Payyanur Freedom Struggle

Freedom Struggle


	KPCC conference - 1928

	Salt Sathyagraha

	Gandhiji's visit

	Other agitations

	Communist movement

	History

	Swami Ananda Theertha

Payyanur is famous for its remarkable role in the freedom struggle of the country. This small town had done a lot for the national movement. Uppu Satyagraha (Salt Satyagraha) of 1930, Quit India Movement, Khadi Propagation are some of the activities that brought Payyanur to the national arena. Because of its immense contribution to the Independence Movement Payyanur was called as "Second Bardoli".

The freedom movement of Payyanur got a new vigor and energy from the agitation for boycotting Simon Commission. The KPCC conference of 1928 held at Payyanur, presided by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, opened a new chapter in the history of the Independence movement .

Quit India Statue

KPCC Conference Of 1928

The KPCC meeting held at Vadakara on 15^th April 1928 took a decision to conduct the 4^th Kerala State Conference of the Congress Party at Payyanur from 25^th April to 27^th April 1928. This conference in which Jawaharlal Nehru had presided was a turning point in our Independence struggle as well as it started a new chapter in the history of Payyanur. The decision to announce "Poorna Swaraj" or the complete freedom as the ultimate aim of Congress was first taken in this historic conference and was later adopted by the AICC.

The organizing committee was formed which had Neeleswaram Raja as its president ,for the successful conduction of the conference. C.H Govindan Nambiar was responsible for the arrangements. The venue for the conference was the open ground near the present Govt. Hospital. The various functions held during the three-day conference were as follows:

25^th April: Khadi Exhibition, Agriculture Exhibition, North Kerala Nayar Samajam

(presided by Changanachery Parameswaran Pillai) and the Literary Session which was presided by Mahakavi Vallathol.

26^th April: Flag hoisting by Mannath Padmanabhan, Social Reformation Session, the Political Session presided by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and the Kerala Arya Samajam.

27^th April: Continuation of the Political Session and the Youth Conference presided by Dr. Varadarajalu Naidu.

It is to be noted specially that the Mathrubhumi daily called upon the people of Kerala to participate in the Payyanur Conference , along with all their family members and relatives ,through its patriotic editorials. Many resolutions were passed in this conference on various aspects like social, political and economical. But the call for the "Poorna Swaraj" or the complete freedom was the major among these resolutions. The conference passed revolutionary resolutions on the land reforms by proclaiming that the agricultural land is of the worker who cultivates and not of the land lord. The conference also requested the AICC to give Kerala a separate state status when the independent Government is formed.

C.H Govindan Nambiar

K.P.KunhiramaPoduval

A.V SreekandaPoduval

Vaidyar Srikanda Poduval

V.M.GovindanNambeesan

Abdul Rahman Saheb

Old Police Station

Salt Satyagraha

Uppu Satyagraha of 1930 under the leadership of Gandhiji was an exciting chapter of the freedom struggle . Like the other parts of India Uppu Satyagraha was organized in Kerala also and Payyanur was the location selected for it. The success of the KPCC conference and other successful activities of Congress at Payyanur were among the various reasons for selecting Payyanur as the venue for the Satyagraha.

The Volunteers of the Satyagraha started their march from Kozhikode on13^th April, 1930 under the leadership of K. Kelappan to Payyanur. The volunteers were K. Kelappan,P. Kesavan Nambiar,Ramar Kurup, M. Kunhali, P. KrishnaPillai, PR.GopalaPillai, T. Subrahmanyan Tirumumbu, V. Unnaman Unithiri, VP. Sreekanda Poduval, MV Appu, PC Kunhiraman Adiyodi, KT. Kunhiraman Nambiar, VM Krishnan Nair, V Achu, K.Madhavan, K. Kunhappa Nambiar(Keraleeyan), K Kelu Kurup, TV Ramunnikidavu, KP Gopalan, AK Varrier, A Narayana Pai, C Achutha Kurup, K Narayanan Nair, P. Madhavan Nair, MN Pisharadi, P. Kesava Pillai, KM Kunhiraman Nambiar, PC Karunakaran, KV Kunhirama Poduval, PV Kunhiraman Nambiar, NV GouriDas and K Kumaran Nair.

Uliyath Kadavu

Uliyath Kadavu Statue

After receiving warm reception and blessings from the people all the way from Kozhikode to Payyanur. The patriotic songs by P. KrishnaPillai and Kelu Nair motivated the volunteers a lot. The march received a warm welcome at Payyanur when it reached here on 24^th April 1930 and The march proceeded to the venue of Satyagraha, Uliyathu Kadavu After the addressing by Kuroor Neelakandan Namboothiripad, the Satyagraha was started. The volunteers, violating the rules of the British Government, processed the salt and sold to the people. Leaders like TR Krishna Swamy, Muhammad AbdulRehiman Saheb, Moidu Moulavi, Moyyarath Sankaran also participated in this agitation.

So many volunteers were arrested and brutally tortured by the Police. PC Kunhiraman Adiyodi and Andra Kanna Poduval, who were students, were arrested and put in Kannur Jail. Later they were shifted to Madhura and then to Bellary Jail. In Bellary, Kunhiraman Adiyodi started hunger strike against the cruel and brutal torture. After 43 days of his 'upavasa' Adiyodi breathed his last in the Jail itself and was cremated in the Jail compound itself by the authorities.

A memorial is being constructed at Uliyath Kadavu, which witnessed the historic moments of the freedom struggle.

Other Agitations

In the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1932, leaders like AV Kunhambu, TS Tirumumbu, Andra Kanna Poduval, Hareeswaran Tirumumbu were arrested. Payyanur took active role in the Congress Socialist Movement of 1936, Teachers Movement, Agriculture movement etc. The Police arrested many people for celebrating Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October ,1940 and were cruelly assaulted .

The Group of freedom fighters who believed in violent means for the freedom of the motherland was active in Payyanur also. AK Kunhirama Poduval, TCV Kunhikannan, VP Narayana Poduval were some of the people who sought strong actions against the foreign rule. VP Narayana Poduval tried to demolish the Uliyathu Bridge using dynamite was one example of this. Pilakka Kunhikannan and Kuppadakkan Krishnan Nambiar were also with VP for this terrorist action. The hoisting the national flag in the Payyanur Police Station by TCV Kunhikannan was another daring attempt. CV Kunhambu was his associate in this . VM Govindan Nambeesan known as "Peerangi Nambeesan" became a part of the history by climbing on the"peernagi" (cannon )located in the British Govt. premises at Kozhikode. Nambeesan was also involved in the propagation of Hindi, the national language and he is still active in the social life of Payyanur.

A statue is being constructed in the Sub-Registrar's Office compound (old police station) in memory of the Quit India Agitation of 1942.

Gandhiji's Visit

Mahatama Gandhi visited Payyanur on 12^th January, 1934. The visit of Gandhiji gave the national movement a new energy. Gandhiji made a visit to the Sree Narayana Vidyalaya founded by the great social reformer and freedom fighter Swami Anantha Theertha. Bapuji planted a mango tree in the ashrama compound in memory of his visit. This tree which grew a lot spreading on all sides is still green and reminds us of the historic incident.

[ Photo: Gandhiji Statue at Gandhi Maidan, Payyanur ]