Belagavi has played very important role in Freedom struggle and has been home to several Freedom fighters. Among all Kittur Rani Chennamma has played a vital role for bringing freedom in Belagavi.
HISTORY OF THE NOTABLE FREEDOM FIGHTER KITTUR RANI CHENNAMMA
Who was Kittur Rani Chennamma ?
Kittur Rani Chennamma was born on 14th of November,1778, into the Lingayat community in Kakati, a small village in the Belagavi district. She is presently known as the Rani (queen) of Kitturu, a former princely state in present day Karnataka, India.
Her father’s name was Dhulappa Desai, the ruler of Kittur, and her mother’s name was Padmavati.
At a very young age she lost her father. During her childhood days, Rani Chennamma received various training in horse riding, sword fighting and archery. Rani Chennamma got married at the age of 15 to Raja Mallasarja of the Desai family, the ruler of another kingdom, after knowing him since the age of 9.
Rani Chennamma was one of the first Indian to lead an armed rebellion against the British colonial rule in India in early part of 19th century. She is known as one of the foremost women warriors and a legendary Freedom fighter of India. As one of the first and few female rulers to lead Kittur forces against British Colonisation, she continues to be remembered as a folk heroine in Karnataka, an important symbol of the Indian Independence Movement.
STORIES ABOUT THE BATTLES AND STRUGGLES
In the year 1816, Chennamma’s husband demised by leaving her with her son. After the death of Raja Mallasarja of Kittur, her husband, her eldest son named Shivalingarudra Sarja ascended the throne. But after a certain moment, his health started to deteriorate and in the year 1824 even, he expired. After the death of her son in 1824, Rani Chennamma was left with the stare of Kittur, a state full of volatility and an uphill task to maintain its independence from British.
In 1824, Rani Chennamma adopted another child, Shivalingappa, as the successor and made him heir of the throne. However, the British East India Company and Thackery refused to recognise Shivalingappa, as the successor of the kingdom under the ‘Doctrine of Lapse‘, declaring that adopted heirs has no right to be hired on the throne. This irked the East India Company, who ordered Shivalingappa’s expulsion.
This decision didn’t let Chennamma bow down to the British and thereby she made her army strengthened to fight for the wars and she herself became the ruler of Kittur in 1824 after her husband’s death.
In October 1824, John Thackery, the British official, at Dharwad, launched an attack on Kittur. The state of Kittur came under the administration of Dharwad collectorate in charge of St. John Thackeray of which Mr Chaplain was the Commissioner, both St. John Thackeray and Mr. Chaplain didn’t recognize the new rule of the regent, and notified Kittur to accept the British Control.
The fleet of 20,000 British soldiers was positioned on the foothills of the Kittur fort, as they attempted, to invade the former princely state of Karnataka. But Rani Chennamma retaliated and killed a British official to protect and safeguard her homeland.
However, she was a formidable leader, trained in martial arts and military tactics. She led her army into battle by employing guerrilla warfare tactics to surprise the British forces. The conflict lasted for several days, but ultimately the British prevailed due to their superior firepower.
In 1823, Rani Chennamma sent a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of the Bombay Province, Mountstuart Elphinstone pleading her case, but the request was turned down, instead a war broke out.
The British placed a group of sentries around the treasury and crown jewels of Kittur was valued at around 1.5 million rupees upon the outbreak of war in order to protect them. The British also mustered a force of 20,797 men and 437 guns, mainly from the 3rd troop of Madras Native Horse Artillery in order to fight the war.
In the first battle, during October 22, 1824, , British forces lost heavily and St John Thackeray, a political agent and collector was killed in the war.
Hereafter, a Lieutenant of Chennamma, Amatur Balappa was mainly responsible for his killing and losses to British forces. The two British officers ,Sir Walter Elliot and Mr Stevenson released them with an understanding with Chaplain that the war would be terminated but Chaplain continued the war with more forces. Sir Walter Eliot and Mr Stevenson were also taken as hostages.
