How 5 British cannons in Kollam and a coastal enclave shaped India's freedom struggle

The Cantonment Maidan in Kollam, popularly known as Peeranki Maidan, once served as the military powerhouse and ammunition depot for the British forces. It was from this strategic base that the British military orchestrated their campaign against the legendary Travancore prime minister, Velu Thampi Dalawa. Today, five historic cannons stand quietly at the TK Divakaran Memorial Park, serving as silent witnesses to a bygone era of conflict and a fierce struggle for independence.

The maidan is steeped in the memories of revolutionary milestones, including the historic Kallumala Samaram. It is also a site of solemn sacrifice. In September 1938 (Chingam 17, 1114 in the Malayalam calendar), the ground was stained with the blood of martyrs. A massive crowd had gathered at the maidan, defying British prohibitory orders, to attend a public meeting organised by the State Congress demanding responsible governance.

In those days, the Lal Bahadur Stadium did not exist, and the vast open field hosted the swelling crowds. Tensions escalated as protesters clashed with the police. The confrontation turned violent and lasted for several hours. Six brave freedom fighters—including Asramam Lakshmanan, Ayathil Balakrishna Pillai, Kollurvila Maideenkunju, and Kureepuzha Kochukunju—fell to police bullets. Two others were severely wounded. Witnesses of the era recalled that the police hurriedly took the bodies of the martyrs to the cemetery and cremated them together to prevent further public outrage.

The British administration cracked down heavily on the protest leaders. A high-profile case was registered against 28 people, including Pathanapuram Edamulakkal Kochukunju Govindan (KC Govindan), Eravipuram Udayamarthandapuram Narayanan Vasudevan, Mayyanad Kunchan Kesavan (C Kesavan, who later became the Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin), Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai, Minattupakuthy Advocate Geevarghese Koshi (MG Koshi), and Editor Sukumaran. Prominent leaders C Kesavan, Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai, Editor Sukumaran, PG Varghese, and MG Koshi were sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped with a fine of ₹50 each, while other accused received varying prison terms and fines. While the rest of India celebrated independence in August 1947, the historic coastal enclave of Tangasseri remained under British control for a while longer, making it perhaps the last territory in the Kollam district to join the Indian Union. Spanning just 96.55 acres, this tiny peninsula was ruled by the British from 1806 to 1948. At the time of India's independence, the authority to assign land in Tangasseri rested with the British-controlled Sub-Registrar of Anjengo, under the administrative jurisdiction of the Tirunelveli Collector.

During his tenure as the Diwan of Travancore, Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer made several attempts to annex Tangasseri into the Travancore kingdom, but his efforts met with stiff resistance from local residents. To assert their identity and maintain security, the locals helped construct an archway at the entrance of Tangasseri where guards were posted. The British had even set up a dedicated judicial court solely for the enclaves of Tangasseri and Anjengo. Today, this historic enclave has transitioned into a bustling municipal ward of the Kollam Corporation, but its colonial architecture and storied past continue to captivate visitors.