Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, The Lion Of Kerala, who had humbled Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the British in his lifetime, a truly great warrior. Also referred to as Cotiote Rajah and Pychy Rajah, one of the earliest revolutionary warriors of India, much before the 1857 Mutiny.

Born on January 3, 1753 in the lush, green, hilly ranges of Malabar, Pazhassi Raja knew the terrain like the back of his hand, and spent time, mobilizing the people there against the invaders, first the Mysore kingdom and later the British.

When one looks at Pazhassi Raja’s history of resistance, it can be broadly be divided into three phases, first one against Hyder Ali from 1773-82, then against Tipu Sultan from 1784 to 1793 and finally the British till his death in 1805.

Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore had invaded the Malabar much earlier in 1766, at the behest of the Rajah of Kannur, who wanted independence from the Zamorin of Kozhikode. A long campaign later, Hyder reached Kozhikode, where the Zamorin was forced to surrender, and pay taxes.

Considering he knew the hilly terrains of Wynad well, Pazhassi was at advantage as he began to harass the enemy through a series of ambushes. Soon Pazhassi’s fame spread far and wide, and he became one of the most powerful figure head of Kottayam kingdom.