Oomathurai (real name Kumarasamy Naiyakar), was an Indian

Poligar Palaiyakkarars, or Poligar, (as the British referred to them) in Tamil Nadu refers to the holder of a small kingdom as a feudatory to a greater sovereign. Under this system, ''palayam'' was given for valuable military services rendered by any in ...

(Palaiyakkarar) from

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

, who fought against the

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...

in the Polygar Wars. He was the younger brother of

Veerapandiya Kattabomman Veerapandiya Kattabomman was an 18th-century Tamil Palayakarrar and king of Panchalankurichi in Tamil Nadu, India. He refused to accept the sovereignty of the British East India Company and waged a war against them. He was captured by the Briti ...

. He died by hanging by the British in Tirumayam, Pudukottai Dist.

Biography

Oomathurai was born to the Poligar of

Panchalankurichi Panchalankurichi is a village, 3 km from Ottapidaram and 21 km from Thoothukudi in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India. Panchalankurichi was once a Palayam and is best known as the birthplace of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, an 18th ...

— Adi Kattabomman and Arumugattammal. His birth name was Kumarasamy Naiyakar. He was nicknamed as Ooomaithurai (lit. ''the dumb prince''). Different reasons are given for this nickname. While contemporary Tamil accounts say he was nicknamed as the dumb one as a parody of his oratorical ability, European accounts refer to him as "dumby" or "dumb brother" because of his speech impairment. His elder brothers were

and Dalavai Kumarasami (Sivathiah). Oomaithurai was involved in the Polygar Wars against the East India Company. In the first Poligar war, he was captured and imprisoned in

Palayamkottai Central Prison Palayamkottai Central Prison is located in Palayamkottai Tirunelveli District, India. The prison was built during 1880 and was operating as a district jail until 1929. The jail was converted into a Borstal school in 1929, which was later transfer ...

. In February 1801, he escaped from

and rebuilt the Panchalankurichi fort which had been razed in the first war. In the second Poligar war that followed, he allied himself with Maruthu brothers (who ruled Sivagangai) and was part of a grand alliance against the Company which included

Dheeran Chinnamalai Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 31 July 1805) was a Palayakkarar and Pattakarar who fought against the British East India Company. Early life Dheeran Chinnamalai was born on April 17, 1756 in present-day Kangeyam, to a noble family. Hi ...

and Kerala Verma. The Company forces led by Lt. Colonel Agnew laid siege to the Panchalankurichi fort and captured it in May 1801 after a prolonged siege and artillery bombardment. Oomaithurai escaped the fall of the fort and joined Marudu brothers at their jungle fort at

Kalayar Kovil Kalaiyar Kovil is a historic temple in Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu, India. Location The temple is in Sivaganga District, east of Sivagangai. Name of temple Kalaiyar Kovil derived its name from the Kaleeswarar temple of the place. ...

. The Company forces pursued him there and eventually captured Kalayar Kovil in October 1801. Oomaithurai along with the Marudu brothers was hanged on 16 November 1801.

Biography

References

Further reading