Shri Kailash Kr.

Mishra

"Abbakka rode the horse stately and worked deep into the night dispensing justice. She is the last
known person to have Agnivana (fire arrow)."

The Arabian Sea water that splashes the shores of Ullal near Mangalore in Karnataka could tell you the story of Abbakka
Rani, locally known as Abbakka Mahadevi. Such is her personality in the region that she has become a folk legend.
Abbakka Rani is one of the earliest freedom fighters of India who resisted the Portuguese.
The regions where Abbakka was queen is known as Tulunadu. Rani Abbakka was queen is known as Tulunadu. Rani
Abbakka, though a Queen of a little known small princely state, Ullal, was magnetic woman of indomitable courage and
patriotism. While Rani Jhansi has become a symbol of courage, Abbakka, nearly 300 years her predecessor, has been
largely forgotten by history. Her furious wars with Portuguese are not well recorded. But whatever is available speaks of a
luminous personality of awesome valour and bravery.
Sources, such as archival records, travelogues of several Portuguese travelers and historical analysis confirm that there
were three Abbakkas: mother and two daughters, who fought against the Portuguese Army between 1530 and 1599.
Though it is the second daughter who was the most courageous, the folklore treats all three Abbakkas as one great Queen
and a brilliant personality Abbakka Mahadevi or Rani Abbakka. In this article also she is being treated as a single character -
Abbakka Rani.
Ullal fort, the capital of Abbakka's kingdom, is located just a few kilometers away from the city of Mangalore, on the shores
of the Arabian Sea. It is a historical as well as a pilgrim spot because of the beautiful Shiva Temple built by the Queen and a
unique natural rock, called the Rudra Rock. The rock appears to change colours every second, as the sweater
splashes on it.
According to local legends. Abbakka was an extraordinary child and as she grew up showed signs of being a visionary.
there was no equal to her in military science and warfare, mainly in archery and sword fighting. Her father encouraged her in
this and after she was well versed in all areas, she was married to a neighbouring local king of Bangher. The marriage did
no last long with Abbakka breaking the ties by returning the jewels given by his to her. The husband thus nurtured revenge
against Abbakka and later on joined the Portuguese in a treaty, to fight Abbakka.
The Portuguese had made several attempts to capture Ullal, strategically placed. But Abbakka had repulsed each of their
attack with sheer courage and ingenuity. The queen's story is retold from generation to generation through folk songs and
yakshagana, the popular folk theatre, In bootaradhana, (which literally means appeasing the possessed, a local ritual dance)
the personal in trance narrates the great deeds of Abbakka Mahadevi. Abbakka, dark and good looking, always dressed in
simple clothes like a common village woman. She rode the horse stately and worked deep into the night dispensing justice.
According to the folklore, Abbakka is the last known person to have the Agnivana (fire-arrow) in her fight against the
Portuguese. Though Abbakka was a Jain by faith her administration was well represented by Hindus and Muslims. Her army
too consisted of people from all sects and caste including Moggaveeras, a fisher folk community. The first attack by the
Portuguese in south Kanara coast was in 1525, when they destroyed the Mangalore port. Rani Abbakka was alerted by the
incident and started preparing herself to protect her kingdom. In 1555, the Portuguese sent Admiral Don Alvaro da Silvereira
against the Queen of Ullal Abbakka Devi Chowta who had refused to pay them the tribute. She fought with courage and
intelligence and pushed them back.
In 1558 the Portuguese Army perpetrated another wanton cruelty on Mangalore, putting to death a number of men and
women, both young and old, plundering a temple, burning ships and finally setting the city itself on fire.
Again, in 1567, the Portuguese army attacked Ullal, showering death and destruction. The great Queen Abbakka Devi
Chowta (Bucadevi I) resisted it.
The same year one general Joao Peixoto was sent by the Portuguese Viceroy Antony Norohna with a fleet of soldiers. He
captured the city of Ullal and also entered the royal court. However the Queen escaped and took asylum in a mosque. The
same night, she counter-attacked the Portuguese army, with a help of 200 of her soldiers and killed General Peixoto and 70
Portuguese soldiers.
The invaders were forced to flee to their ships in disgrace. The Portuguese soldiers who remained in Ullal were dead drunk,
in over confidence and were dancing. Taking advantage of this opportunity, about 500 Muslim supporters of Abbakka Rani
attacked the Portuguese and killed Admiral Mascarenhas along with the help six thousand Muslim soldiers in 1568, and the
foreign army had to leave the Mangalore fort.
In 1569, the Portuguese Army not only regained the Mangalore Fort but also captured Kundapur (Basrur). Abbakka Rani
was a source of threat to the Portuguese. They won the confidence of Abbakka's estranged husband, kind of Bangher and
started attacking Ulla. Abbakka Rani fought vigorously.
She formed an alliance in 1570 with Bijapur Sultan Ahmed Nagar and the Zanmorine of Calicut, who where also opposing
the Portuguese. Kutty Pokar Markar, a general of the Zamorine fought on behalf of Abbakka and destroyed the Portuguese
fort at Mangalore but while returning he was killed by the Portuguese.
Abbakka lost the war as her husband assisted the Portuguese by revealing to them her strategies of warfare, which he was
familiar with. She was arrested and jailed. However, the warrior that she was, she was, she revolted in the prison and died
as a soldier - fighting.
Though Abbakka has been admired and worshipped in the local folk forms, it is very recently there there have been efforts
to honour her memory.
As a result of these efforts the Karnatka Government has erected a statue of the Queen in the city of Bangalore. IGNCA is
making a documentary on Abbakka Rani, incorporating the folk myth.
Shri Kailash Kr. Mishra is a Research Fellow, in Janpada Sampada and is involved in the documentary Project on Abbakka.
The author expresses his sincere thanks to Prof. Vasantha Madhava, Prof. Amrut Someshwar, Prof. B.A. Vivek Rai, Dr.
Wahab Doddamane, Dr. Nandavar and Shri Bharatadri, for the inputs they gave on Abbakka Rani.

