The British Suppression of the Maruthu Brothers, 1789

At the end of the 18th century, the Sivagangai rulers in Tamil Nadu, Periya Maruthu and Chinna Maruthu, tried to suppress growing influence of the East India Company. In response, the Company at Tirupathur tried its best to crush them. The task of capturing the Maruthu siblings was entrusted to Colonel James Stuart who entered Tirupathur on 29th April, 1789 with the British Army, supported by a troop of 3000, sent by the Todaiman chieftain. Maruthu's armed forces fought with burning logs from the villages of the Kollangudi area surrounded by thick forest and mud walls. Despite the brave fight, on 14th May the colonial military forces forced the Maruthu brothers to retreat and flee to the Kalayarkoil forest. From Madras, Thanjavur, and Tiruchirappalli, Stuart received reinforcement and called for an attack on the forest. The two brothers reached the French General's camp at Ramamangalam, who had helped train the troops of the patriots. However, the British army also captured the Kalayarkoil forest. The Maruthu brothers had to leave from there also to Piranmalai and eventually fled into Tipu Sultan's territory. The Maruthu brothers were eventually captured and hanged in Tirupathur fort on 24 October, 1801, but the flame of revolution they ignited continued to burn for generations to come.