While Durga and Kali (the Warrior
Goddesses) are manifestations of Devi Parvati or Shakti in
Indian mythology, religion and culture, this country boasts
of countless real, human Warrior Queens, who contributed in
countless ways to Indian history. These valiant women
warriors fearlessly fought for the country, in spite of
being involved in family life and having their own children
and kingdom to take care of.
In this month's article, we bring you the stories of some of
the bravest women warriors of Indian history.
Rani Laximibai - 1828-1858
Rani Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, was the Queen of the
princely state of Jhansi, in North India, currently situated
in the district of Uttar Pradesh. She was one of the pivotal
figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol
of resistance to the British Raj.
Early Life
Rani Lakshmibai was born on November 19, 1828, in the town
of Varanasi. Born into a Marathi Karhade Brahmin family, she
was named Manikarnika Tambe and was nicknamed Manu. Her
father was Moropant Tambe and her mother, Bhagirathi Bai
Sapre. Her mother passed on when she was just four years old
and her father was the Commander of the War of Kalyanpranth.
He worked for Peshwa Baji Rao II of Bithoor district.
The Peshwa was very fond of little Manu and called her
"Chhabili", which means, "playful". She received home
education and so, could read and write. This made her
independent and more fearless than the others in her age
group. She also trained in shooting, horsemanship, fencing
and mallakhamba; a traditional Indian sport, involving
gymnastics, while dangling from a rope. Nana Sahib and Tatya
Tope were her closest friends right from childhood. This
went against many of the expectations for women in those
patriarchal times in India.
According to historians, though she had quite a few horses,
her favourite one was Baadal. She escaped from the fort on
that very horse in 1858.
Queen Lakshmibai - Poster
Marriage
Manikarnika was married to Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the
Maharaja of Jhansi, in May 1842. She then came to be known
as Lakshmibai (or Laxmibai). In due course of time, she gave
birth to a boy, later named Damodar Rao, in 1851. He died
after four months. The Maharaja then adopted a child, who he
named Anand Rao. The boy was actually his own cousin's son.
He was later renamed Damodar Rao. The adoption took place in
the presence of the British political officer, who was
instructed to let the Government know that this boy was now
the heir and was to be treated with respect and the greatest
regard.
The Maharaja died the next day. After his death, the British
East India Company, under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie,
applied the Doctrine of Lapse and laid claim to the throne
of Jhansi, also annexing the state to its territories. When
the widowed Lakshmibai came to know of this, she swore never
to give away her kingdom. in March 1854, Rani Lakshmibai was
given an annual pension of Rs.60,000, and was asked to leave
the palace and the fort.
The Start of the Rebellion (1857)
Lakshmibai was known to exercise regularly, also training in
weightlifting, wrestling and steeplechasing. She was much
respected for her simplicity of dress and behaviour, her
intelligence and her capabilities as a ruler.
On May 19, 1857, the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut.
When Lakshmibai came to know of this, she requested the
British political officer, Captain Alexander Skene, to
permit her to raise a body of armed men for her own
protection. Not sensing anything amiss, Skene agreed to it.
In the summer of 1857, the Rani conducted an elaborate
Haldi-Kumkum ceremony (an auspicious ceremony for married
women, wherein they are gifted turmeric, vermilion and so
on) and managed to convince them to rebel against the
British.
In June 1857, rebels of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry
seized the Star Fort of Jhansi. They promised the British
that they would not harm them and convinced them to lay down
their arms. They then went back on their word and massacred
40-60 European officers, along with their families. Some
experts believe that the Rani had a hand in this large-scale
massacre, though nothing has been proved yet.
Four days later, the sepoys left the kingdom, after being
paid a hefty sum of money by the Rani. Before they left,
though, they swore that they would blow up the palace where
she lived. After thi incident, the Commission of Saugor
(now, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh), Major Erskine, wrote to her,
requesting her to "manage the District for the British
Government", until a British Superintendent arrived. The
Rani then also managed to defeat, capture and imprison rival
Prince Sadashiv Rao (nephew of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao), who
tried to lay claim on the throne.
Later, there was another invasion by the forces of Company
Allies, Orchha and Datia. Their main aim was to divide
Jhansi between themselves. Rani Lakshmibai immediately
applied for British help, but due to the fact that they
believed that she was responsible for the afore-mentioned
massacre, they refused to respond to her.
The Rani then set up a foundry herself, to cast cannon to be
used on the walls of the fort. She also assembled forces and
trained them. They were able to defeat the invaders in
August 1857. Then, she was still holding Jhansi on behalf of
the British.
Siege of Jhansi
From August 1857 to January 1858, there was peace in the
kingdom. The British promised that they would send troops to
maintain control, but when they went back on their word, the
Rani's advisors stressed the need to be independent from the
British Raj.
