THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Commemorating the historic battle of Colachel, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan unveiled the ‘Colachel Victory Warrior’ statue at Colachel War Memorial in Pangode military station. The Station Commander of Pangode military station and several other dignitaries and ex-servicemen graced the occasion.
The governor praised the Pangode station for erecting a ‘magnificent’ statue representing all the unsung heroes of the Colachel War and honouring those who fought for their motherland. The event was further enriched by a spectacular display of martial arts — Kalaripayattu performed by the Madras Regiment and students from various martial art schools.
Background
In the early 18th century, the Dutch held significant economic and political control over Kerala, particularly in the pepper and cinnamon trade. On the other hand, Marthanda Varma, the 24-year-old King of Travancore, sought to expand his kingdom to the entire Malabar region after quelling the power of the nobles.
The siege of Colachel began on November 26, 1740, with continuous bombardment by the Dutch naval forces. They imposed a blockade on the Travancore coast around Colachel and plundered nearby villages. Taking advantage of the shortage of Dutch troops, Marthanda Varma’s army marched towards Colachel and caught the Dutch off guard.
They cut off supplies to Dutch garrisons and imposed a blockade on the land side. Initially, the Dutch planned to capture Padmanabhapuram, the capital of Travancore, but they underestimated the determination of the Travancore army to defend their territory.
The Dutch army consisted of about 400 men, while the Travancore army had nearly 12,000 soldiers.
A well-aimed cannonball fired by the Travancore army hit the makeshift tents of the Dutch, which housed grain and ammunition supplies, decisively tilting the battle in their favour. Dutch Commander De Lannoy was captured and imprisoned.
The Travancore army achieved a remarkable victory, completely overpowering the superior and better-equipped Dutch forces. The victory marked the first time an Asian power had successfully defeated the Europeans. A ‘Victory Pillar’ was later erected at the battle site to commemorate this historic triumph.
Historic victory
In August 1741, the Travancore army achieved a remarkable victory, completely overcoming the superior and better-equipped Dutch forces. It marked the first time an Asian power had successfully defeated the Europeans.