Draft:KUNJIKUTTY PILLAI SARVADHIKARYAKAR

• Comment: Fails WP:ANYBIO, lacks any sources or references. Dan arndt (talk) 01:49, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

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KUNJIKUTTY PILLAI SARVADHIKARYAKAR is an unsung hero in Kerala history. He was the Sarvadhikaryakar of the erstwhile Kingdom of Thiruvithamkur. In the present day the city is called Thiruvananthapuram and it is the capital city of the state of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram literally translates as 'thiru' ; 'anantha' ; 'puram' 'The City Of Lord Anantha'. This capital city of Kerala has gathered fame due to the world's richest temple of Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy, meaning 'The Infinite Lord with a Lotus on his Navel. 'Infinite' being symbolised by his favourite five headed serpent 'Anantha' .

However not many people know the truth that this rich and splendorous city should have been plundered beyond recognition and raised to the ground on the 'Ides of March' in 1790 by Tipu Sultan and his army. Tipu had already reached Aluva in Kochi which is under 240 kms from the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Having breached the Nedumkotta Wall in the Second War of Nedumkotta and progressing very rapidly to capture the capital of the Thiruvithamkur Kingdom on the very next day itself with the prime intension of plundering the wealth of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. This attack was planned by Tipu in utmost secrecy at his head quarters in Mysore.

However his plans were foiled by Kunjikutty Pillai who was the 'Padathalavan' Chief of Army at the time of this war. It was his street smartness and lightning quick response that saved this great city. Kunjikutty Pillai was also the personal security advisor to the Maharajah of Thiruvithamkur. He had a strong spy network; based on their feedback regarding an attack that was brewing, he personally went to Mysore under disguise and gathered first hand information on this attack. He informed the Maharajah that the attack was from the northern border. When it actually happened even his battalion that was fighting Tipu at the Aluva basin did'nt know about his strategy. He travelled quickly through the western ghats with ten of his most trusted men to reach the Bhoothathankettu dam. He dived into the dam to dislodge the large granite rock at it's base that held together this man made dam. It gave way resulting in flashfloods at the Aluva basin which swept away a major portion of Tipu's cavalry and ammunition.

His story of Valour and Patriotism was conveniently - 'given the second fiddle' by the historians inorder to divert the attention to other personalities whom they prefered to keep in the lime light. Kunjikutty Pillai would later become the Sarvadhikaryakar of the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkur under the rule of the Maharajah, Rama Varma I Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma who was born on17 February 1724 and breathed his last in 1798. He is often referred to as Dharma Raja, 'The Benevolent one' - who ruled very efficiently from 7 July 1758 - until his death in 17 Feb 1798 .

This is the story of Kunjikutty Pillai , the Hero and freedom fighter of India from Kerala; the legitimate 'Son of the Soil' ; the protector of the wealth of Lord Anantha Padmanabhaswamy who reclines in 'Yoga Nidra' .

BIRTH Kunjikutty Pillai was born into a very well known Nair family by the name 'Chandrathil Tharavadu' in the Alangad Taluk of Kottapuram Desam. He grew up to be a brave man with extraordinary physical strength. He was a brilliant war expert, talented spy and a famous magician. A branch of his family clan 'Chandrathil' still exists in the Parur Taluk, Parurthara Desam. Kunjikutty Pillai completed his childhood education as per the system followed during those years. He could read and write Malayalam and Tamil quite fluently and after learning mathematics, he then went on to learn martial arts and war tactics. He took the initial training in martial arts from the 'Koratty Kaimal Swaroopam Kalari' .This was 30 Kms from where he lived in Alangad Kottapuram. It was here that Kunjikutty Pillai got to know Vaikom Padmanabha Pillai another student at the Kalari, who also later on turned out to be a very famour warrior. From then onwards until their death, Kunjikutty Pillai and Vaikom Padmanabha Pillai developed a strong bond of battle buddies. Both of them sacrificed their lives on the 8th of April, 1809 for the sake of their mother land 'Swarajyam' for Independence from the British Raj . However chronologically going forward ; after his training in martial arts and war craft, KunjikuttyPillai travelled widely through out the length and breadth of the country eventually returning to his native place Alangad Kottapuram in a year or two.

