers of  Travancore  could  not  apprehend him. Chempu Lingam  moved  from one place  to  another  place which made  capturing him  impossible. Chempu Lingam often threw  gold  inside  the  compounds,  sometimes on  the  roofs  of  the  poor people  belonging  to  different  communities  irrrespective of  origins.

Manga Pootu
He was  a  devout  Hindu  who  worshipped   in  a  temple on  the peak of  Maruthuvai malai. He never  attacked  or  killed  any   females  according  to  the  rules  of  ancient  rules of  Kshatriyas Pandiyan  kingdom. He and  his  friends  killed  those who threatened him. When he  attacked  a  line  of  bullock  cart  drawn  carriages  which  was  a  common  mode  of   transport,  he  separated  the  females. Those days  the females used to  wear a big  year ornament called  Pampatam. Chembu Lingam  bound together ears of  two  females and locked them  with  a  small  mangapootu  to prevent  them  from running  away  or    raising alarm. According to  the  ancient  Pandiyan  traditions  females cant  be  killed  in  warfare.

The British Army
Thus the  legend of  Chembu  Lingam and  his  indomitable spirit  grew  in  popularity. Still the  police  and  army of  Travancore   could  not  catch  him  for  many years  some  say  more  than  thirty years. Finally the  help  of  the  British  Regiment  from  Trivandrum  was  sought  by the local  police. The British  chased him  from one place  to another.

Jumping the open well
On one  instance  while  he  was  fleeing  from  the  soldiers  a   big  open  well   about  30  foot  blocked  the  way. Chempu Lingam  is  allegedly  jumped  the  whole  width  of  the  well  in  one  leap. On reaching  the  otherside of  the well  he  safely  escaped. Eventually the  Police  and  the  British  army  captured  and  killed  many  of  his  friends.

Daughter of Chembu  Lingam
Allegedely he  had  married  once  again  and  had  a  four  year  old  daughter whom  he  carried  on his  shoulders along  with  him. At Donavur  at  the  present day  Kanyakumari  district  one  lady  British missionary  was  living  named  Mrs.Dona. When he  was  fleeing  the  Police  Chempulingam   is  said to  have  thrown  his  four year  old   daughter  inside  the  compound  of  Miss.Dona. It is  said  that  the  Lady missionary  adopted  the daughter  of  Chembulingam, converted  her  to  Christianity and named her  Dona  too. Later the  town  was  named  after her ...Donavur.

Chembulingam killed
Finally Chempu Linga  Nadan  and  his  friend  Kasi  Nadan  were  chased  by  the  British  regiment. The British  shot  Kasi  Nadan  and  Duraiyappa  Nadar  dead. Seeing Kasi Nadan  die  Chempu lingam  is  said  to  have  lost  all  interest  in  living  further. He stood  on  top of  the hill,  threw  his  weapons  including  the  hand gun  away. He flailed  his  arms,  called  the  British soldiers  and  requested  them  to  shoot  him. One English  soldier  took  aim  and  shot  Chembu  Linga  Nadan on  the  side of  the  head  killing  him  instanteously. Thus ends  the  story  of  the  Bandit  king  who lived  poor  but  made  many  rich.