Two decades of Mysore effort to subjugate this province ended up in chaos and confusion in Malabar with a part of her population either dead or migrated and once prosperous economy destroyed.
But a trio of Mappila chieftains—Chemban Poker, Manjeri Athan Gurikkal, and Unni Mootha Muppan rose in revolt in South Malabar.
The forest clad hills and mountains that covered most of Malabar proved to useful to rebels who waged guerrilla warfare to harass British regiments.
They persuaded Rajahs towards whom people had absolute loyalty to let the British annex their kingdoms in return for 20 percent of revenue collection as pension.
Leader of the revolt hoped to renew war with the British and to put Vira Varma, nephew of Pazhassi Rajah as the head of rebellion.
The Travancore prime minister Iravi Tamby plotted with Vira Varma, nephew of Pazhassi Rajah to launch rebellion across Kerala to oust the British.