YEAR OF HIS BIRTH British records clearly states that he was executed by hanging under the order of the British Raj on April 8th 1809 in the Malayalam year 984. Considering that he was approximately 25 years of age when he took charge in Thiruvananthapuram after the victory over Zamorins and signing of the Travancore Alliance in 1764 (which again is clearly recorded in the history books). By deducting his age of 25 years from the year 1764 the year of birth of Kunjikutty Pillai the Great Freedom Fighter from Alangad Kottapuram must have been in the Gregarian year 1739. Since a family temple's annual festival is conducted on his malayalam star birthday 'Rohini', we can arrive at a conclusion that he was born on 16/03/1739 Meena Masam Rohini Star on Malayalam year 914 and died in 1809 which is the Malayalam year 984. This is how we arrive at the information that he had lived upto a grand old age of 70 years. The average life expectancy of a warrior during those days was only 40 years. This clearly proves that Kunjikutty Pillai was a brilliant man who knew the art of survival even while being constantly exposed to many battles, blitzkrieg attacks and guerilla wars that were demanded in his line of duty.

FAMILY TREE OF KUNJIKUTTY PILLAI AND FIRST LINEAGE:- Kunjikutty Pillai was from the 'Chandhrathil' family of Parurthara Desam. The only authentic book on Kunjikutty Pillai Sarvadhikaryakar has been written by Krishnakumar C. Menon by name Memories of a brave son of Kerala - Kunjikutty Pillai Sarvadhikaryakar.

After extensive research by the Author of this book, who is also a Great Great Great Grandson of Kunjikutty Pillai it was found that he married a lady belonging to the Nair caste with a "Menon" surname. The 'Menon' surname was given to certain well known Nair families of the locality to confer the position of Nobility in matters concerning tax collection and punishments on behalf of the Kochi Maharajah. Her name was Kunji Amma. She belonged to a prominent local family belonging to the Menon caste known by the family name 'Kavungaparambathu Tharavadu' in Alangad Kottapuram.

Kunjikutty Pillai and his wife had four girl children. These four daughters of Kunjikutty Pillai were married off to four prominent Nair families in the Alangad Kottapuram region, Parurthara Desam area. One of his daughters' by name Ishwari Amma is my Great Grandmother, my paternal grand mother Pankajakshi Amma's mother.

The four daughters of Kunjikutty Pillai and Kunji Amma who was from the 'Kavungaparambathu Tharavadu bearing the "Menon" surname were married off to Four prominent nearby Nair Families

The Family Tree of Kavungaparambathu family:- My paternal great grand mother Ishwari Amma is one of the great- great -great grand daughters of Kunjikutty Pillai and was married off to my Great Grand Father Kumara Pillai who was from the most prominent local Nair family of Alangad Kottapuram by the name Kottathazhathu Veetil. Ishwari Amma bore him seven children. Their second eldest daughter Pankajakshi Amma is my paternal grand mother. Her husband was Padmanabhan Kartha from Cherthala. They had 8 Children. The eldest was Kavungaparambathu Chandrashekara Menon and I am his youngest son.

KUNJIKUTTY PILLAI AND KERALA POLITICS Kunjikutty Pillai's entry into Kerala politics was by intelligently manoeuvring the Travancore Alliance and placing himself correctly in the swing of power. After the return from his all India travel , he served the Noble men and Kings of Alangad and Parurthara desam. He was later raised to the position of Sarvadhikaryakkar of The Maharaja of Kochi. During those days the ruler of the Travancore Kingdom, Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja had annexed these two localities of Alangad and Parur as per the Alliance with the Kochi Maharaja in 1761. As soon as Kunjikutty Pillai came to know about this matter he reported for duty at Thiruvananthapuram to the Maharaja of Travancore and informed him that he was the Chief of Army of the Kochi Rajah and due to this annexation of his native place, he has come to take up a new post and is willing to relocated himself. The Maharajah duly agreed. When the Kochi Maharajah came to know about this, he called for Kunjikutty Pillai and asked him the reason for leaving. The Maharajah of Kochi was of the opinion that it was not right and agreeable to him that Kunjikutty Pillai who was a very important member of his army staff started serving the Maharaja of Travancore. He ordered ," Kunjikutty! you have to stay near me." Kunjikutty Pillai replied," you had given away my native place and since it now belongs to Travancore, I have relocated myself. The day you take back my native place, I will return to stay here and serve you." Then Kunjikutty Pillai returned to Thiruvananthapuram immediately.