Abbakka Chowta

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{use Indian English|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox royalty | title = Queen Rani of Ullal | image = File:Abbakka Chowta 2023 stamp of India.jpg | caption = Abbakka Chowta on a 2023 stamp of India | reign = 1525 – 1570<ref>{{cite book|title=Hiding in Plain Sight: Women Warriors Throughout Time and Space|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=POpDEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA17|page=17|year=2021|isbn=978-1538162729| last1=Potholm | first1=Christian P. | publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nandakumar |first=J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=beejEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA11 |page=11|title=Swa: Struggle for National Selfhood Past, Present and Future |date=2022-12-10 |publisher=Indus Scrolls Press |language=en}}</ref> | predecessor = Tirumala Raya Chowta | spouse = Banga Lakshmappa Arasa | royal house = Chowta | religion = Jainism | module = {{Infobox military person |embed=yes |battles=Ullal–Portuguese conflicts}} }} '''Rani Abbakka Chowta''' was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal who fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century. She belonged to Jainism. She belonged to the Chowta dynasty, an indigenous Tuluva dynasty who ruled over parts of coastal Karnataka (Tulu Nadu), India. Their capital was Puttige.<ref group=Note>There are four places in Karnataka and Kerala whose modern name is Puttige or similar. None seems to have ever been larger than a village. Another candidate for the place is Puttur, a town which is the seat of a modern taluk (which also includes one of the villages called Puttige). An unsourced statement in the corresponding article in Kannada Wiki calls Puttur "the capital of a dynasty of kings" ({{langx|kn|ವಂಶದ ಅರಸರ ರಾಜಧಾನಿಯಾಗಿತ್ತು}}).</ref> The port town of Ullal served as their subsidiary capital. The Portuguese made several attempts to capture Ullal as it was strategically placed. But Abbakka repulsed each of their attacks for over four decades. For her bravery, she came to be known as ''Abhaya Rani'' (The fearless queen).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=6707 |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title= Queen Abbakka's triumph over western colonisers|publisher=Press Information Bureau, Govt., of India }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boloji.com/history/028.htm |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title=The Intrepid Queen-Rani Abbakka Devi of Ullal |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807132003/http://www.boloji.com/history/028.htm |archivedate=7 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was also one of the earliest Indians to fight European colonialism and is sometimes regarded as the 'first woman freedom fighter of India'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/feb/17tara.htm |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title=Include Tulu in Eighth Schedule: Fernandes|work=Rediff.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/29664181.cms |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title=Blend past and present to benefit future|work=The Times of India}}</ref> In the state of Karnataka, she is celebrated along with Rani Kittur Chennamma, Keladi Chennamma, Rani Chennabhairadevi and Onake Obavva, as the foremost women warriors and patriots.<ref>[https://ellakavi.wordpress.com/2007/07/12/abbakka-rani-the-unsung-warrior-queen/ Freedom Fighter of the Coast, Rani Abbakka.] Wordpress. 1 July 2007</ref>

== Early life == Born into the Chowta dynasty, Abbakka received extensive training in warfare and statecraft from a young age. The dynasty followed a matrilineal system of inheritance called Aliyasantana.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cultural History of Karnataka|author=P.B. Desai|year=1970|publisher=Karnatak University|page=357}}</ref>

== Military campaigns == Under her leadership, Ullal successfully repelled several Portuguese attacks. Notable battles included: * The 1555 victory against Admiral Dom Álvaro da Silveira * The 1557 defense of Ullal against Portuguese naval forces * The 1568 triumph over Portuguese army and navy<ref>{{cite book|title=Medieval Karnataka|author=S. Chandni|year=2018|publisher=University Press|pages=156–158}}</ref>

== Administration and Trade == Abbakka established Ullal as a major trading port, dealing primarily in pepper, cardamom, and rice. She maintained strong diplomatic relations with Arab merchants and the Zamorin of Calicut.<ref>{{cite book|title=Maritime Trade in Medieval Karnataka|author=K.V. Ramesh|year=1975|publisher=Karnataka Historical Research Society|pages=89–92}}</ref> Her administration was marked by: * Strategic naval alliances with the Mogaveeras * Development of trade routes along the Malabar coast * Fortification of coastal defenses * Promotion of local industries and commerce<ref>{{cite journal|title=Economic Systems of Medieval Coastal Karnataka|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|author=B.N. Prasad|year=1980|volume=41|pages=182–189}}</ref>

