Changing Political Scenerio of Malabar in the Vicinity of Agrarian Unrests (1800 -1884)

Abstract

Agrarian unrest in world context or Indian context of historical research always tends to relate itself with some kind of reaction or retaliation against some kind of oppression meted out to the people belonging to the lower strata of society by the privileged class better known as class of elites. While analyzing the impact of such struggles upon the society one can clearly understand the changes it brought about in the society affecting various spheres of development directly or indirectly.It also provides a vivid picture aboutthe underlying reasons behind such outbursts and thereby serves as an apt indicator of the nature of the then society affected by such unrests.This eventually happensas agrarian sector plays a major role in affectingsociety as it is unduly depending upon the same for basic sustenance. Hence, it is always advisable to understand the problems related with agrarian sector to clearly analyze the problems related with society which is exactly what the nationalist leaders of Indian freedom struggle did to find solution to along period of suppression by British regime.British always targeted the agrarian sector and land revenue settlement related with the same to control the basic crux of the society. Furthermore, it also played a major role in impacting upon the socio-political scenario of India. Thus, by and largemany agrarian unrests broke out as a result of the unscrupulous exploitation meted out to the peasants and tenants by the landlords and other higher officials related with agrarian sector and related taxation policy followed by various agencies both local as well as foreign in nature. However, speaking about agrarian unrests affecting the society, the one related with peasants and tenants of Malabar region in Kerala attains a special position pertaining to movements related with Indian freedom struggle. This particular, agrarian unrest that transpired in Malabar region stands out among the other in the sense of its impact upon the society, the range of out breaks in a span of say 84 years and the underlying reasons behind such a series of revolts raised against a regime within a stipulated point of time clearly states about the condition of the Malabar society at that particular point of time. Thus to make a clear evaluation about the changing socio-politicalscenario of Malabar in the vicinity of a series of agrarian unrests and its impact upon Indian freedom struggle, one need to understand about the socio political nature of the then Malabar society, the very reasons that paved the way for such agrarianunrests, the impact of such unrests upon the society and last but not the least the predominant role played by such outbursts in paving the way towards Mappila rebellion which in itself played a major role in affecting the course of Indian freedom struggle in a peculiar way Moreover through a scrutinized study of such a problem one can clearly trace out the condition and the life pattern of the society that existed in the then Malabar of 1800.