Vellore - History

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Vellore - History

Vellore has the blend of rich heritage and culture representing the ancient Dravidian civilization. Vellore had the privilege of being the seat of the Pallavas, Cholas, Nayak, Marathas, Arcot Nawabs and Bijapur Sultan Kingdoms. (None of these kings or dynasties, however, is a representative of Dravidian civilization.) It was described as the best and the strongest fortress in the Carnatic War in the 17th Century.

The Vellore Mutiny of 1806 was one of the earliest upsurges against the British rule in India. Vellore District had always been on the forefront in the struggle for freedom. In fact the Sepoy Mutiny of 1806 A.D. that broke out inside the Vellore fort against the British authority is considered to be a prelude to the Great Revolt of 1857, which is often described by some historians as the The First Indian War of Independence.

The monuments found in the district give a vivid picture of the town through the ages. The outstanding performance of this district in contributing to the military service is commendable, as more and more men have enlisted themselves to the military service, to serve the national indomitable spirit and courage. The History of the district assumes a great significance and relevance, as we unfold the glorious past. It was under the sway of various dynasties and rulers, the prominent among them being the Pallavas , Cholas of Uraiyur, the Rashtrakutaa dynasty of Malkhed, Sambuvarayar, the rulers of Vijayanagarm, Mamathas, the Nawabs of the carnatic and the British.

The Monuments found in the district give a vivid picture of the town through the ages. In the 18 th Century Vellore District was the scene of some of the decisive battles fought in Ambur (1749) A.D Arcot (1751) A.D and Vandivasi (1760A.D) as a result of the long -drawn struggle between the English and the French for Supremacy.

One of the monuments of Vellore is the fort and its exact date of construction could not be established, in the absence of proper records. A very close examination of the stone inscriptions suggests that the fort in all probability might have been built during the rule of Chinna. Bommi Nayak (1526 to 1595A. D) . The fort is one of the most perfect specimens of Military architecture in South India. The Jalakandeswarar Temple inside the fort is very fine example of Vijayanagar architecture. The Kalyana mantap, on the left of the entrance, with intricate caring and delicacy of exaction, bears testimony to the engineering marble and advanced state of sculpture of the times.

Another land mark that has put Vellore on the center stage of Medical world is the Christian Medical College Hospital. Dr . IDA Scudder, the American lady, with a missionary zeal, started her Medical work in 1900 A.D. by setting up a very small Hospital, which in the last hundred years has grown into a premier Medical Institution of international repute. The central prison in Vellore , set up in 1830 A.D. is another Historically important land mark as some eminent personalities and Freedom Fighters like Thiru. Rajaji, Thiru C.N. Annadurai, Thiru. K. Kamaraj , the former presidents of India Thiru. V.V.Giri, Thiru. R.VenkataRaman had served their prison terms here. The other note worthy monuments are the Mausoleums located in Aruganthampoodi area on the Vellore - Arcot road, where the family members of Tippu Sultan were buried and the Muthu mandapam on the banks of river of palar, a memorial raised by the Tamil Nadu Government to honor Vikarama Rja Singha , the last Tamil King who ruled Kandy (Srilanka ) from 1798 to 1815 A.D. He was imprisoned in Vellore fort for 17 years.

Vellore District had always been on the fore - front in the struggle for freedom. In fact the Sepoy Mutiny of 1806 A.D. that broke out inside the Vellore fort against the British authority is considered to be a prelude to the Great Revolt of 1857, which is often described by some historians as the first war of Independence. The outstanding performance of this district in contributing to the Military service is Commendable, as more and more men have enlisted themselves to the Military service, to serve the nation with indomitable sprit and courage. The clock tower in the long Bazaar Vellore was built in 1920 A.D. a stone inscription in the building reads "Vellore - From this Village 277 men want to the Great war 1914-18,of them 14 gave up their lives ". This is a recorded testimony the Velour and Military prowess of this area.

During the decade of 1805 to 1815, serious military operations in India were few, as potential friction between the growing power of the Sikhs and the British was averted by the Treaty of Amritsar (15 April 1809), which defined the River Sutlej as the boundary between the two. In 1806, however, there occurred one of the most serious outbreaks of mutiny among the Company forces, from which the native regiments had never been immune. Their discipline was not always immaculate; for example, in July 1802 the escort for the Persian ambassador (provided by the Bengal Volunteers, recently returned from Egypt) got into a row with his retinue, and in the ensuing fight killed the dignitary they were supposed to be protecting. Also significant was the consequence of under-estimating the religious and cultural sensitivities of the sepoys, not always understood by British officers but ignored at their peril.

In November 1805 the commander-in-chief of the Madras Army, Sir John Cradock, ordered a change in head-dress from turban to `round hat', and the removal of beards, face-painting and joys' (jewellery). Caste-marks ornaments and beards often had religious significance, and `round hats' were regarded as synonymous with Christians in the eyes of the sepoys; thus the new regulations were seen as an attack upon the troops' religion. These objections, and rumours circulated by fakirs that the government was mixing pigs' blood into the salt sold in public, as a deliberate attempt to defile the religious, were used as excuses by the sons and retainers of Tipu, who lived in their palace at Vellore on East India Gompany pensions, to raise a revolt.

These factors conspired to cause a mutiny at Vellore, which was garrisoned by three Madras battalions (1st/1 st, 2nd/lst and 2nd/23rd), and four companies of the 69th Foot. The Indian regiments rose on the night of 10 July 1806, massacred the 69th's sick in their hospital, murdered officers and fired into the European barracks. By delaying to pillage the fort, they allowed the surviving British to congregate on the ramparts; and an officer who was outside the fort when the rising began went for help to the nearest military post, Arcot, the station of the l9th Light Dragoons and some Madras Native Cavalry, who were unaffected by the unrest. Providentially the l9th was commanded by Sir Rollo Gillespie, one of the most capable and energetic officers in India, and he set out with a relief force within a quarter of an hour of the alarm being raised.

Gillespie dashed ahead with about twenty men, and arriving at Vellore found the surviving Europeans, about sixty men of the 69th, commanded by NCOs and two assistant surgeons, still clinging to the ramparts but out of ammunition. Unable to gain entry through the defended gate, Gillespie climbed the wall with the aid of a rope and a sergeant's sash which was lowered to him; and to gain time led the 69th in a bayonet-charge along the ramparts. When the rest of the l9th arrived, Gillespie had them blow in the gates with their galloper guns, and made a second charge with the 69th to clear a space inside the gate to permit the cavalry to deploy. The l9th and Madras Cavalry then charged and slaughtered any sepoy who stood in their way.

The massacre of the helpless European sick so aroused the British that no mercy was shown; about 100 sepoys who had sought refuge in the palace were dragged out, placed against a wall and blasted with canister shot until all were dead. John Blakiston, the engineer who had blown in the gates, recalled that although such punishment was revolting to all civilised beliefs, `this appalling sight I could look upon, I may almost say, with composure. It was an act of summary justice, and in every respect a most proper one.' Such was the nature of combat in India where the `civilised' conventions of European warfare did not apply. This snuffed out the unrest at a stroke, and provided the history of the British in India with one of its true epics; for as Gillespie admitted, with a delay of even five minutes, all would have been lost.

Vellore - History

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