== Religious and Cultural Patronage == * Several Jain basadis were renovated * Religious texts were translated into local languages * Art and architecture flourished * Cultural exchanges were promoted through trade relations<ref>{{cite book|title=Jainism in Coastal Karnataka|author=P.N. Narasimha Murthy|year=1990|publisher=Manohar Publications|pages=145–148}}</ref>

== Legacy == === Modern Commemorations === Abbakka's legacy continues to inspire: * Annual Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava in Ullal * Commemorative stamp issued by India Post in 2023 * Rani Abbakka Tulu Study Centre at MGM College * Awards and scholarships in her name<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/abbakka-utsava-from-april-15/article65320843.ece|title=Abbakka Utsava celebrates legacy of fearless queen|work=The Hindu|date=2022-04-12|accessdate=2024-01-20}}</ref>

=== Historical Significance === Her resistance against Portuguese colonialism set several precedents: * First documented instance of successful naval defense against European powers in the region * Pioneering role in organizing coastal defense systems * Example of indigenous resistance to colonial expansion * Model of women's leadership in medieval India<ref>{{cite book|title=Women Warriors of India|author=Yugal Joshi|year=2019|publisher=Rupa Publications|isbn=9789353334079|pages=78–82}}</ref>

== Further reading == * Abhaya Rani Abbakka, by Dr. Jyotsna Kamat * Maritime History of Karnataka, by Dr. S.U. Kamath * Tulu Nadina Veeravanite, by Kushalappa Gowda

==Early life== Ullal was the capital of the Chowta king Thirumala Raya III. Feudatories of the Vijayanagar kingdom, the Chowtas were Tuluva kings who practiced Tuluva Animism (Būtaradhane). The Chowtas followed the system of matrilineal inheritance (Aliyasantana) of Bunts community by which Tirumala Raya, Abbakka's uncle, crowned her the queen of Ullal.

He also forged a matrimonial alliance for Abbakka with Lakshmappa Arasa Bangaraja II, king of Banga principality in Mangalore.<ref name="Prabhu">{{cite book|last1=K. Sanjiva Prabhu|title=Special Study Report on Bhuta Cult in South Kanara District|date=1977|publisher=Controller of Publications, 1977|pages=9–12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xwgaAAAAMAAJ|access-date=13 March 2015}}</ref> This alliance was to later prove a source of worry for the Portuguese. Tirumala Raya also trained Abbakka in the different aspects of warfare and military strategy. The marriage, however, was short-lived and Abbakka returned to Ullal. Her husband thus longed for revenge against Abbakka and was to later join the Portuguese in their fight against Abbakka.<ref name="biobook">{{cite book |last1=Ponvannan |first1=Gayathri |title=Unstoppable : 75 stories of trailblazing Indian women |date=31 January 2019 |publisher=Hachette Book Publishing India Pvt Ltd |isbn=9789388322003 |pages=272}}</ref>

==Historical background==

After overrunning Goa and taking control of it, the Portuguese turned their attention southwards and along the coast. They first attacked the South Kanara coast in 1525 and destroyed the Mangalore port. Ullal was a prosperous port and a hub of the spice trade to Arabia and other countries in the west. Being the profitable trading center that it was, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British vied with one another for control of the region as well as the trade routes. They, however, had not been able to make much headway as the resistance from the local chieftains was very strong. The local rulers even forged alliances cutting across caste and religious lines.<ref name="admiralqueen">{{cite book |last1=Garodia Gupta |first1=Archana |title=The women who ruled India : leaders, warriors, icons |date=Jan 2019 |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=9789351951520 |pages=312}}</ref>

