Moplah Rebellion of 1921

The Moplah Rebellion or the Moplah Riots was the first manifestation of the Taliban mindset in India. It was the first armed revolt that happened in India. The rebellion took place in the Malabar region of British India in 1921 against the Hindu landlords.

In this article, we have covered the background, course, and major reasons, of the Moplah Rebellion of 1921. we have also covered the consequences of the Moplah Rebellion and many more in detail.

Let’s dive right in.

Moplah Rebellion of 1921

Overview of Moplah Rebellion 1921

Aspect	Details
Name	Moplah Rebellion (also known as the Malabar Rebellion)
Location	Malabar region of Kerala, then part of British India
Time Period	1921
Main Actors	Mappilas (Muslim peasants), British colonial authorities, Hindu landlords
Causes	– Economic exploitation by Hindu landlords – Religious grievances and perceived discrimination – Influence of the Khilafat Movement
Key Events	– August 20, 1921: Rebellion begins with attacks on British officials and landlords – Rebels proclaim the Khilafat Kingdom – Violent clashes with British forces
Suppression	Deployment of British military forces – Punitive measures including arrests, executions, and demolitions of rebel strongholds
Impact	– Thousands of casualties on both sides – Destruction of property and infrastructure – Communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims heightened – Reforms by British government to address grievances
Legacy	Significant event in Indian nationalist and communal history – Highlights complexities of colonialism, religious identity, and agrarian unrest

Moplah Rebellion 1921

The Moplah Rebellion was The Malayali-speaking Muslims or Moplah farmers who led the revolt first armed rebellion in India. The Malayali-speaking Muslims or Moplah farmers led the revolt by the Malayali-speaking Muslims or Moplah farmers in 1921. They were the largest and fastest-growing community that resides in the Malabar coastal region of northern Kerala. Exploitation by government officials and Hindu landlords was the major reason for the revolt, and the movement was sparked by the Khilafat and Non-cooperation movements in contemporary times.

Causes Of Moplah Rebellion 1922

There are so many major and minor causes those sparked the Moplah Rebellion, 1921. Here are some of them we have mentioned below:

• In 1919, the Indian National Congress (INC) started the Khilafat Non-Cooperation movement in India. Meetings and gatherings of the movement fueled the communal and anti-british sentiments among the Moplah people.
• Motivation from these gatherings and meetings came out as the manifestation of the Taliban mindset revoult in India through the Moplah Rebellion.
• Moplahs were the Islam believers who were exploited day by day by the Hindu landlords and British officials.
• Moplahs became frustrated with the British Raj. Due to their economic vulnerability, they became the neglected people under the rule of the colonial government.
• The shifting of the community by the Britishers led to a clash of religious identities.
• At that time, the community faced high rents and tenure insecurity in farming due to Malabar tenure system.

Background Of Moplah Rebellion, 1921

To understand the major reasons and the consequences of the Moplah Rebellion, we need to know about the background of the Moplahs as mentioned below:

• In the 7th century AD, Islam believers came to Kerala as traders.
• They came to this Malabar region through the Arabian Sea.
• These people got permission to carry on the trading from the native rulers.
• After that, they start to marry local women and their descendants. For this relation, they became the Moplahs. In Malayali, the meaning of Moplah is “Son-in-law”.
• In the 18th century, Hyder Ali invaded the Malabar coast and built the Kingdom of Mysore.
• Jenmi was the traditional land system of Malabar. In this, a landlord let out his lands to other people for farming.
• The Moplahs were the main cultivators of these Hindu landlords.
• After the death of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. Gradually, the British captured the Malabar region.
• Britishers again imposed the Jenmi system in the region.
• Moplah farmers faced high rents and tenure insecurity at this time.
• The Hindu landlords and Britishers started to exploit and torture the farmers.
• These incidents led to small riots in 1836.
• Between 1836 and 1896, the Moplah people killed so many British government officers and Hindu landlords.

Consequences of Moplah Rebellion

There were so many consequences of the Moplah Rebellion as mentioned below:

• The country faced a significant loss of lives and properties.
• Armed rebellion, riots, and attacks on British officials, landlords, and police.
• Around tens of thousands of people died in this rebellion.
• The rebellion created religious tensions worse between Hindus (Namboodiri Brahmins) and Muslims.
• The British authorities imposed martial law to suppress the movement.
• The trade and agriculture of the Malabar region faced a huge loss due to this incident.

Famous Leaders of Moplah Rebellion

Generally, the Moplah Rebellion of 1921 was a movement by a farmer community. In the traditional sense, the rebellion did not have any prominent leaders. But some key faces were the backbone of the movement.

Variankunnath Kunjahammad Haji

• He was the most influential leader associated with Khilafat movements in Malabar region.
• In Nilambur, he started a parallel Khilafat government based on the Khilafat system.

Ali Musliyar

• He was another influencial leader belongs to the Malabar region.
• He was a scholar who served many years as Imam of Tirurangadi Masjid and completed his education at Masjid al-Haram.
• He actively supported the Khilafat movement.

• Except them, there are so many leaders including Sithi Koya Thangal, M. P. Narayana Menon, Chembrasery Thangal, K. Moideen Kutty Haji, Kappad Krishnan Nair, Konnara Thangal, who actively suppoted the Moplah Rebellion of 1921.

Support Of The Moplah Rebellion of 1921

In the initial stage, Moplahs got the support of Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian nationalist leaders. But as it turned into a violent movement and communal riots, these leaders started to oppose it.

Collapse Of The Moplah Rebellion of 1921

By the end of 1921, the movement was suppressed by the British who had raised a special battalion. The Malabar Special Force was the special battalion, specifically formed for the riot. British authorities declared martial law and deployed so many troops here and there in the region. They conducted military operations to suppress the rebellion. Many rebels were arrested, and their leaders were tried and sentenced.

Moplah Rebellion Impact

The impact of the Moplah Rebellion was long-lasting and it became an example for the future leaders of the independence movement.

• The Moplah Rebellion was the first nationalist revolt against the British Raj.
• The conception of an alternative system of administration or the Khilafat government gave direction to the movement.
• Mahatma Gandhi was strongly criticized for supporting the Khilafat Movement. Many people believe that it caused the violence during the Moplah Rebellion.
• Educated section of the Muslim community to get involved in the violence to save their community.
• It became an example for the post-rebellion Muslim reform movements in Malabar and overall India.

FAQs FAQs Moplah Rebellion of 1921

What was the cause of Moplah rebellion?

Economic grievances, agrarian issues, and religious sentiments against British rule and Hindu Bramhin landlords were the causes of the Moplah Rebellion.

Who was the leader of the Moplah rebellion in 1921?

The Moplah Rebellion in 1921 did not have a singular leader but had local figures associated with the uprising, including Variankunnath Kunjahammad Haji and Ali Musliyar.

What was the mutiny of Moplah in 1921?

The Moplah Rebellion in 1921 is sometimes referred as a mutiny due to the armed resistance against British authorities and landlords.

Which tribe of Kerala is Moplah?

Moplahs are not a tribe but a Muslim community in Kerala, India, generally involved in agriculture and trade.

Did Gandhi support Moplah?

Gandhi initially supported the Khilafat Movement. It was indirectly aligned with Moplah sentiments.

Where did the Moplah Rebellion take place in 1921?

The Moplah Rebellion of 1921 took place in the Malabar region of Kerala, India.

Why was the Moplah Movement criticized?

The Moplah Movement was criticized for its violent actions, including attacks on Hindus and atrocities against opponents.

Who was the main protagonist of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921?

The main protagonists of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921 were local Moplah Muslims who participated in the uprising against British rule and landlords.