Chempil Arayan

Chempil Anantha Padmanabhan Valiya Arayan Kankumaran, known as Chempil Arayan, was the Admiral of the fleet in the service of Avittam Thirunal Balarama Varma, King of Travancore. A member of the Arayan caste, he was born at Chempu, near Vaikom, in Kottayam, Kerala, India.

Chempil Arayan started one of the earliest uprisings against British Colonialism in India during the days of the British East India Company in 1809; among other things he led an attack on Bolghatty Palace, the residence of the then Company Resident, Colin Macaulay. The Resident escaped narrowly with his life, eluding the attackers through an underground tunnel and fleeing in a small boat. The Arayan was later captured, and freed after the payment of a ransom; he died in battle against the forces of the Company.

Chempil Arayan was well known for his naval exploits using the traditional Kerala boat known as the "Odi Vallam".As per the G.O. of the General Administration Department,Govt Secretariat,Thiruvananthapuram,The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department vide Letter No.7215/E2/92SCST Dated 12-08-1992 Conducted an anthropological Investigation by KIRTADS about T.T.Pankajakshan(Chempil Pankajakshan),who was accorded the honorary title "Chempil Arayan Ananthapadmanabhan Valiya Arayan".The Government had then notified that the former was the recipient of special honors from the rulers of erstwhile kingdom of Travancore,including the honorary title Valiya Arayan.He was also found to be a member of an ancient family amongst the Arayan tribes