Colachel Natural Harbour and the Victory Pillar | English Documentary

The AVM canal was formed in July 1860 during the reign of Marthanda Varma Maharaja of Travancore state. It was a scheme for connecting Thiruvananthapuram with Kanyakumari and thus extending the water communications to the extreme south of the country. All the coastal villages numbering more than 20, including, Pozhiyoor, Marthandamthurai, Thengapagttinam, Colachel, and Mondaicadu, all depended upon this resource for most of their needs, including navigation. But today the purpose is no longer served. Colachel is an ancient port town, Vasco da Gama called it ‘Colachi’. Before the State re-organization in 1956, it was part of the Travancore State. After the defeat of the Dutch by King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma in 1741, a victory pillar had been erected near the beach in commemoration of the victory. The town is bounded on the south by Arabian Sea.

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Colachel was the location of the battle between the Travancore (Anglicised form of Thiruvithaamkoor) forces led by King Marthanda Varma (1729–1758) and the Dutch East India Company forces led by Admiral Eustachius De Lannoy on August 10, 1741. It was the first time in Indian history that a small kingdom defeated a European naval force.The Dutch marines landed in Colachel with artillery and captured the land up to Padmanabhapuram, the then capital of Travancore. The arrival of Marthanda Varma's army from the north forced the Dutch to take up defensive positions in Colachel, where they were attacked and defeated by the Travancore forces. Twenty-eight high level Dutch officers, including Admiral D'lennoy, were captured. The defeat of the Dutch in Colachael was the turning point of the Travancore-Dutch War. D'lennoy went on to serve Marthanda Varma for the next two decades and was promoted to the post of the Valiya kappithan (Senior Admiral) of the Travancore Kingdom.

Near the coast of Colachel stand the Pillar of victory which gives details about the war. This Pillar is made of Granite and is 15 feet in height. On the top of the pillar, the Kingdom of Travancore symbol of Valampuri Shank is engraved. Also the following inscription is found: “In remembrance of all the brave men of Travancore Army who laid down their lives in defeating the superior Dutch forces during the Battle of Colachel in July 1741”.

Playing Cricket with Colachel boys

(Video Release Date: July 30,2016)