Abbakka Chowta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abbakka Chowta
Rani of Ullal
Life size statue of the Chowta Queen Abbakka in Ullal
Reign	1525 – 1570
Predecessor	Tirumala Raya Chowta
Spouse	Banga Lakshmappa Arasa
House	Chowta
Religion	Jainism

Rani Abbakka Chowta was a brave queen from Ullal, a town in Karnataka, India. She lived in the 16th century and was the first Tuluva Queen to fight against the Portuguese. Her family, the Chowta dynasty, ruled parts of coastal Karnataka. Their main city was Puttige, but Ullal was also very important because it was a port.

The Portuguese tried many times to take control of Ullal because it was a great place for trade. But Queen Abbakka stopped all their attacks for more than forty years! Because she was so brave, people called her Abhaya Rani, which means 'The Fearless Queen'. She was one of the first Indians to fight against foreign rule. Some even call her the 'first woman freedom fighter of India'. In Karnataka, she is remembered as a great warrior and patriot, just like Rani Kittur Chennamma and Onake Obavva.

Early Life of Rani Abbakka

The Chowta family followed a special rule called matrilineal inheritance. This meant that the next ruler was chosen from the women in the family. So, Abbakka's uncle, Tirumala Raya, made her the queen of Ullal.

He also arranged for her to marry Lakshmappa Arasa Bangaraja II, the king of a nearby area called Banga. This marriage was meant to make their kingdoms stronger together. Her uncle also taught her all about fighting and how to plan battles. However, her marriage did not last long, and Abbakka returned to Ullal. Her husband was very angry about this and later joined the Portuguese to fight against her.

Why Ullal Was Important

After taking over Goa, the Portuguese wanted to control other parts of the Indian coast. In 1525, they attacked the South Kanara coast and destroyed the port of Mangalore.

Ullal was a very busy port. It was a major center for trading spices with countries like Arabia. Many powerful countries, like the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British, wanted to control this rich trade route. But the local rulers were strong and worked together to stop them.

Queen Abbakka's government included people from different religions, like Jains, Hindus, and Muslims. Her army also had people from all groups. She even made friends with the Zamorin of Calicut, another powerful ruler. Together, they kept the Portuguese away. Her marriage to the Banga king also helped make her alliances stronger. She even got support from King Venkatappanayaka of Bidnur.

Queen Abbakka's Battles

The Portuguese were upset that Abbakka would not let them control Ullal. They demanded that she pay them money, but she refused.

In 1555, the Portuguese sent Admiral Dom Álvaro da Silveira to fight her. But Queen Abbakka bravely fought back and won the battle. She successfully pushed them away.

In 1557, the Portuguese attacked and destroyed Mangalore. Then, in 1568, they tried to take Ullal again. But Abbakka Rani fought them off once more. The Portuguese Viceroy António Noronha sent a general named João Peixoto with many soldiers. They managed to capture Ullal and even entered the royal palace.

However, Queen Abbakka escaped and hid in a mosque. That very night, she gathered about 200 of her soldiers. They launched a surprise attack on the Portuguese. In the fight, General Peixoto was killed, and seventy Portuguese soldiers were captured. Many others ran away. In later attacks, Abbakka Rani and her supporters killed another Portuguese admiral, Mascarenhas. They even forced the Portuguese to leave the Mangalore fort.

The Portuguese later captured the Mangalore fort again and also took Kundapur. But Queen Abbakka remained a threat to them. With the help of her estranged husband, they attacked Ullal again. Many fierce battles took place, but Abbakka Rani continued to fight bravely.

In 1570, she formed a strong alliance with the Bijapur Sultan and the Zamorin of Calicut. These rulers also wanted to stop the Portuguese. Kutty Pokar Markar, the Zamorin's general, fought for Abbakka. He destroyed the Portuguese fort at Mangalore. Sadly, he was killed by the Portuguese when he returned. After these losses and her husband's betrayal, Abbakka was finally captured and put in jail. But even in prison, she continued to fight and died a warrior.

Stories and Legends

People loved Queen Abbakka very much. Even today, her story is told through folk songs and Yakshagana, a popular traditional dance-drama in Coastal Karnataka. In a local ritual dance called Daiva Kola, a person in a trance tells stories of Abbakka Mahadevi's great deeds.

Abbakka is often described as dark-skinned and beautiful. She always dressed simply, like an ordinary person. People say she was a caring queen who worked late into the night to make sure everyone received fair treatment. Legends also say that she was the last person to use a special fire-arrow called Agnivana in her battles. Some stories even claim she had two brave daughters who fought alongside her.

Remembering Abbakka

Abbakka is still greatly admired in her hometown of Ullal. Every year, a festival called "Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava" is held to remember her. A special award, the Veera Rani Abbakka Prashasti, is given to outstanding women during this celebration.

On January 15, 2003, the Indian postal department released a special stamp cover about Rani Abbakka. There have also been requests to name the Bajpe airport after her. A bronze statue of the queen stands in Ullal, and another is in Bangalore. Amar Chitra Katha, a famous comic book series, published a book called 'Rani Abbakka - The Queen who knew no fear'. The Karnataka Itihasa Academy has asked for a road in the state capital to be renamed 'Rani Abbakka Devi road'. An actress named Barkha Sengupta played Rani Abbakka in the TV series Swaraj on Doordarshan.

Rani Abbakka-Class Patrol Vessel

The Indian Coast Guard has a ship named ICGS Rani Abbakka. It is the first of five patrol vessels built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. This ship was named after Abbakka Mahadevi and started serving in Visakhapatnam on January 20, 2012. It is now based in Chennai.

Veer Rani Abbakka Festival and Award

The "Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava" festival is celebrated every year in Ullal to honor Rani Abbakka. During this festival, the Veera Rani Abbakka Award is given to women who have made important contributions in different areas.

The award includes a cash prize and special panels. For example, in 2018-19, Dr. Sandhya Pai received the Abbakka Award for her work in literature. Urmila Ramesh Kumar also received the award for her achievements in other fields.

See also

• Ullal
• Tulunadu
• Goa Inquisition
• Battle of Colachel