Kittur Rani Chennamma (1778-1829)

Kittur Rani Chennamma is the first female freedom fighter in Indian National Movement, who fought against the British forces for her state and rights. This was 30 years before Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi fought against the British forces for her state and rights. The two queens faced similar precedents, and backgrounds and fought with similar valor against the British forces.

Karnataka Legacy

In the history of Karnataka, there have been many brave women warriors, who fought against the invaders for their rights. Some of them are, Rani Abbaka Chowta of Ullal, who made the Portuguese navy retreat from Mangalore, Keladi Chennamma who beat back Aurangzeb and his Mughal army, Onake Obavva who defended the fort of Chitradurga with just a pestle from the forces of Hyder Ali, Kittur Rani Chennamma who fought against the British forces.

Kittur State and Kittur Rani Chennamma

Kittur is a town located in the present-day Belgavi district (earlier known as Belgaum district) of Karnataka. In 1746, the princely state of Kittur state came under Maratha suzerainty. In 1782, Raja Mallasarja of the Desai family sat on the throne of the Kittur under the lordship of Marathas. Raja Mallasarja Desai was the most influential and powerful ruler of all rulers of Kittur. In 1793, Raja Mallasarja Desai was married to Rani Chennamma.
Rani Chennamma was born on 23 October 1778, in the small village Kakati, in the Belagavi district. She belonged to the Lingayat Panchamasaali or Veer Shaiva community and received training in horse riding, sword fighting and archery from a young age.

Death of Raja of Kittur, 1816

In 1816, Raja Mallasarja Desai died leaving the throne of Kittur state to his only son under the guidance of Kittur Rani Chennamma. However, in 1824 the only son and ruler of Kittur also died prematurely. Kittur Rani Chennamma adopted Shivalingappa and made him heir to the throne.

Kittur State and Doctrine of Lapse

After the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-19), the British East India Company gained control over Maratha territory. Thereby, the Kittur state under the Maratha’s suzerainty also came under the power of the British East India Company. The adoption of Shivalingappa and making him ruler of Kittur did not go well with the British East India Company. The British regent did not approve of the adoption of Shivalingappa as ruler of Kittur. It notified that in the absence of a biological heir, the Kittur was to be part of direct control of the British East India Company. This was one of the earliest instances of the Doctrine of Lapse later adopted by the British Governor General Lord Dalhousie (1848-56). Kittur Rani Chennamma pleaded with Lieutenant-Governor of the Bombay province for recognition of his adopted son as ruler of Kittur. However, her plea was rejected and the British asked to surrender and hand over the state of Kittur to the Company. Rani Chennamma defied and thus war between the British Company and Rani Chennamma became imminent.

Battle of Kittur, October 1824

In 1824, the British East India Company sent forces to fight Kittur and annex it. Rani Chennamma was left with no choice but to fight for her cause and state. She gathered an army under the command of Sangolli Rayanna. In the first battle which took place in October 1824, Rani Chennamma fought a fierce battle while British forces faced heavy losses. St. John Thackeray, the British collector, and the political agent were also killed during this first battle by the Kittur forces led by Rani Chennamma. The British being defeated in the first battle, and the British brought further forces from Mysore and other nearby areas.

In the second battle, the British forces outnumbered the Kittur forces by a large ratio. Rani Chennamma gave a tough fight. However, she was defeated, captured, and imprisoned at Bailhongal Fort in Belgavi district by the British Company. After Rani Chennamma was captured and imprisoned, his lieutenant Sangolli Rayanna changed the tactics and continued the guerilla warfare against British forces. Sangolli Rayanna was captured and hanged in 1829, and soon after the British Company also arrested Shivalingappa.

Death of Kittur Rani Chennamma, February 1829

Meanwhile, Rani Chennamma’s health deteriorated in the prison. Soon after she came to know about the martyrdom of his lieutenant Sangolli Rayanna, she died in the prison on 21 February 1829. She was cremated at Bailhongal where later her samadhi was built.

Legacy of Kittur Rani Chennamma

Kittur Rani Chennamma is remembered for her courage, fighting spirit, and valor. During the Indian national movement, her brave resistance against the British forces became the theme of several inspirational plays, folk songs (Lavani), and stories. Chennamma’s legacy and first victory are still commemorated in Kittur, during the Kittur Utsava held on 22–24 October every year. On 11 September 2007, Kittur Rani Chennamma’s statue was unveiled at the Parliament complex in New Delhi by the first woman President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil.

Click on the link to see the Government of India Press Information Bureau feature on Rani Chennamma.