Madras High Court allows stupa for 1755 war heroes: ‘If Stan Swamy can have memorial, why not them?’

It was placed on record that Natham Kanavai witnessed a “bloody confrontation” in 1755 between the Melur Kallars and the British forces, in which the Kallars emerged victorious. The petitioner submitted that British troops, led by Colonel Alexander Heron, had looted brass idols from the Thirumogur (Koilkudi) Temple, which were later successfully retrieved by the Kallar community after the battle.

Here are the reasons the court considered for granting permission to install the memorial stupa.

• ‘Salad bowl’: India has “civilizational unity”. When the USA is said to be a “melting pot”, India is metaphorically termed as a “salad bowl” since India has a “collection of communities and sub-communities” that speak different languages, belong to different regions, and therefore, historical memories associated with such identities can be harnessed for higher purposes.

• ‘Kallar Community’: The Kallar community has a martial background and can be compared to Gurkhas and Rajputs, and was branded as “criminal tribes” by the British. The community languished for decades and faced untold hardships till the legendary leader Shri Pon Muthuramalinga Thevar redeemed the community.
• ‘Tamil soil’: It was pointed out that after the British started ruling the nation, there was resistance and struggle, with some scholars holding the view that the first war of Indian independence was not waged in 1857, but much before, and it was waged from the Tamil soil. Taking judicial notice, it was observed that the British “met their match” in the Madurai region, recalling figures such as Velu Nachiyar, the Marudu brothers, Puli Thevar, Kattabomman and Oomaithurai.
• ‘Success begets more successes’: Referring to the cynical maxim “success has many fathers but failure is an orphan”, it was pointed out that there is a converse to this maxim, which is “success will beget many more successes”.
• ‘Relished memories’: It is necessary to celebrate the battles when the natives won against the colonial army since every such victory was obtained at “great cost”, against “impossible odds”, and it deserves to be “relished”, and the memory of the martyrs “honoured”.
• ‘Chess capital’: It was highlighted that Chennai is the Chess Capital of India and is now home to a “host of superstars” in that sport, including Gukesh Dommaraju, the current world champion, and others such as R.Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Pranesh, Ilamparthi, Aravindh Chithambaram, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to celebrate success as it can motivate, instil inspiration and trigger transformation.
• ‘Duty of citizen’: Article 51A of the Indian Constitution mandates that it shall be the duty of every citizen to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom and to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.

In its November 26 order, the high court held that the practising lawyer is at liberty to erect the memorial stupa for “Natham Kanawai War” in the petition-mentioned land.