The warrior

When Tamil Nadu's tableau depicting the State's role in the Freedom Movement was rejected for the Republic Day parade in Delhi this year, the issue became ...

Mr. Kaleeswaran says he presented all the findings based on oral histories to the State government to persuade it to not heed to such criticisms. There has been opposition as well from certain sections to the narrative on Kuyili’s life. Many eminent scholars have relied on oral histories in their work,” says Mr. Kaleeswaran, who also runs the organisation Alternative Media Centre. It was Kuyili, believed to be a brave warrior and an aide of Velu Nachiyar. Unfortunately, no written history exists about her life. When Tamil Nadu’s tableau depicting the State’s role in the Freedom Movement was rejected for the Republic Day parade in Delhi this year, the issue became controversial. According to them, Kuyili set herself ablaze and jumped into an armoury of the British, thereby destroying it completely.