Biography:
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 the Chowta dynasty who ruled over parts of coastal Karnataka (Tulu Nadu), India. Their capital was Puttige. 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). She was also one of the earliest Indians to fight colonialism and is sometimes regarded as the ‘first woman freedom fighter of India’. 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.
Ullal was the capital of the Chowta king Thirumala Raya III. Feudatories of the Vijayanagar kingdom, the Chowtas were Jain kings who had originally migrated to Tulu Nadu (a province consisting of present-day Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, portions of Udupi and Kasargod district in Kerala) from Gujarat in the 12th century. 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. 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.
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.
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 a number of ships. She formed an alliance with the Marakkayars, the Muslim merchants who were rivals of the Portuguese, and together they successfully blocked all attempts made by the Portuguese to capture Ullal. Abbakka’s reign was marked by attacks on Portuguese ships and strong resistance against their forces. In fact, she continued to launch fierce attacks on the Portuguese even after her initial victories. The Portuguese retaliated in full force, but were repeatedly defeated and had to leave Ullal. They even tried to poison Abbakka, but she survived and went on to be an inspirational figure for her people.
Abbakka’s bravery and courage in standing up against the mighty Portuguese empire inspired others to join her cause. She became a symbol of resistance and defiance for the people of Tulu Nadu. Abbakka was not only a fearless warrior but also a skilled administrator. She ensured the welfare of her subjects and encouraged trade and commerce in the region. Under her rule, Ullal flourished both economically and culturally.
Abbakka’s reign eventually came to an end when the Portuguese managed to capture her in 1568. She was imprisoned for four years before escaping and returning to Ullal. Despite the loss of her kingdom, Rani Abbakka remained a revered figure and continued to be an inspiration for future generations. Her heroic resistance against the Portuguese invaders left a lasting impact on the history of Tulu Nadu.