“Excerpted from p.115-120 C Gopalan Nair ‘The Moplah Rebellion, 1921’ - 12/n (Source: https://threader.app/thread/1452681793765838857)
When reading through C Gopalan Nair’s deeply disturbing ‘The Moplah Rebellion, 1921,’ I came across this heartening piece in the midst of the stomach-churning account of atrocities perpetrated on Hindus.
The Zamorin Raja of Calicut met with a council of Nambudiri Vaideekans - to decide the fate of forced converts during the rebellion.
“Our thanks are mainly due to the Arya Samaj Society for effecting re-conversion of forced converts. When the alarming news of a large number of Hindus forcibly converted to Islam reached Punjab, it shocked the - Hindu public there, and Mahatma Hans Raj, President of the Arya Pradeshika Pratinidhi Sabha of Punjab, Sind, and Baluchistan was moved to help these unfortunate brethren in Malabar. He sent Arya Missionary Pandit Rishi Ram to Calicut.”
In addition to giving relief to the refugees, he undertook a reconversion of forced converts.
“…When rebellion subsided, Arya Samaj workers proceeded to the rebel area and gave relief to those converted families who were still keeping back under the fear, of rebels. They were brought to Calicut and other safe places and re-admitted into Hinduism again. Even after readmission if/when any objection was raised by the orthodox people about giving equal treatment to the readmitted persons, the Samaj workers were sent to explain matters and to persuade the people to treat themas their brethren as before the rebellion! The result was that almost all the forced converts with the exception of a few stray cases were restored to Hinduism, who otherwise, would have continued asMoplahs - 6/n+ or formed some outcaste sections…” (Pandit Rishi Ram’s Letter).
The work of the Arya Samaj in Malabar was unique: forcible conversion commenced with the Mysore conquest and during the past hundred years and more it was found impossible to effect reconversion. A few families still exist in Malabar whose ancestors, were forcibly converted during the time of Tipu and who, on his departure relapsed to Hinduism but still remain as a separate section known as ‘Chela Nayars,’ without being permitted to associate with the other nairs.+++(5)+++
It was under these circumstances that Arya Samaj Society effected re-conversion: the converts had given up all hope and to their great relief the Arya Samaj was prepared to get them back to the Hindu fold. No attempt would ever have been made by the ‘Nambudiri Vaideekans’ - but for the foundation laid by the Arya Samaj. Hindu Malabar will ever be grateful to the Society and to its representative Pandit Rishi Ram.
However, in view of the rigidity of caste rules in Malabar and the possibility of this re-conversion being called into question by the caste people, the decision of the Zamorin Raja and the Nambudiri Vaideekns conveying formal approval of the admission of the converts to caste privileges became necessary, and we are thankful tothem for their kind decision and also to Mr. R H Ellis,ICS, Collector of Malabar, who showed great sympathy with the victims of Moplah fanaticism.+++(5)+++ It is a pity however that the concession was not made applicable to the solitary Brahmin convert.+++(5)+++