Polygar Wars

Many people died on both sides and the victory over the Polygars brought large parts of the territories of Tamil Nadu under British control, enabling them to get a strong hold in Southern India.

After a series of battles in the Panchalankurichi fort with additional reinforcements from Tiruchirapalli, Kattabomman was defeated, but he escaped to the jungles in Pudukottai country.

Kattabomman's brother Oomaidurai was imprisoned in Palayamkottai Central Prison while the fort was razed to the ground and wealth looted by the troops.

In the war that followed, Oomaithurai allied himself with Maruthu Pandiyar and was part of a grand alliance against the company which included Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Malabar.

The British columns were exposed throughout the operations to constant harassing attacks and had usually to cut their way through almost impenetrable jungles fired on from undercover on all sides.

The Polygar system which had flourished for two and a half centuries came to a violent end and the company introduced a Zamindari settlement in its place.