This episode was about the fort of Kittur (Karnataka) and the Queen whose name is forever linked to this fort – Raani Chennamma.
This fort was constructed somewhere in the 16th century by the Desai dynasty and converted into their kingdom’s capital. The story of Chennamma’s marriage with the Kittur King Malasaraja can be an inspiration for a Hindi movie. She was very proficient in horse-riding and archery. One day she had been to a forest and the King was there as well. Their arrows happened to hit the same lion but Chennamma insisted that the lion died from her arrow. The King was impressed with this feisty lass and she became his second wife. This kingdom was so rich that by the turn of the 17th century they had about 15 Lacs Rupees cash along with other precious stones and ornaments in the state coffers.
Needless to say, other kingdoms were looking for a chance to lay their hands on this fabulous wealth - the Peshwas being one of them. They imprisoned the Kittur King but his health deteriorated in captivity. Fearing a backlash from the general populace of Kittur if anything happened to the King, the Peshwas released him. But he died on his way back to Kittur. His first wife Rudramma dedicated herself to religious activities after this. And Chennamma declared the firstborn of the King and Rudramma as the new King. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a weak ruler and died young. Now the reins of the Kingdom were in Chennamma’s hands and she ruled well.
But the British had their eyes on this tiny kingdom. In 1824 the Dharwad collector of British East India Company attacked Kittur. Queen Chennamma didn’t allow him to set foot in the fort and the British were mightily defeated.
Unfortunately, they did not take this defeat well. Chennamma must have realized that another battle was inevitable. Hence she had started the settlement process with the Governor of Mumbai – on the condition that her adopted son’s rights would be recognized and protected. She had also offered to release the British war-prisoners of the 1st war. The governor got his men released and then with the help of battalions that were brought from Mumbai and Mysore attacked Kittur in 1829. They did this under the pretext that the kingdom didn’t have a legal heir because their true motive of attack – to get their hands on the royal wealth – would have alarmed other Indian kingdoms. Chennamma had been preparing for war. And she would have won as well had it not been for the age-old curse of treachery that plagues this land. The traitors mixed cow dung in the ammunition and Kuttur was defeated. The Queen and her adopted son were imprisoned in a nearby fort.
Despite the defeat the people of Kittur were far from accepting the British rule. A common man by the name of Sangoli Rayanna made life hell for the British with his constant surprise attacks. However, he too was caught with the help of traitors. The British hanged him in the village of Nandgad.
Kittur’s struggle for freedom ended with Sangoli Rayanna’s death. The British left in 1947. But the fort that had defeated the British suffered abandonment and neglect at the hands of its own countrymen. Though much of it is still standing, the ASI has put up boards to indicate what purpose certain places served during the years gone by because their present condition is a far cry from their yesteryear’s glory.
I wish we common people could do more to preserve our heritage. :(
This fort was constructed somewhere in the 16th century by the Desai dynasty and converted into their kingdom’s capital. The story of Chennamma’s marriage with the Kittur King Malasaraja can be an inspiration for a Hindi movie. She was very proficient in horse-riding and archery. One day she had been to a forest and the King was there as well. Their arrows happened to hit the same lion but Chennamma insisted that the lion died from her arrow. The King was impressed with this feisty lass and she became his second wife. This kingdom was so rich that by the turn of the 17th century they had about 15 Lacs Rupees cash along with other precious stones and ornaments in the state coffers.
Needless to say, other kingdoms were looking for a chance to lay their hands on this fabulous wealth - the Peshwas being one of them. They imprisoned the Kittur King but his health deteriorated in captivity. Fearing a backlash from the general populace of Kittur if anything happened to the King, the Peshwas released him. But he died on his way back to Kittur. His first wife Rudramma dedicated herself to religious activities after this. And Chennamma declared the firstborn of the King and Rudramma as the new King. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a weak ruler and died young. Now the reins of the Kingdom were in Chennamma’s hands and she ruled well.
But the British had their eyes on this tiny kingdom. In 1824 the Dharwad collector of British East India Company attacked Kittur. Queen Chennamma didn’t allow him to set foot in the fort and the British were mightily defeated.
Unfortunately, they did not take this defeat well. Chennamma must have realized that another battle was inevitable. Hence she had started the settlement process with the Governor of Mumbai – on the condition that her adopted son’s rights would be recognized and protected. She had also offered to release the British war-prisoners of the 1st war. The governor got his men released and then with the help of battalions that were brought from Mumbai and Mysore attacked Kittur in 1829. They did this under the pretext that the kingdom didn’t have a legal heir because their true motive of attack – to get their hands on the royal wealth – would have alarmed other Indian kingdoms. Chennamma had been preparing for war. And she would have won as well had it not been for the age-old curse of treachery that plagues this land. The traitors mixed cow dung in the ammunition and Kuttur was defeated. The Queen and her adopted son were imprisoned in a nearby fort.
Despite the defeat the people of Kittur were far from accepting the British rule. A common man by the name of Sangoli Rayanna made life hell for the British with his constant surprise attacks. However, he too was caught with the help of traitors. The British hanged him in the village of Nandgad.
Kittur’s struggle for freedom ended with Sangoli Rayanna’s death. The British left in 1947. But the fort that had defeated the British suffered abandonment and neglect at the hands of its own countrymen. Though much of it is still standing, the ASI has put up boards to indicate what purpose certain places served during the years gone by because their present condition is a far cry from their yesteryear’s glory.
I wish we common people could do more to preserve our heritage. :(
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment