Jambulinga Nadan

Who is Jambulinga Nadan?

Jambulinga Nadan was a notorious brigand of the southern Madras Presidency in the early 20th century.

Born in the state of Travancore, he grew up working as a farm-hand, until in his early to mid-twenties he took to the road and became a highwayman along the Travancore-Madras Presidency border, operating mainly in the districts of Kanyakumari and Tinnevelly. He formed a band of desperadoes which, at its height, comprised some twenty to thirty men, notably amongst them, Kasi Nadan, Kalluli Mangan and Doravappa, Jambulingam's right-hand man.

They started by waylaying travellers on the highways between Madras and Travancore, an act in which they were in no small measure helped by the poor policing of the densely forested frontier. Also abetting them was the division of jurisdiction between the British forces in the Presidency and the Royal Police in Travancore.

Jambulinga Nadan's modus operandi was to have his gang lay in wait in thickets or copses, signalling each other with owl-hoots or whistles, awaiting unwitting passers-by on foot or on bullock-cart.