Consider the following statements regarding the Kundara Proclamation of 1809: 1. It was issued by Velu Thampi Dalawa, the Dewan of Travancore, rallying the populace to rise in armed revolt against the military high-handedness and financial exploitation of the British East India Company. 2. The proclamation successfully united the military forces of Travancore and Cochin in a coordinated assault that permanently expelled British garrisons from Malabar.

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the Kundara Proclamation of January 11, 1809, was a passionate call to arms by Velu Thampi Dalawa urging Malayalis to resist British dominance and subsidiary alliance terms. Statement 2 is incorrect because, despite initial uprisings, the combined forces of Travancore and Cochin were ultimately crushed by superior British military might led by Colonel Macaulay and Colonel Legall, leading to Velu Thampi's tragic death. The proclamation remains a monumental symbol of early anti-colonial resistance.