BOMB THEM WITH BREAD!!

BOMB THEM WITH BREAD!


One of the greatest Tamil warrior/leaders was Commandant Khan Shahib alias Mohammed Yusof Khan. Commonly known with dread and terror to the Tamils as Kummandhaan Kaan Saab. From very humble origins, he rose up to become the Supreme Commandant of the combined East India Company/Arcot Nawab armies and also the Subedhar of Nellore. He subdued many Palayakarars and rajas and destroyed several palayams. 
He had a change of heart and became an enemy to the Company/Arcot Nawab alliance. 
He wanted to create an independant country of Tamilnadu.
There were several wars fought between them. Finally Khan Shahib shut himself up within the Fort of Madurai and resisted the alliance. 
The alliance laid seige to the Madurai Kottai. 
But it would not not fall. 
The alliance diverted the rivers of Vaigai and Kirudhamalai. No food and other supplies could go insde the fort. Even if there was no food, the people fought on subsisting on Betel leaves. So the allliance destroyed all the betel plantations for fifty miles around.
The hungry people started eating cats and dogs. 
But in spite of all this hunger, the fort did not fall.
Finally, Khan Shahib was caught by his own subordinates who had been bribed, when he was performing his evening prayers. And they tied him up with his own turban and then later bound him in heavy chains and delivered him to the British.
So we cant always say that hunger alone will subdue a people.


But eight hundred years ago, there was a lord in Spain called Lord Roderiguez who was the greatest warrior and leader at that time. He was nicknamed El Cid by the Arabs who were his one-time enemies. El Cid means 'The Leader'. Like Der Fuehrer, Il Duchey, Nethaji, etc.
Once, he laid seige to the fortress town of Valenzia. But the people of Valenzia did not surrender. El Cid used bombardment and heavy showers of arrows. And no supplies went to the fort. In due course, people were dying of hunger. 
El Cid knew that the people were hungry and dying. He also knew that they would rather die.
So he tried another ruse.
He arraigned all his Trebuchets, Catapults and anything that could hurl heavy loads near the walls. He loaded their baskets with loaves of bread, water casks, wine casks, fruits and then shot them across the walls into the fort. 


He also proclaimed that all the people will be spared and promised unlimited supply 
of food and water to them.
The people reacted to this. 
They caught the governor of the fort and then threw him out over the walls. Then they opened the doors for El Cid.
There is a saying, " Bomb them with butter".