Rani Chennamma released them with an understanding with Chaplain that the war would be cancelled, but Chaplain continued the war with more forces. During the second assault, sub collector of Solapur, Munro, nephew of Thomas Munro was killed. Rani Chennamma fought fiercely with the aid of her Deputy, Sangolli Rayanna.
Rani Chennamma’s spirit remained unbroken despite her capture and imprisonment in Baihongal Fort in Belagavi, Karnataka, she refused to accept the British Rule. While her imprisonment in Baihongal Fort, Bombay Presidency, Company Raj, where she spent the rest of her life in captivity.
LAST FEW DAYS OF Rani Chennamma
Rani Chennamma was kept in solitary confinement and was denied access to proper medical treatment and basic necessities like food, water and sanitation, which led to took her last breath and eventually she passed away on 21st February,1829 due to health deterioration at the age of 50.
The burial place or samadhi of Rani Chennamma is in Bailhongal Taluk. Her samadhi is situated in a small park maintained by the Government.
In the year 1829, The Deputy Sangolli Rayanna continued to Guerrilla War, in vain until he was captured. Sangolli Rayanna wanted to install the adopted boy Shivalingappa as the ruler of Kittur, but Rayanna was also caught and handed. Later, Shivalingappa was also arrested by the British.
HONOUR TO Rani Chennamma’s legacy
- A festival is celebrated also known as Kittur Utsav, is celebrated every year to celebrate the victory over the British force. In the year,2024, we have celebrated the 200th anniversary of Rani Channamma’s victory. This festival is celebrated with events like traditional dance, music and theatrical performances.
2. In a year 1961, a film named “Kittur Chennamma” in Kannada was directed by B.R. Panthulu with B. Saroja Devi in the title role in the honour of her bravery and victory.
3. In the year 1977, the stamp of India had the symbol of Kittur Rani Chennamma.
4. In 1983, a Coast guard ship “Kittur Chennamma” was commissioned and was decommissioned in the year 2011.
5. The Indian Railways train named as Rani Chennamma express connects Bangalore and Sangli. The name was given to honour her.
6. In the year 2007, the Indian government honored her by issuing a postage stamp in her name. On the 200th anniversary of Kittur Vijayotsava a commemorative Postage stamp was released at the historic Kittur Rani Chennamma Stage at Kittur Fort premises on 21st February.
7. On 11th September,2007, a statue of Rani Chennamma was unveiled at the Indian Parliament Complex in New Delhi by Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the first women president of India. The statue of Rani Chennamma was donated by Kittur Rani Chennamma Memorial Committee, and made by the sculpturer Vijay Gaur.
8. Pinaki Roy, the professor of Raiganj University wrote an essay which was named as, “Alternative History: A Postcolonial Rereading of Naikar’s The Queen of Kittur “, was published in the Indian Journal of Multidisciplinary Academic Research (ISSN 2347-9884),1(2), August 2014, which significantly offers several instances of critical references to literary representations of the Queen of Kittur.
Additionally, several heroics of Kittur Rani Chennamma are sung by folk in the form if Lavani, ballads, GiGi pada and folk songs were recited in her honor to fondly remember Rani Chennamma as a protector and guardian for the nation. There are other statues commemorating her at Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kittur and Hubballi and other parts of India as well.
Various books were also written remembering the legacy of Rani Chennamma, which includes; Khare Khare Kitturu Bandaya by M.M. Kaburgi, Kitturu Samsthana Sahitya-Part III by M.M. Kalburgi and Part I and Part II by others, Kitturu Samsthana Dakhalegalu by A.B. Vaggar, Kitturu Rani Chennamma by Sangamesh Tammanagoudar and Queen of Kittur by Basavarja Naikar etc.
The Rani Chennamma University in Belagavi, Karnataka was also named after her in her honor.
The Rebellion of Kittur Rani Chennamma remains an important and a significant chapter in Indias struggle for freedom. Chennamma’s unwavering leadership and resilience serves as a reminder that even in the face of daunting challenges, courage can prevail.
Her unwavering leadership and bravery will always remain in the hearts of all the people.
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