Dheeran Chinnamalai

Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 31 July 1805) was a

Dheeran Chinnamalai
Palayakkarar and Pattakarar who fought against the British East
India Company. Pattakarar of Palayakottai
Samasthanam, Kangayam Nadu

Early life
Dheeran Chinnamalai was born on April 17, 1756, in present-
day Kangeyam, to a noble family.[1] His birth name was
Theerthagiri.[2]

Chinnamalai learned all kinds of basic skills like sword training,

bow training, wrestling at a young age.[3]

Chinnamalai fought against the Mysore government who was Statue of Dheeran Chinnamalai at
collecting taxes in the Kongu region. He got the name Odanilai modelled after actor
Sivakumar's drawing
Chinnamalai since then because he stopped the collection of
taxes between Chennimalai and Sivanmalai.[3] Predecessor Kongunaadu region
Successor British Rule
Polygar wars Born 17 April 1756
Melapalayam
He allied himself with the King of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, to Palayakottai,
rescue India from the British. The alliance of Chinnamalai and Kangeyam, Tamil
Tipu Sultan saw great success in the three battles fought in Nadu
Mysore against the British. Enraged by this, the British devised a
Died 31 July 1805
new war strategy.[3] After fighting alongside Tipu Sultan against
the British at Srirangapatna, he went back to Odanilai and built a (aged 49)
fortress following the demise of Tipu Sultan.[4] Sankagiri, Salem
district, Tamil Nadu,
Chinnamalai is one of the commanders in the Polygar Wars, (Madras Presidency)
notably during the Second Polygar War that took place in 1801–
Burial July/August 1805
1802.[5]
Odanilai, Arachalur,
After Kattabomman and Tipu Sultan's deaths in 1799, Erode district, Tamil
Chinnamalai sought the help of Dhondia Wagh and Maruthu Nadu
Pandiyar and lead the local Pattakarars, notably Varanavasi Names
Gounder and Vella Gounder of Erode, Chinnamalai's sister's
husband Kumara Vellai of Perundurai and Somandurai Theerthagiri Sarkarai Uthama
Muchadayandi Vanaraya Gounder of Pollachi; Vettuva Gounder Kaminda Manradiar
Pattakarars Appachi Gounder of Paramathi-Velur and Father Rathnasamy Gounder
Aravakurichi Periya Thambi; the Naicker Polygars of Dhali,
Mother Periyatha
Virupakshi and Ramagiri among others, to attack the British at
Coimbatore in 1800.[5]
British forces managed to stop the armies of the allies and hence Chinnamalai was forced to attack
Coimbatore along with the above Polygars of Kongu Nadu. His army was defeated and he escaped from
the British forces.[6] Chinnamalai engaged in guerrilla warfare and defeated the British in battles at Cauvery
in 1801, Odanilai kangeyam in 1802 and Arachalur in 1804.[2]

Death
Some sources say he was hanged at Sankagiri Fort on 2 August 1805, as also were his two brothers; other
sources give the date as 31 July.[6][7]

Legacy
Statues and memorials commemorating Chinnamalai exist in
Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Erode and Odanilai.[2][8]

On 31 July 2005, a commemorative postage stamp commemorating

him was released by India Post.[9]

Until 1997, Tiruchirapalli division of Tamil Nadu State Transport

Corporation was known as Dheeran Chinnamalai Transport
Corporation.[10] Dheeran Chinnamalai memorial at
Sankagiri
The headquarter of Erode district collectorate office building was
named after him.

The headquarter of Erode Municipal Corporation was named after him.[7]

References
1. "Celebrating Dheeran Chinnamalai: Saluting his ideals or inciting
casteist passions?" (https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/celebratin
g-dheeran-chinnamalai-saluting-his-ideals-or-inciting-casteist-passion
s-41796). The News Minute. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
2. "Dheeran Chinnamalai statue to be installed in Odanilai soon" (https:// Postage stamp
web.archive.org/web/20071201093126/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/ (2005) released by
10/stories/2007071051470300.htm). The Hindu. 10 July 2007. India Post
Archived from the original (http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/10/stories/20
07071051470300.htm) on 1 December 2007.
3. "Dheeran Chinnamalai: 'வீரனுக்கு வீரன்.. சூரனுக்கு சூரன்..' யார் இந்த தீரன்
சின்னமலை?" (https://tamil.hindustantimes.com/tamilnadu/freedom-fighter-d
heeran-chinnamalai-257th-birth-anniversary-is-being-celebrated-today
-131681671202124.html).
4. "Dheeran Chinnamalai remembered" (https://www.thehindu.com/new
s/cities/Coimbatore/dheeran-chinnamalai-remembered/article2880960
9.ece). The Hindu. 3 August 2019.
5. K. Rajayyan (1971). South Indian Rebellion (http://archive.org/details/
SouthIndianRebellion).
 6. "Chinnamalai, a lesser-known freedom fighter of Kongu soil" (https://www.thehindu.com/toda
ys-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/Chinnamalai-a-lesser-known-freedom-fighter-of-Kongu-soi
l/article15270841.ece). The Hindu. 2 August 2008.
7. "In memory of a valiant Kongu Chieftain" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/I
n-memory-of-a-valiant-Kongu-Chieftain/articleshow/12540624.cms). The Times of India. 5
April 2012.
8. "Memorial of Dheeran Chinnamalai set for face lift" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/co
imbatore/Memorial-of-Dheeran-Chinnamalai-set-for-a-facelift/articleshow/19607361.cms).
The Times of India. 18 April 2013.
9. "Postage Stamps" (http://postagestamps.gov.in/Stamps2005.aspx). postagestamps.gov.in.
Retrieved 12 September 2015.
10. P. Jegadish Gandhi (1998). State Transport undertakings (https://books.google.com/books?i
d=8As_ndJ17jcC&pg=PA143). Deep and Deep. ISBN 9788176290845.

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