Abbakka Rani
Abbakka Rani (Tulu: ಅಬ್ಬಕ್ಕ ರಾಣಿ ) or Abbakka Mahadevi (Tulu: ಅಬ್ಬಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ) was the
queen of Tulunadu who fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century. She belonged
to the Chowta dynasty who ruled over the area from the temple town of Moodabidri. 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').[1][2] She
was also one of the earliest Indians to fight the colonial powers and is sometimes regarded as the
'first woman freedom fighter of India'.[3][4]
[edit] Early life
The Chowtas followed a matrilineal system by which Tirumala Raya, Abbakka's uncle, crowned
her the queen of Ullal. He also forged a matrimonial alliance for Abbakka with Lakshmappa
Arasa, the powerful king of neighbouring 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.
[edit] 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 religion lines.
Though Abbakka was a Jain by faith, her administration was well represented by Hindus and
Muslims. Her army too consisted of people of all sects and castes including the Mogaveeras, a
fisher folk community. She even forged alliances with the Zamorin of Calicut and other Muslim
rulers south of Tulunadu towards this end. 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.
[edit] 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. In the battle that followed, Rani Abbakka once again
managed to hold her own and repulsed the attack successfully.
In 1557, the Portuguese plundered Mangalore and laid it waste. 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 where 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,[5] seventy
Portuguese soldiers were taken prisoners and many of the Portuguese retreated. In further
attacks, Abbakka Rani and her supporters killed Admiral Mascarenhas and the Portuguese were
also forced to vacate the Mangalore fort.
In 1569 however, the Portuguese not only regained the Mangalore fort but also captured
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 Zamorine of Calicut, who where also opposing the Portuguese.
Kutty Pokar Markar, the Zamorine's general fought on behalf of Abbakka and destroyed the
Portuguese fort at Mangalore but while returning he was killed by the Portuguese. Following
these losses and her husband's treachery, Abbakka lost the war, was arrested and jailed.
However, even in prison she revolted and died fighting.
[edit] 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. In Bhuta Kola, a local ritual dance, the persona in trance recounts the great deeds of
Abbakka Mahadevi. 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 the used
the Agnivana (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.
Tradition however treats all three - mother and two daughters as the same person.
[edit] Memory
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 awarded to distinguished women on the occasion.[6] On January 15, 2003, the Indian postal
department issued a special cover on Rani Abbakka. There have been calls to name the Bajpe
airport and a naval vessel after the queen.[7] A bronze statue of the queen has been erected in
Ullal and another in Bangalore.[8] The Karnataka Itihasa Academy has called for renaming the
Queen's road in the state capital as 'Rani Abbakka Devi road'.[9] hi

ABBAKKA RANI : THE UNSUNG WARRIOR QUEEN

 
“Abbakka rode the horse stately and worked deep into the
night dispensing justice. She is the last known person to
have Agnivana (fire arrow).”
 
