A P Sreedharan Channar

AP Sreedharan Channar (APSC) was responsible for the assassination of Kochu Kunju Channar in 1921. APSC was just 21 at the time of the incident. Although in the eyes of the law he committed a homicide, he is revered for his courage and conviction. Many in the family still feel that if it were not for him, Kochu Kunju Channar would have diverted a lot of riches from the family to his personal coffers. എ.പി. ശ്രീധരൻ ചാന്നാർ (APSC) 1921-ൽ കൊച്ചുകുഞ്ഞു ചാന്നാരെ കൊലപ്പെടുത്തി. സംഭവം നടക്കുമ്പോൾ APSCക്ക് വെറും 21 വയസ്സായിരുന്നു. നിയമത്തിന്റെ ദൃഷ്ടിയിൽ അദ്ദേഹം ഒരു കൊല നടത്തിയെങ്കിലും, അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ധൈര്യത്തിനും ബോധ്യത്തിനും അദ്ദേഹം ബഹുമാനിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അദ്ദേഹം ഇല്ലായിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ കൊച്ചുകുഞ്ഞു ചാന്നാർ കുടുംബത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഒരുപാട് സമ്പത്ത് തന്റെ സ്വകാര്യ ഖജനാവിലേക്ക് വകമാറ്റുമായിരുന്നുവെന്ന് കുടുംബത്തിലെ പലരും ഇപ്പോഴും വിശ്വസിക്കുന്നു.

Above are illustrations by various artists of how Sreedharan Channar would have appeared based on his only surviving photograph (extreme left). The right most picture is a rendering using generative artificial intelligence (AI).ശ്രീധരൻ ചാന്നാരുടെ അവശേഷിക്കുന്ന ഒരേയൊരു ഫോട്ടോയെ (ഇടത്) അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി അദ്ദേഹം എങ്ങനെ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുമായിരുന്നു എന്നതിന്റെ വിവിധ കലാകാരന്മാരുടെ ചിത്രങ്ങളാണ് മുകളിൽ. ഏറ്റവും വലത്തേ ചിത്രം ജനറേറ്റീവ് ആർട്ടിഫിഷ്യൽ ഇന്റലിജൻസ് (AI) ഉപയോഗിച്ചുള്ള റെൻഡറിംഗാണ്.

Kochu Kunju Channar was not just known for his good deeds. He also had the infamy of ruling the family autocratically with an iron fist. As the Karanavar (chieftain) of the family, he financially abused Alummoottil® coffers and illicitly diverted its wealth to his multiple wifes and children.

Additionally there were many incidents where he emotionally abused APSC. When Sreedharan was a child, he had got into the horse carriage that took Kochu Kunju Channar’s children to school.

He stopped the carriage, and sat alongside them to the school. Upon hearing this, Kochu Kunju Channar got into his car, caught up with the horse carriage, and pushed the boy out of the carriage.

There were several inflamatory incidents between them, both in public and in private. In one of the darbars, the aggreived family members brought a namboodiri to point out to the Channar that he was misusing his powers for financial gain.

Although APSC brought the documents in support of this argument, Kochu Kunju Channar instructed his soldiers to throw Sreedharan out of the darbar. Sreedharan was never allowed back into the darbar. All these incidents flared up the coals within the young man’s mind, till the day he decided to assasinate the Karanavar.

The is a rendering using predictive artificial intelligence (AI) of how AP Sreedharan Channar would have appeared at the age of 21. Sreedharan Channar was an ace at Kalaripayatt mastering all the 18 adavu at such a young age.

It was at this age that Sreedharan Channar entered the chamber of Kochu Kunju Channar with the premeditation to assasinate him. As the guards were switching shifts, Sreedharan thrust his sword at the neck of the Karanavar. The Karanavar was instantly killed due to massive blood loss. The body guards heard the commotion and came into the chambers. Although they could not save Kochu Kunju Channar, they were able to subdue Sreedharan and hand him over to the Travancore Police.

Sreedharan Channar courageously accepted punishment for his crime. During the trial at the Kollam District court, he confided to his partners that he expected to go to the gallows for his crime. His only hope was that they do not get the capital punishment. He also hoped that the descendants of Kochu Kunju Channar forgive him for his crimes; and felt sad that they were unwilling participants to the incident.

Sreedharan Channar received the death sentence that he had anticipated for his crime. His death sentence was executed December 1922 by the Travancore Kingdom. His accomplices were given jail sentences. They mused that at the gallows, as the judge was reading the judgment to condemn him, he chuckled. The judge asked him if he had any last words - to which he replied “My actions have spoken. Last words are unnecessary.”

He lives on in the folklore among the descending Alummoottil® Channars as a symbol of courage and defiance in face of tyranny and oppression.