Veera Rani Abbakka: The Fearless Queen Who Refused To Give Up
A new stage production, Veera Rani Abbakka, written and directed by Preeta Mathur Thakur, serves as a reminder of a warrior that history forgot. Multiple books and films have been produced on the valour of Laxmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, who opposed the British annexation of her land, but three centuries earlier, in the 16th century, Rani Abbakka of Ullala refused to let Portuguese invaders dictate…
Veera Rani Abbakka, a fearless queen, refused to submit to the Portuguese colonizers despite their attempts to dominate the west coast of India. Born into the matrilineal Chowta dynasty, Rani Abbakka inherited the throne of Ullal, a coastal kingdom near Mangaluru, after her mother's death. Trained in statecraft, archery, and military strategy, she successfully repelled Portuguese naval invasions for over four decades.
The Portuguese sought to establish control over the Indian Ocean trade, but Rani Abbakka thwarted their efforts with guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks. She built alliances with other anti-colonial rulers, such as the Ali Raja of the Arakkal Kingdom, the Zamorin of Kozhikode, and the Sultanates of Bijapur and Ahmednagar. Rani Abbakka's administration reflected secular statecraft and communal harmony, despite her Jain faith.
After a bloody siege and capture, she continued to defy her captors until her death in prison. Her legacy persists in Tulu folk songs and folklore, which recount her bravery and resistance.
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