#Shakthi series - Kittur Rani Chennamma

 

Kittur Rani Chennamma

Her husband, king Mallasarja Desai was dead. His only son had also passed away. The heir to the throne was a minor and an adopted son as well. The colonial powers were greedily waiting to snatch the small but prosperous kingdom. Anyone would have just crumbled in such a dire situation. But Kittur Rani Chennamma was made of sterner stuff.

The first armed rebellion against British forces

Exactly 200 years ago…October 1824- The Battle of Kittur led by Rani Chennamma saw the death of Thackeray, East India Company’s political agent and hundreds of British soldiers. A woman regent was able to successfully foil the attempts of the British to capture the realm.

 Born Achiever

The spark was seen right from the beginning in Chennamma. Born in the small village of Kakati in Belagavi district of Karnataka, in 1778, Chennamma was known for her bravery even at an early age. She was trained in horse riding, sword fighting and archery.

From Kakati native to Kittur Rani

At the age of 15, Chennamma was married to the ruler of Kittur, Mallasarja Desai, as his second wife. Mallasarja was captured by the Peshwas of Pune and later died. His son Shivling Sarja also died due to illness in 1824. Before his death, he had adopted a son, Shivalingappa, who was a minor at the time of these events unfolding. So, it fell on the shoulders of Rani Chennamma to save the kingdom from the predatory British. As the Regent, she determined to protect the kingdom at any cost.

Occupational tactics of the British

Under the banner of the East India Company, the British devised several underhand ways to annex the various small kingdoms of India. One such rule, which was later to be known as ‘The Doctrine of Lapse’, was that if a princely state had no biological male heirs, then it would be automatically absorbed into the British empire. Rani Chennamma vehemently opposed this rule and put her heart and soul into retaining the independence of Kittur. She strengthened her army and prepared for war against the British. What a woman! A big salute to her courage and the spirit of not bowing to a foreign power.

The Big Battle of 1824

October 22, 1824 saw the valiant army of Kittur, under their fearless leader Rani Chennamma, clash with more than 20,000 British soldiers. The Rani along with her lieutenants led the charge. Many British soldiers were killed. John Thackeray, the political agent of East India Company was killed and two British officers were taken hostage by the Rani. She released them on the promise by the British that the war would not continue.

Treachery and Death

The British did not keep up their word. They came back with more forces and surrounded Kittur. A fierce battle ensued. For 12 days, Rani Chennamma and her troops relentlessly guarded their fort. Chennamma fell prey to deceit. Two soldiers of her own army turned traitors. They sneaked in and mixed mud and dung in the gunpowder in the canons. Kittur forces were outnumbered by the British. Rani Chennamma was captured and imprisoned at Bailhongal fort for life, where she passed away in 1829.

Laying the foundation for the country’s freedom

During her period of captivity, she spent time in doing pooja and reading holy texts. Kittur Rani Chennamma could not win the war against British, but she etched her presence for many centuries in the world of history. The Kittur uprising was one of the first in India’s freedom struggle. It paved the way for many more rebellions, ultimately leading to Independence.

Recognitions and Learnings

A statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma was installed in the parliamentary building premises at New Delhi.

Several statues and memorials have been erected in Karnataka state.

The university in Belgaum is named after her – Rani Chennamma University.

India Posts have released a postage stamp in her honour in 1977.

Her strength of conviction in what she believed was right, her spirit of independence, the courage she displayed in taking on the British, which even many male rulers did not possess serve as a shining example for all to follow. An inspiration for children and adults alike, Rani Chennamma is the Shakthi we salute today..