Tuesday 23 August 2011

The well at of death at Muthumana ( Oct - Nov , 1921 )


Muthumana house is in Puttur amsam, Calicut taluk and some of the worst atrocities were perpetrated here by Avovoker Musaliar during October and November 1921.  The house stands to this day on a large tract with the Sri Rama Chokad temple in front of it.  There is a large tank in the temple compound. 

Today, the old temple well has been grilled up after skeletons inside were removed and a new well has been dug in the temple courtyard. The Nagalikavu (Serpent sky line) is situated a short distance from the house.  There is an out cropping of granite with a well which formed part of the sacred grove.  A large number of bodies were recovered from this well.  The small stone idol of the serpent has now been translocated nearer to the house on to a pedestal.

                        Avovoker Musaliar had made Muthumana house his headquarters.  The Namboodiri owners had left taking with them the family diety 'Vettaka Oru Makhan' to Ramanellore near Narikunni.  The family deity had been placed on a raised sanctum sanctorum with a few steps to ascend to it within a hall situated in the house. This pedestal in the sanctum sanatorium became the seat of Avovoker Musaliar. Scores of Hindus were brought in from the countryside, some with their families, and they were offered Islam.  Those who accepted it were converted and detained, or sent away at the Musaliar’s pleasure.  Whoever refused Islam was put to the sword.  Condemned Hindus were marched to the well at the Nagalikavu shrine, beheaded and thrown into the well.  Batches of victims were thus disposed of in this way and about 50 or 60 dead bodies were later found in it. One of the Hindus named Kelappan had a most miraculous escape and has lived to tell the story.  He received two sword cut on the back of the head and neck and fell down.  Others had their heads completely severed but he escaped decapitation by sheer luck.  The rebels did not suppose that any life was left in him and one of them dragged him by the legs and pitched him into the well. The well was almost filled with dead bodies.  Kelappan who was flung on the top of them managed to haul himself up after 2 hours with the aid of a creeper which was hanging down into the well  and hid himself in a clump of trees.  He was refreshed by a little rain and after night-fall  slowly and painfully dragged himself for a distance of 8-9 miles.  He was found next morning at 8 O’ Clock and was sent to the hospital by the S.I.  He was under treatment for a month (Judgement in case No. 32A of 1922 dated 29th July 1922).

                        These acts were confirmed by Avovoker Musaliar but he attributed the beheading to his nephew Kunhi Rayin Musaliar.  He also denied that the Kanara Thangal had visited him at Muthumana Illam.

Some of the finest instances of moral courage were shown by Hindus who deliberately preferring death to Islam. On 28th October 1921 there was a case of 3 brothers and 2 friends captured like other Hindus and taken to the house. While 2 of the brothers and their  2 friends accepted to convert to Islam as the only means of preserving their lives, the second brother refused and accepted death by beheading. It was a horrible way to die, for in all such instances the head was hacked from the shoulders by repeated blows from blunt war knives.

                        Years after, the Namboodiris of Muthumana house returned.  The Idol was again consecrated after sanctifying the spot and the temple and house continues to prosper in the same place till today. 
- Gopalan Nair P55 ( Appendix IX ) / Madhavan Nair P244 / Congress Communiqué on 1st Nov 1921 / Hitchcock P 197

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About Me

I believe that the greatest Hindu deficient is not unity. It is COURAGE.