RANI ABBAKKA CHOWTA.

Credit: Radhika Sunderraj Facebook post

The year was 1555. 

Portuguese colonial power was at its peak in the 1500’s. 

They destroyed Zamorins of Calicut. 

Defeated the Sultan of Bijapur. 

Took away Daman from the Sultan of Gujarat.

 

Established a colony in Mylapore, Captured Bombay and made Goa their headquarters. 

And while they were at it, pretty much unchallenged, they even ruined the ancient Kapaleeswarar Temple to build a Church over it.

Their next target, the super profitable port of Mangalore.

Their only bad luck, just 14 kilometers south of Mangalore was the small settlement of Ullal- ruled then by a feisty 30 year old woman - RANI ABBAKKA CHOWTA.

Initially, they took her lightly and sent a few boats and soldiers to capture and bring her back to Goa - Those boats never came back.

Shocked and enraged, they sent a huge fleet of ships this time, under the command of much celebrated Admiral Dom Álvaro da Silveira - The admiral soon returned, badly injured and empty handed.

Thereafter, another Portuguese fleet was sent - only a few injured from the crew managed to make it back.

Then the Portuguese went on to capture the Mangalore port and the fort anyways, perhaps planning to tackle Rani Abbakka Chowta from the convenient distance of the Mangalore fort.

After the successful capture of Mangalore, a huge army under João Peixoto, an experienced Portuguese General was sent to Ullal.

The brief was simple: Subjugate Ullal and capture Abbakka Chowta.

The plan was foolproof- there was no way a 30 year old woman  with a few men could withstand the might of an army of thousands with advanced weapons.

The Portuguese reached Ullal and found it deserted. Abbakka was nowhere in sight.

They roamed around, relaxed and thanked their stars.

 Just when they were about to call it a victory - Rani Abbakka attacked with 200 of her chosen men.

There was chaos all around and many  Portuguese  lost their lives even without a fight.

General João Peixoto was assassinated, 70 Portuguese were captured and the rest just ran away.

So if you’re Abbakka Chowta, who’s just defeated a large army of aggressors, killed a general, captured fighters and defended your city - What will you do?

Rest and enjoy the moment, right?

- No!

Rani Abbakka Chowta, rode with her men towards Mangalore that same night, She not only broke into the fort successfully - but assassinated Admiral Mascarenhas the Chief of the Portuguese power there and forced the remaining Portuguese to vacate the fort.

She didn’t just stop at this but went on to capture the Portuguese settlement at Kundapura, a full 100 kms, north of Mangalore - Just to make a point.

The Portuguese finally managed to get back at Abbakka Chowta by convincing her estranged husband, ( a traitor) to betray her.

She was arrested and put into prison where she revolted again and was killed while trying to escape.

Lesson from story: It is the local Indians, who themselves are responsible for slavery of our nation for 1000 years by siding with enemies.

Abbakka Chowta was a Jain who  inherited the throne of Tulu Nattu on the matrilineal system and was trained in martial warfare. She fought against the Portuguese for four decades, with an army comprising of both Hindus and Muslims, a full 300 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857.

What did we Indians do for her as a mark of our respect and gratitude? 

We just forgot her.

We didn’t name our girls after her. 

We didn’t even teach her stories to our kids.

Yes we did release a Postal Stamp in her name, named a boat after her ( The Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Rani Abbakka) and erected two statues - yes just two statues in the whole of India for someone who should be one of our national heroes. 

Guess we are waiting for Kangana Ranaut to make the movie. 

Adapted From the wall of Swati Bajpai