Puli Thevar The Ultimate Hindu Warrior (1715 to 1768)

The earliest enemy of the British in India, Whose worship can break handcuffs

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Puli Thevar was a local chieftain of Hindu Marava community also known as poligar or Palayakaarar.

He was a devotee of Bhagwan Shiva & ruled an area called Nel katum sevval (the place that pays rice tribute to the Nawab of Arcot), Sankarankoil, Tamil Nadu.

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He was a just, but rebel ruler and strode the path of dharma. His personality was such that never had he failed to act against adarma whenever it raised its ugly head.

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Puli Thevar has the unique distinction of being the first ever Hindu native local ruler in the entire Indian subcontinent ever to have revolted against the oppressive British East India company prior to the hanging of soldier Mangal Pandey at Meerut cantonment who

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first protested against the use of cow's fat in the greased rifle cartridges that triggered ''Sepoy''revolt of 1857.

The British company's land grabbing spree continued vigorously and now they came down to the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula.

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After Puli Thevar, who refused to pay the customary rice tribute to the Nawob, the place became Nel Kattan Sevval ("place which doesn't pay rice tribute").

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Puli Thevar was not on good terms with the Nawab of Arcot Mohammed Ali, a close alley of the British who in 1736 took control of Madurai and southern parts after the Nayaks became powerless. His prominent exploits were his confrontations with Marudhanayagam

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(who became a Muslim convert by the name of Muhammed Yusuf Khan (1725 – 1764), who, later on rebelled against the British himself; he was a warrior in the Arcot troops, later Commandant for the British East India Company troops and both used him to suppress the confederacy

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of seventy seven Palayakkarars in Tamil Nadu. All this happened in late 1750 & early 1760s, The leader of the Marava Confederacy was shrewd and a veritable thorn against the side of the Nawab's agents.

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Puli Thevar carved a niche for himself and was a potential enemy of the Nawab of Arcot whose lordship the Palaiyakarars never accepted. Arcot Nawab had military alliance with the British forces to put down the rebels and gave them rights to collect the land revenue

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in return for their military assistance, a subtle diabolical trap set by the British to swallow lands which the Muslim rulers regretted when it became too late.

In 1757 these palayams - areas declared independence and refused to pay ''Kisthi''(land tax).

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Puli Thevar remained invincible and defeated a battalion of British and Nawab Soldiers on the banks of Thamirabarani. However, by 1761 Yusuf Khan at last suppressed the revolts for good and Puli Thevar became a victim of a trap set by the Nawob and his agents

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He was arrested by the British and Nawab's army and taken to the prison. On his way, he expressed his desire to worship Shiva at Sankaran temple. So, he sang in praise of the deity inside the temple. The moment later, there was the sound of the handcuffs getting broken.

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When the troops rushed in, all they could see was the broken handcuffs and chains; Puli Thevar was not there. They were dumbfounded and found no clues as to how he escaped without leaving any physical evidence or clues whatsoever.

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The invincible hero became an immortal hero invisible in the history of India and Tamil Nadu in particular.

There are two different versions about the
disappearance of Puli Tevar.
The rebel fled for his life as Englishmen were actively searching for him.

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Another suggestion was that the news of hanging of Puli Thevar by the British, would make the public protest against them, so the story of disappearance of Puli Thevar was just a ruse purposely concocted by the British to avoid the ire of the natives.

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Ref:
1. History of Tamil Nadu
2. SOUTH INDIAN REBELLION