The Arabian Sea water that splashes the shores of Ullal near Mangalore in Karnataka could tell you the
story of Abbakka Rani, locally known as Abbakka Mahadevi. Such is her personality in the region that
she has become a folk legend. Abbakka Rani is one of the earliest freedom fighters of India who resisted
the Portuguese.The regions where Abbakka was queen is known as Tulunadu. Rani Abbakka was queen
is known as Tulunadu. Rani Abbakka, though a Queen of a little known small princely state, Ullal, was
magnetic woman of indomitable courage and patriotism. While Rani Jhansi has become a symbol of
courage, Abbakka, nearly 300 years her predecessor, has been largely forgotten by history. Her furious
wars with Portuguese are not well recorded. But whatever is available speaks of a luminous personality
of awesome valour and bravery.Sources, such as archival records, travelogues of several Portuguese
travelers and historical analysis confirm that there were three Abbakkas: mother and two daughters, who
fought against the Portuguese Army between 1530 and 1599.
Though it is the second daughter who was the most courageous, the folklore treats all three Abbakkas as
one great Queen and a brilliant personality Abbakka Mahadevi or Rani Abbakka. In this article also she is
being treated as a single character – Abbakka Rani.
Ullal fort, the capital of Abbakka’s kingdom, is located just a few kilometers away from the city of
Mangalore, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It is a historical as well as a pilgrim spot because of the
beautiful Shiva Temple built by the Queen and a unique natural rock, called the Rudra Rock. The rock
appears to change colours every second, as the sweater splashes on it.
According to local legends. Abbakka was an extraordinary child and as she grew up showed signs of
being a visionary. there was no equal to her in military science and warfare, mainly in archery and sword
fighting. Her father encouraged her in this and after she was well versed in all areas, she was married to
a neighbouring local king of Bangher. The marriage did no last long with Abbakka breaking the ties by
returning the jewels given by his to her. The husband thus nurtured revenge against Abbakka and later
on joined the Portuguese in a treaty, to fight Abbakka.
The Portuguese had made several attempts to capture Ullal, strategically placed. But Abbakka had
repulsed each of their attack with sheer courage and ingenuity. The queen’s story is retold from
generation to generation through folk songs and yakshagana, the popular folk theatre, In bootaradhana,
(which literally means appeasing the possessed, a local ritual dance) the personal in trance narrates the
great deeds of Abbakka Mahadevi. Abbakka, dark and good looking, always dressed in simple clothes
like a common village woman. She rode the horse stately and worked deep into the night dispensing
justice.
According to the folklore, Abbakka is the last known person to have the Agnivana (fire-arrow) in her fight
against the Portuguese. Though Abbakka was a Jain by faith her administration was well represented by
Hindus and Muslims. Her army too consisted of people from all sects and caste including Moggaveeras,
a fisher folk community. The first attack by the Portuguese in south Kanara coast was in 1525, when they
destroyed the Mangalore port. Rani Abbakka was alerted by the incident and started preparing herself to
protect her kingdom. In 1555, the Portuguese sent Admiral Don Alvaro da Silvereira against the Queen of
Ullal Abbakka Devi Chowta who had refused to pay them the tribute. She fought with courage and
intelligence and pushed them back.

