Question

The Moplah are to be found in ____________.
A. Manipur
B. Assam
C. Kerala
D. Andhra Pradesh

Answer 1

Hint: The Moplah, also known as Mappila is a group of people belonging to the Muslim populace of India. The terms ‘Moplahs’ means son-in-law.

Complete Answer: Even before the invasion of north India by the Muslims from the west, Kerala had witnessed the arrival of Muslims during the 7th Century as traders via the Arabian Sea. Traders were given permission by the native rulers to carry on their trade as well to settle in this region. Subsequently, they got married to the locals and their off-springs came to be known as Moplahs. The term ‘Moplahs’ in the Malayalam language means son-in-law.

The Moplahs before the attack of Tipu Sultan on the Malabar coast were mostly cultivators under the Janmis, who were the upper caste Hindu landlords. With the Tipu Sultan’s attack on the Malabar coast, most of these Hindu landlords fled to nearby regions in order to avoid forced conversions and persecution. The Moplahs were given full ownership of the lands, during this period of time. Later on, after the death of Tipu Sultan, the Malabar came under the British jurisdiction as a part of the Madras Presidency. The British introduced a new tenancy law to restore the ownership rights to the Janmis who previously fled Malabar. The Janmis under the British authority were given absolute ownership rights of the land, which created a pressure on the peasants. The peasants had to pay high rents. This led to a series of riots by the Moplahs in 1836. By the end of 1921, the British special battalion, the Malabar Special Force crushed the rebellion.

Thus, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: The Moplah Rebellion is considered as one of the first instances of national uprisings in southern parts of India. In the underlying stages, the movement was supported by Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian nationalist pioneers, however, they distanced themselves from the movement when it turned violent.