Unni Moosa of Elambulassery
Posted by Labels: Elumbulassery, Malabar - English period 1800-1900, Unni Moosa
And the Jungle Moplahs of
Malabar
Many of you would remember this name from the stories of
Pazhassi raja and the blockbuster Mamooty movie where Moosa’s role was taken up
by Captain Raju (Sankaradi in an earlier version). He was certainly a colorful
character and never really brought to light. As one of the first people who
went up in arms against the British taking over Malabar, working with the
Padinjare Kovilakom Ravi Varma, I thought he deserved a deeper study. So let us
take a look at what he was upto in those turbulent years when the British were
making hay in Malabar, consolidating their spoils of war with Tipu and
subjugating the people of Malabar under their rule. One must also bear in mind
that the situation in those days was certainly turbulent and law and order was
particularly lacking in many places after the decimation of feudal order by the
marauding Mysore Sultans. Many of the so called anti-British Moplah guerillas
of that time, though united against the British carried on (or allowed)
activities not condonable at any time, such as kidnapping children for slavery,
which the British used to good effect in their propaganda.