Abbakka was crowned as the queen in 1525.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z1K3EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA53 |page=53|title=South Canara: Kingdom of Delight |date=2021-01-03 |publisher=RG Kannada e-Publisher |language=en}}</ref> Abbakka's administration was well represented by Jains, Hindus as well as Muslims. Historical research also reveals that during her rule in the 16th century, Beary men had served as seamen in the naval force. Rani Abbakka had personally supervised the construction of dam at Malali; she had appointed Bearys for boulder work.[11] Her army too consisted of people of all sects and castes. She even forged alliances with the Zamorin of Calicut. Together, they kept the Portuguese at bay. The marital ties with the neighbouring Banga dynasty added further strength to the alliance of the local rulers. She also gained support from powerful king Venkatappanayaka of Bidnur and ignored the threat of Portuguese forces.<ref name=shintri>{{cite book|last=Sarojini Shintri|first=Kurukundi Raghavendra Rao|title=Women freedom fighters in Karnataka|year=1983|publisher=Prasaranga, Karnatak University|location=Dharwad|pages=13, 14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-05uAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>

==Battles against the Portuguese== The Portuguese, clearly upset by Abbakka's tactics, demanded that she pay them tribute but Abbakka refused to yield. In 1555, the Portuguese sent Admiral Dom Álvaro da Silveira to fight her after she refused to pay them tribute.<ref name=kudva>{{cite book|last=Kudva|first=Venkataraya Narayan|title=History of the Dakshinatya Saraswats|year=1972|publisher=Samyukta Gowda Saraswata Sabha|location=Madras|pages=107–110|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x0NuAAAAMAAJ&q=ullal}}</ref> In the battle that followed, Rani Abbakka once again managed to hold her own and repulsed the attack successfully.<ref name=ignca>{{cite web |last1=Kumar Mishra |first1=Kailash |title=ABBAKKA RANI : THE UNSUNG WARRIOR QUEEN |url=http://ignca.gov.in/PDF_data/Abbakka_Rani.pdf |publisher=Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts |date=Jan 2002}}</ref>

In 1557, the Portuguese plundered Mangalore and laid waste to it. In 1568, they turned their attention to Ullal but Abbakka Rani resisted them yet again. João Peixoto, a Portuguese general and a fleet of soldiers were sent by the Portuguese Viceroy António Noronha. They managed to capture the city of Ullal and also entered the royal court. Abbakka Rani, however, escaped and took refuge in a mosque. The same night, she gathered around 200 of her soldiers and mounted an attack on the Portuguese. In the battle that ensued, General Peixoto was killed,<ref name=ignca/> seventy Portuguese soldiers were taken prisoners and many of the Portuguese retreated. In further attacks, Abbakka Rani and her supporters killed Admiral Mascarenhas and forced the Portuguese to vacate the Mangalore fort.<ref name=ignca />

The Portuguese captured Mangalore fort again and Kundapur (Basrur). Despite these gains, Abbakka Rani continued to remain a source of threat. With the help of the queen's estranged husband, they mounted attacks on Ullal. Furious battles followed, but Abbakka Rani held her own. In 1570, she formed an alliance with the Bijapur Sultan of Ahmed Nagar and the Zamorin of Calicut, who were also opposing the Portuguese. Kutty Pokar Markar, the Zamorin's general fought on behalf of Abbakka and destroyed the Portuguese fort at Mangalore, but was killed by the Portuguese on his return. Following these losses and her husband's treachery, Abbakka lost the war, was arrested, and went to jail. However, even in prison, she revolted and died fighting.<ref name=ignca />

==Folklore and legend== According to traditional accounts, she was an immensely popular queen and this is also attested by the fact that she is even today a part of folklore. The queen's story has been retold from generation to generation through folk songs and Yakshagana, a popular folk theatre in Tulu Nadu.<ref name=ignca/> In Buta Kola, Tuluva Animism, the persona in trance recounts the great deeds of Abbakka Chowta. Abbakka is portrayed as dark and good looking, always dressed in simple clothes like a commoner. She is portrayed as a caring Queen who worked late into the night dispensing justice. Legends also claim that Abbakka was the last known person to have used the fire-arrow in her fight against the Portuguese. Some accounts also claim that she had two equally valiant daughters who fought alongside her in her wars against the Portuguese.

