Veera Rani Abbakka: The Fearless Queen Who Refused To Give Up
· Free Press Journal
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 terms to her and fought off every attack by their well-equipped naval force.
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She is regarded as India's first woman freedom fighter and one of the earliest Indian rulers to resist a European colonial power. Because of her courage and military strategy, the Portuguese could not capture the west coast of India and were confined largely to Goa.
A Queen Who Defied The Portuguese
Rani Abbakka governed Ullal, a small coastal kingdom in present-day Karnataka, near the strategic port city of Mangaluru. Despite ruling a relatively modest realm, Abbakka successfully repelled repeated naval invasions by the Portuguese navy for over four decades.
Following Vasco da Gama’s arrival in Calicut in 1498, the Portuguese Crown (Estado da Índia) sought to establish a monopoly over the Indian Ocean trade, particularly the lucrative spice trade. Their strategy relied on enforcing the cartaz system—a policy requiring local and regional merchant ships to purchase licences and pay duties at Portuguese-controlled ports. Vessels operating without a cartaz were routinely seized, their cargo confiscated, and their crews enslaved or killed. They tried to go southwards and capture Kanara, a thriving trading hub known for its pepper, rice, timber, and spices. Ports like Mangaluru, Ullal, Honnavar, and Barkur were occupied with foreign trade and maintained active maritime links with the Arabian Peninsula, Persia, and the Red Sea. The Portuguese attempted to establish a monopoly.
Her Training And Royal Inheritance
During this period, Ullal was ruled by the Chowta dynasty, a Jain royal lineage that followed the matrilineal system of inheritance known as aliyasantana. Under this custom, succession passed down through the female line—from uncle to nephew or mother to daughter/nephew. After the death of her mother, who also resisted the Portuguese, Abbakka inherited the throne of Ullal. Her uncle, King Tirumala Raya, had seen to it that she was trained from a young age in statecraft, archery, swordsmanship, and military strategy. So when she took over the reins of Ullal, she was prepared. Also, the men in her court and army, raised in the same system, did not oppose the idea of being ruled by a woman, which was not the case in North India, where, with a couple of exceptions, women were kept out of power.
Her marriage was arranged with Lakshmapa Arasa, the ruler of the neighbouring principality of Banga, mainly as a political alliance. The marriage did not last, as Lakshmapa was willing to accept subservience to the Portuguese, while Abbakka insisted on absolute sovereignty and free trade. The Portuguese built forts along the Kanara coast to subjugate local rulers, many of whom capitulated, agreed to pay tribute, and accepted Portuguese trade restrictions. Rani Abbakka, however, refused to submit.
Guerrilla Tactics And Surprise Attacks
Abbakka, with her loyal soldiers, repulsed every attack by the Portuguese. Aware that they had cannons and gunpowder, Abbakka used small boats, fire-tipped arrows and guerrilla tactics to defeat the enemy. She personally led her forces, and in the play, Mathur Thakur includes an incident when she went to rescue her military commander from a Portuguese prison.
In another incident included in the play, she retreated from her fort into the nearby forests, and when the Portuguese arrived, they saw an empty palace and were relieved. That night, while the Portuguese troops were celebrating their victory, Abbakka executed a surprise counter-offensive, leading a crew of hand-picked warriors. Her troops set fire to the Portuguese ships docked near the shore. The surviving enemy soldiers fled in panic.
Building Alliances And Unity
Rani Abbakka also built a coalition of other anti-colonial rulers that included the Ali Raja of the Arakkal Kingdom (Cannanore/Kannur); the Zamorin of Kozhikode (Calicut), whose naval commanders, the Kunjali Marakkars, were legendary sea captains; and the Sultanates of Bijapur and Ahmednagar in the Deccan. She sent her merchant ships across the seas accompanied by her navy so that the local traders could execute more profitable business deals.
A defining aspect of Rani Abbakka’s reign was her ability to forge unity among a diverse populace (source: the net). Coastal Kanara was home to various castes, religions, and economic groups. Abbakka was a Jain, but her administration reflected an early model of secular statecraft and communal harmony.
For decades, she protected Ullal, her people, and their way of life from colonial forces. Eventually, the Portuguese launched an all-out military campaign. Her husband collaborated with the Portuguese to defeat her. After an intense, bloody siege in which Ullal was overrun, Rani Abbakka was wounded and captured on the battlefield. She was imprisoned in a Portuguese fortress, where she continued to defy her captors until her death in captivity.
A Legacy Preserved In Folklore
That a historical figure like her remains mostly unknown and unsung outside Karnataka is a shame. If history forgot her, folklore and Tulu folk songs extolled her bravery and how she carried out her revolt within her prison cell, killed several Portuguese guards, and fell fighting heroically.
In her play, Preeta has used two sutradhars in yakshagana costume to narrate the story, like the balladeers of yore must have done. In recent decades, Rani Abbakka has received wider national recognition across India (source: Wikipedia). In 2012, the Indian Coast Guard commissioned an Inshore Patrol Vessel named ICGS Rani Abbakka, honouring her historical role in defending India’s maritime frontiers. Statues of Rani Abbakka have been erected in Bengaluru and Ullal. India Post has issued commemorative postal stamps honouring her contributions to national history. The Karnataka state government annually celebrates the Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava, featuring historical exhibitions, Tulu cultural performances, and the presentation of the Veera Rani Abbakka Prashasti to outstanding women scholars, artists, and social workers.
She is remembered in folk songs as Abhaya Rani—the Fearless Queen. Hopefully, Preeta Mathur Thakur’s play will ignite a spark for the creation of screen projects to give Veera Rani Abbakka her due place in history and popular culture.
Deepa Gahlot is a Mumbai-based columnist, critic and author.