In 1558 the Portuguese Army perpetrated another wanton cruelty on Mangalore, putting to death a
number of men and women, both young and old, plundering a temple, burning ships and finally setting
the city itself on fire.Again, in 1567, the Portuguese army attacked Ullal, showering death and destruction.
The great Queen Abbakka Devi Chowta (Bucadevi I) resisted it.The same year one general Joao Peixoto
was sent by the Portuguese Viceroy Antony Norohna with a fleet of soldiers. He captured the city of Ullal
and also entered the royal court. However the Queen escaped and took asylum in a mosque. The same
night, she counter-attacked the Portuguese army, with a help of 200 of her soldiers and killed General
Peixoto and 70 Portuguese soldiers.The invaders were forced to flee to their ships in disgrace. The
Portuguese soldiers who remained in Ullal were dead drunk, in over confidence and were dancing.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, about 500 Muslim supporters of Abbakka Rani attacked the
Portuguese and killed Admiral Mascarenhas along with the help six thousand Muslim soldiers in 1568,
and the foreign army had to leave the Mangalore fort.
In 1569, the Portuguese Army not only regained the Mangalore Fort but also captured Kundapur
(Basrur). Abbakka Rani was a source of threat to the Portuguese. They won the confidence of Abbakka’s
estranged husband, kind of Bangher and started attacking Ulla. Abbakka Rani fought vigorously.
She formed an alliance in 1570 with Bijapur Sultan Ahmed Nagar and the Zanmorine of Calicut, who
where also opposing the Portuguese. Kutty Pokar Markar, a general of the Zamorine fought on behalf of
Abbakka and destroyed the Portuguese fort at Mangalore but while returning he was killed by the
Portuguese.
Abbakka lost the war as her husband assisted the Portuguese by revealing to them her strategies of
warfare, which he was familiar with. She was arrested and jailed. However, the warrior that she was, she
was, she revolted in the prison and died as a soldier – fighting.
Though Abbakka has been admired and worshipped in the local folk forms, it is very recently there there
have been efforts to honour her memory.
As a result of these efforts the Karnatka Government has erected a statue of the Queen in the city of
Bangalore. IGNCA is making a documentary on Abbakka Rani, incorporating the folk myth.
Shri Kailash Kr. Mishra is a Research Fellow, in Janpada Sampada and is involved in the documentary
Project on Abbakka.
The author expresses his sincere thanks to Prof. Vasantha Madhava, Prof. Amrut Someshwar, Prof. B.A.
Vivek Rai, Dr. Wahab Doddamane, Dr. Nandavar and Shri Bharatadri, for the inputs they gave on
Abbakka Rani.

THOKKUTTU (ULLAL): The sixth Veera Rani Abbakka Utsav began here on Sunday with a
call to place Rani Abbakka on a par with other nationalist personalities.
Speaking at the inaugural session, well-known writer and Nadoja Award winner Sara
Aboobackar said Rani Abbakka was not like other queens who stayed in palaces; she lived amid
people and when it came to protection of the independence of her people she fought with all her
might and laid down her life.
Ms. Aboobackar said Rani Abbakka was as valiant as Kittur Rani Channamma, but her history
was not very well known. Two other queens who were of Rani Abbakka’s stature were Chand
Bibi and Razia Sultana, she said.
President of the Dakshina Kannada district Kannada Sahitya Parishat Pradeep Kumar Kalkura
regretted that the history of Rani Abbakka had not being documented in a scientific way, and the
Government had neglected her role in fighting foreign aggression.
He said a statue of Rani Abbakka should be installed not just in Mangalore but also in Bangalore
near the Town Hall. President of the Karnataka State Tulu Sahitya Parishat Seetharama Kulal
said the Tulu Academy would set up a fund for taking up research on Rani Abbakka. Mr. Kulal
said he had already spoken to the Mangalore City Corporation to name the circle outside the
Deputy Commissioner’s office after Rani Abbakka.
Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority B.M. Idinabba said it was not correct to
restrict Rani Abbakka’s identity to Tulu Nadu just because she ruled a part of that region. She
should be recognised on a national level.
 
 Rani Abbakka
ABBAKKA RANI : THE UNSUNG WARRIOR QUEEN
“Abbakka rode the horse stately and worked deep into the night dispensing justice. She is the
last known person to have Agnivana (fire arrow).”
Rani Abbakka, though a Queen of a little known small princely state, Ullal, near Mangalore, in
present day Karnataka, was a magnetic woman of indomitable courage and patriotism. While
Rani Jhansi has become a symbol of courage, Abbakka, nearly 300 years her predecessor, has
been largely forgotten by history. Her furious wars with Portuguese are not well recorded. But
whatever is available speaks of a luminous personality of awesome valour and bravery.
Sources, such as archival records, travelogues of several Portuguese travelers and historical
analysis confirm that there were three Abbakkas: mother and two daughters, who fought against
the Portuguese Army between 1530 and 1599.