==Memory== [[File:Ullal Queen Abbakka Devi.jpg|thumb|Life size statue of the Chowta Queen Abbakka in Ullal]] Abbakka's memory is much cherished in her home town of Ullal. The "Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava" is an annual celebration held in her memory. The Veera Rani Abbakka Prashasti award is given to distinguished women on the occasion.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010914610300.htm |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title= M.P. Prakash calls for revival of local culture |location=Chennai, India |date=9 January 2006| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070809201529/http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010914610300.htm| archivedate= 9 August 2007 |work=The Hindu | url-status= dead}}</ref> On 15 January 2003, the Indian postal department issued a special cover on Rani Abbakka. There have been calls to name the Bajpe airport.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/32796607.cms |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title= Name Mangalore airport after Rani Abbakka: Dhananjaya |work=The Times of India|date=30 December 2002}}</ref> A bronze statue of the queen has been erected in Ullal and another in Bangalore.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/27/stories/2007012721710400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024165435/http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/27/stories/2007012721710400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2012|accessdate=25 July 2007|work=The Hindu | title= Highlight freedom fighters' role in books, says Ashok|location=Chennai, India|date=27 January 2007}}</ref> Amar Chitra Katha published a book named 'Rani Abbakka- The Queen who knew no fear'. The ''Karnataka Itihasa Academy'' has called for renaming the Queen's road in the state capital as 'Rani Abbakka Devi road'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/__e5256852001e3a90.nsf/0/69721135fc4ba8e765256942002e3db2!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,abbakka |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927014830/http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/__e5256852001e3a90.nsf/0/69721135fc4ba8e765256942002e3db2%21OpenDocument%26Highlight%3D0%2Cabbakka |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |accessdate=25 July 2007 |title=Academy demands awards for historians |work=The Indian Express}}</ref> Actress Barkha Sengupta portrays Rani Abbakka in TV series ''Swaraj'' of DD National. Indian Railways Has An Locomotive Engine Dedicated To Queen Abbakka Chowta.

== Rani Abbakka-class patrol vessel == The Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Rani Abbakka, the 1st of a series of five inshore patrol vessels (IPV) built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd is named after Abbakka Mahadevi was commissioned in Visakhapatnam on 20 January 2012, and is based in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.livefistdefence.com/2012/01/coast-guard-inducts-new-indigenous-ipv.html|title=Coast Guard Inducts New Indigenous IPV Rani Abbakka|newspaper=Livefist|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="pib">{{cite news|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=79763|title=1st Inshore Patrol Vessel Commissioned into Coast Guard|last=Ministry of Defence|date=20 January 2012|newspaper=Press Information Bureau|accessdate=20 January 2012}}</ref>

== Veer Rani Abakka Festival and Award == The festival of "Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava" is celebrated in Ullal every year in memory of Rani Abakka during which the Veera Rani Abbakka Award is given to distinguished women in recognition of their contributions in various fields.<ref name="DH">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=4 March 2018|title=Veera Rani Abbakka Utsav to be held in Delhi between March 11–18|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/662729/veera-rani-abbakka-utsav-held.html|newspaper=Deccan Herald| access-date= 24 October 2022}}</ref>

The Abbakka Award 2018–19 was given to Dr. Sandhya Pai, for achievement in the field of literature and to Urmila Ramesh Kumar, for her achievement in various field except literature.

==See also== * Ullal * Tulunadu * Goa Inquisition * Battle of Colachel

==Notes== {{reflist|group=Note}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927121226/http://www.ignca.gov.in/nl001903.htm Abbakka Rani – The unsung warrior queen] * [http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=6707 Queen Abbakka's triumph over Western colonisers] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070806161344/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/abbakka.htm Pepper queen Abbakka] * [http://www.boloji.com/history/028.htm Rani Abbakka Devi of Ullal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807132003/http://www.boloji.com/history/028.htm |date=7 August 2007 }} * [http://www.mea.gov.in/indiaperspective/2004/102004.pdf Abbakka, the warrior queen of Karnataka] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060307184311/http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010904870400.htm Rani Abbakka has not been given her due] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124017/http://www.deccanherald.com/Archives/jun192006/state2216232006618.asp Brave Abbakka still awaiting her due] * [http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/itihas/abbakka.htm Historian Dr. Jyotsna Kamat's Article on Abbakka]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowta, Abbakka}} Category:Indian female royalty Category:Indian women in war Category:16th-century Indian monarchs Category:Women in 16th-century warfare Category:16th-century Indian women Category:Tulu people Category:16th-century women monarchs Category:Mangaloreans Category:People from Dakshina Kannada district Category:Jain queens Category:16th-century Indian people Category:Hindu monarchs Category:Indian military leaders