Rani Abbakka Chowta was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal, a strategically important port town in coastal Karnataka, India, who reigned in the latter half of the 16th century (c. 1525 – 1570).
She is celebrated for her fierce and sustained resistance against the Portuguese colonial expansion for over four decades, making her one of the earliest Indians to fight European colonialism.
Key Highlights of her Life and Legacy
- Dynasty and Kingdom: She belonged to the Chowta dynasty, which followed a matrilineal system of succession. Her capital was Puttige, with Ullal serving as a subsidiary capital.
- Battles with the Portuguese: The Portuguese made multiple attempts to capture Ullal due to its strategic location for the spice trade. Rani Abbakka repelled each of their attacks, employing brilliant strategies, including guerrilla warfare and the legendary use of 'Agnivana' (fire-arrows).
- Fearless Warrior: Her unwavering bravery earned her the epithet 'Abhaya Rani' (The fearless queen).
- Inclusivity: Although a Jain by faith, her administration and army were noted for their diversity, including Hindus, Muslims, and the Mogaveera fisher-folk community, who were crucial to her naval defense. She also forged alliances with other rulers, like the Zamorin of Calicut, to keep the Portuguese at bay.
- End: She was eventually betrayed by her estranged husband, captured, and imprisoned by the Portuguese, but she is said to have revolted even in prison and died fighting.
- Legacy: She is widely regarded as one of India's foremost women warriors and patriots, and her story is still alive in the folk songs and Yakshagana theatre of the Tulu Nadu region. She is sometimes referred to as the 'first woman freedom fighter of India'.
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