Battle of Kalaiyarkoil

01The march on Sivaganga

The Nawab of Arcot, Muhammad Ali, claimed tribute from the Maravar kingdoms of Ramnad and Sivaganga and borrowed Company troops to collect it. In June 1772 two columns under Joseph Smith and Bonjour joined, occupied the town of Sivaganga on 21 June and pushed on towards Kalaiyarkoil, the forest-ringed temple town where the Raja had gathered his men. On 25 June Bonjour’s force met the main body of the Sivaganga army. Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar fell with many of his followers, and the temple was plundered.

02Into exile

Rani Velu Nachiyar, trained in arms and in several languages, escaped with her daughter Vellachi to Virupakshi in the Dindigul hills, then under Hyder Ali of Mysore. With her went the Marudhu brothers, Periya and Chinna Marudhu, and the minister Thandavarayan Pillai, who wrote to Hyder Ali asking for help. From there, for eight years, the rani gathered men, money and allies and prepared her return to Sivaganga.

Person · 1730–1796 CERani Velu NachiyarA princess of Ramanathapuram trained in arms, Velu Nachiyar lost her husband and kingdom to the Nawab of Arcot and Company troops in 1772, lived eight years in hiding at Virupachi, and in 1780 marched back with the Marudhu brothers and help from Hyder Ali to take Sivaganga again.Read →