By P Mohan Chandran
What makes a hero? Is it the sum of their brave deeds, the power they wield, or perhaps the folklore they inspire? Why do some figures strut around in the grand parade of history, while others, equally deserving, languish in anonymity?
The Portuguese Stranglehold: Empire at its Zenith
Flashback to 1555, when the Portuguese were the unchallenged titans of colonial power in India. They had dismantled the Zamorins of Calicut, subdued the Sultan of Bijapur, and arrogated Daman from the Sultan of Gujarat. Their colonial patchwork also involved a reprehensible act—the demolition of the ancient Kapaleeswarar Temple to construct a church. Their eyes then shifted toward the tantalizing, lucrative port of Mangalore.
The Feisty Jewel of Ullal: An Unexpected Adversary
Just a mere 14 kilometers south of Mangalore stood Ullal, a small settlement that would become the bane of Portuguese ambitions. The ruler? Rani Abbakka Chowta, a thirty-year-old warrior queen, considered inconsequential by the Portuguese. How wrong they were! After multiple failed attempts to capture her—each leaving the Portuguese soldiers either missing or mortally wounded—they were forced to reconsider.
The Tides Turn: Ambush and Triumph
When the Portuguese finally seized Mangalore, they dispatched General João Peixoto, seasoned and reputed, to capture Ullal. Finding it deserted, they let down their guard, reveling in premature exultation. But out of the shadows, Rani Abbakka Chowta sprang with her guerrilla force, inciting chaos and laying waste to the Portuguese entourage. General Peixoto was assassinated; seventy soldiers captured, and the rest scattered like sheep without a shepherd.
A Searing Counteroffensive: Not a Pause but a Charge
Did she rest on her laurels? No. That very night, she led a siege on the Mangalore fort, assassinating Admiral Mascarenhas and driving the Portuguese out. But she didn’t stop there—she even captured Kundapura, a full 100 kilometers north of Mangalore.
Betrayal & the End
Her heroics were sadly truncated by betrayal—from her own estranged husband, lured by Portuguese gold. Captured and imprisoned, she met her end trying to escape, but her legacy was far from over—or it should have been.
The Deafening Silence: The Great Forget
Why did India forget Rani Abbakka Chowta? Despite a postal stamp, a couple of statues, and a Coast Guard ship named in her honor, she remains on the periphery of historical discussion, her stories barely whispered in Indian households.
The Culminating Questions
Why does this paragon of courage and unity—a Jain queen leading Hindus and Muslims alike against colonial tyranny—remain relegated to obscurity? Are we, as the descendants of such valor, content with merely forwarding her tale as a message? What does it say about us as a society that such heroes go unnoticed and uncelebrated?
Isn’t it time to resurrect the untold stories, like that of Rani Abbakka Chowta, from the catacombs of forgotten history? And as we ponder this, we must ask ourselves another, more uncomfortable question: who else have we forgotten?
Isn't it time to recollect the brave sacrifices of ancient Indian heroes and celebrate them?
A. It's time to resurrect the untold stories of our heroes.
B. Past is past, we should focus on our future more.
© 2023. P Mohan Chandran. All Rights Reserved.
03102023
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