Rani Abbakka Chowta

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As India prepares to commemorate the 500th birth anniversary (1525 to 2025) of a legendary warrior queen, it’s time we shine a light on a name too often missing from the pages of popular history: Rani Abbakka Chowta. She wasn’t just a ruler of Ullal, a small coastal town in South India. She was India’s first female freedom fighter, a fearless Jain queen who repeatedly repelled Portuguese invaders in the 16th century and upheld the sovereignty of her kingdom. Rani Abbakka hailed from the Chowta dynasty of Karnataka, a royal family that followed Jainism and embraced a matrilineal system where succession passed through the female line. When the time came, Abbakka was entrusted with power not as a token, but as a true sovereign. What set her reign apart wasn’t just her lineage, but the Jain principles that guided her governance: ahimsa (nonviolence), aparigraha (nonpossessiveness), satya (truthfulness), and sahishnuta (tolerance). But when these values were challenged by foreign aggression, she didn’t hesitate to raise the sword in defense of her people. To the Portuguese colonial forces, Ullal was a strategic port. To Rani Abbakka, it was her homeland, not for sale and certainly not to be taxed by foreign powers. When the Portuguese attempted to impose control, she refused and launched a determined armed resistance. What made her fight even more remarkable was the unity she fostered across communities. Her army included Hindu, Muslim, and Jain commanders, with trusted Muslim generals who stood by her side. Together, they waged a relentless campaign using guerrilla tactics, naval warfare, and brilliant strategy to defeat the Portuguese multiple times. In one daring operation, Rani Abbakka attacked the Portuguese fort in Mangaluru, destroyed their warehouses, and forced their retreat, a rare and courageous act for any ruler, let alone a woman in that era. Eventually, betrayal from within led to her capture. She was imprisoned and died in confinement but never surrendered. Her legacy, however, lived on in Tulu ballads and the folklore of Karnataka, where her name is still spoken with reverence. On December 15, 2023, the Government of India issued a ₹5 commemorative postage stamp in her honor, a long-overdue tribute to a queen who stood tall against colonialism. Before this, a special postal cover had been released in her name on January 15, 2003. These gestures, though symbolic, mark a vital step toward recognizing her rightful place in India’s freedom movement. As we mark 500 years since her birth, this is not just a celebration, it’s a call to introspection. Have we, as a community, truly honored Rani Abbakka Chowta? Do our children know her name? Have we preserved her legacy beyond fleeting mentions? The time has come for the Jain community and all Indians to rise in collective tribute. Let us build research institutions, cultural centers, and memorials in her name. After all, the first torchbearer of armed resistance against foreign invaders in India wasn’t just a queen. 

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