Rani Abbakka Statue, Ullal, Karnataka

Though it is the second daughter who was the most courageous, the folklore treats all three
Abbakkas as one great Queen and a brilliant personality Abbakka Mahadevi or Rani Abbakka. In
this article also she is being treated as a single character – Abbakka Rani.
Ullal fort, the capital of Abbakka’s kingdom, is located just a few kilometers away from the city
of Mangalore, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It is a historical as well as a pilgrim spot because
of the beautiful Shiva Temple built by the Queen and a unique natural rock, called the Rudra
Rock. The rock appears to change colours every second, as the sweater splashes on it.
According to local legends. Abbakka was an extraordinary child and as she grew up showed
signs of being a visionary. there was no equal to her in military science and warfare, mainly in
archery and sword fighting. Her father encouraged her in this and after she was well versed in all
areas, she was married to a neighbouring local king of Bangher. The marriage did no last long
with Abbakka breaking the ties by returning the jewels given by his to her. The husband thus
nurtured revenge against Abbakka and later on joined the Portuguese in a treaty, to fight
Abbakka.
The Portuguese had made several attempts to capture Ullal, strategically placed. But Abbakka
had repulsed each of their attack with sheer courage and ingenuity. The queen’s story is retold
from generation to generation through folk songs and yakshagana, the popular folk theatre, In
bootaradhana, (which literally means appeasing the possessed, a local ritual dance) the personal
in trance narrates the great deeds of Abbakka Mahadevi. Abbakka, dark and good looking,
always dressed in simple clothes like a common village woman. She rode the horse stately and
worked deep into the night dispensing justice.
According to the folklore, Abbakka is the last known person to have the Agnivana (fire-arrow) in
her fight against the Portuguese. Though Abbakka was a Jain by faith her administration was
well represented by Hindus and Muslims. Her army too consisted of people from all sects and
caste including Mogaveeras, a fisher folk community. The first attack by the Portuguese in south
Kanara coast was in 1525, when they destroyed the Mangalore port. Rani Abbakka was alerted
by the incident and started preparing herself to protect her kingdom. In 1555, the Portuguese sent
Admiral Don Alvaro da Silvereira against the Queen of Ullal Abbakka Devi Chowta who had
refused to pay them the tribute. She fought with courage and intelligence and pushed them back.
In 1558 the Portuguese Army perpetrated another wanton cruelty on Mangalore, putting to death
a number of men and women, both young and old, plundering a temple, burning ships and finally
setting the city itself on fire.
Again, in 1567, the Portuguese army attacked Ullal, showering death and destruction. The great
Queen Abbakka Devi Chowta (Bucadevi I) resisted it.
The same year one general Joao Peixoto was sent by the Portuguese Viceroy Antony Norohna
with a fleet of soldiers. He captured the city of Ullal and also entered the royal court. However
the Queen escaped and took asylum in a mosque. The same night, she counter-attacked the
Portuguese army, with a help of 200 of her soldiers and killed General Peixoto and 70
Portuguese soldiers.
The invaders were forced to flee to their ships in disgrace. The Portuguese soldiers who
remained in Ullal were dead drunk, in over confidence and were dancing. Taking advantage of
this opportunity, about 500 Muslim supporters of Abbakka Rani attacked the Portuguese and
killed Admiral Mascarenhas along with the help six thousand Muslim soldiers in 1568, and the
foreign army had to leave the Mangalore fort.
In 1569, the Portuguese Army not only regained the Mangalore Fort but also captured Kundapur
(Basrur). Abbakka Rani was a source of threat to the Portuguese. They won the confidence of
Abbakka’s estranged husband, kind of Bangher and started attacking Ulla. Abbakka Rani fought
vigorously.
She formed an alliance in 1570 with Bijapur Sultan Ahmed Nagar and the Zanmorine of Calicut,
who where also opposing the Portuguese. Kutty Pokar Markar, a general of the Zamorine fought
on behalf of Abbakka and destroyed the Portuguese fort at Mangalore but while returning he was
killed by the Portuguese.
Abbakka lost the war as her husband assisted the Portuguese by revealing to them her strategies
of warfare, which he was familiar with. She was arrested and jailed. However, the warrior that
she was, she was, she revolted in the prison and died as a soldier – fighting.
Though Abbakka has been admired and worshipped in the local folk forms, it is very recently
there there have been efforts to honour her memory.
July 12, 2007 - Posted by ellakavi | EKAVI COORG-KODAGU, History of Karnataka
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