When the British forces finally arrived in March that year,
they found the kingdom was well-guarded and capable of
taking care of itself. The fort had heavy guns, which could
fire over the town and even reach the neighbouring kingdom.
Hugh Rose, who was commanding the British forces, demanded
the Rani to surrender the city and threatened an attack if
he was denied his demands. After thinking about it, the Rani
announced that they were ready to fight for independence.
She fearlessly defended her kingdom when Sir Hugh Rose
besieged it on March 23, 1858.
She sent an appeal for help to Tatya Tope, who arrived with
an army of over 20,000. They, however, were defeated at the
hands of the British on March 31. The British forces then
lay siege on the fort and it was decided that by April 2nd,
an assault would be launched and that the walls of the fort
would be breached.
The Rani still continued to fight. Defences were placed in
different points and those trying to scale the walls of the
fort came under heavy fire. The army resisted every move of
the British forces - the latter came under attack in every
street and in every room of the palace. Finally, the Rani
moved from the palace to the fort and was advised to leave
and join either Tatya Tope or Rao Sahib (Nana Sahib's
nephew).
Lakshmibai got onto her horse, Badal, with little Damodar
Rao tied to her back. She jumped off from the fort. It is
believed that both of them survived it, but the horse died.
This image of Rani Lakshmibai, with Damodar Rao clutching
her, has become iconic with her story.
The Queen escaped in the night with her son, protected by
guards and escorts. They all occupied the town of Kalpi. On
May 22, British forces attacked Kalpi. The Rani and her army
fought bravely, but were defeated.
Journey to Gwalior
Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, the Nawab of Banda and Rao Sahib
fled once more; this time, to Gwalior. They joined the
Indian forces, who had taken the city from Maharaja Scindia.
They wanted to occupy the Gwalior Fort. The rebel forces
were only too happy to cooperate and they named Nana Sahib
as Peshwa of a revived dominion.
Gwalior Fort - Madhya Pradesh, India - Photographic Print
The Rani tried to persuade the rebel leaders to defend
Gwalior against British attack, but failed to do so. She
knew there would be an invasion soon. Sure enough, General
Rose and his forces took Morar on June 16 and also made a
successful attack on the city.
The Rani Meets Her End
On June 17 in Kotah-ki-Serai near the Phool Bagh of Gwalior,
a squadron of the 8th Hussars, under Captain Heneage,
challenged the Indian force, commanded by Rani Lakshmibai.
She was trying to leave the region, but when the attack
came, she chose to stay and fend off the enemies. The 8th
Hussars slaughtered 5,000 Indian soldiers. They then
continued to charge right through the Phool Bagh encampment.
In this duel, the Rani is believed to have put on a sowar's
uniform and attacked one of the Hussars. She was off her
horse and was obviously wounded, but carried on fighting.
Shortly after, as she sat there bleeding by the roadside,
she recognized the soldier and fired at him with a pistol.
According to another version, she was dressed as a cavalry
leader and was seriously wounded. However, not wishing the
British to capture her body, she asked a hermit to burn it,
after her death. She passed away soon and a few local people
got together and cremated her.
After three days, the British captured the city of Gwalior.
Hugh Rose later commented that Lakshmibai was "personable,
clever and beautiful" and was also "the most dangerous of
all Indian leaders".
Her tomb now lies in the Phool Bagh area. She lived and died
for her kingdom and for her country. Her contribution to
Indian history remains unparalleled.
In Art and Culture
- Rani Lakshmibai's statues can be seen in many places
all over India. Apart from that, several schools,
colleges and Universities are named after her.
- The Rani Jhansi Marine National Park is situated in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- A woman's unit of the Indian National Army was named
the Rani of Jhansi Regiment.
- In 1957, two postage stamps were issued to commemorate
the centenary of the great leader.
- One can find numerous books, novels, poems, ballads,
plays, films and songs in praise of the valorous Rani
Lakshmibai.
- There are even video games representing the bravery of
this woman warrior.
Ahilyabai Holkar - 1725-1795
Ahilyabai Holkar was the Commander of the Maratha Empire.
Born in the village of Chaundi in Jamkhed, Ahmednagar, in
Maharashtra, she moved to Maheshwar, South of Indore, on the
Narmada River.
Ahilyabai's husband Khanderao Holkar was killed during the
battle of Kumbher in 1754. Twelve years later, her
father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, also died. One year after
that, she took over the reins of the Holkar fief. Wanting to
protect her land from invaders, she personally led armies in
battle. She appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar as the Chief of her
militia.
More importantly, she was also a great pioneer and builder
of Hindu temples. She built hundreds of temples and
Dharmashalas all over India.
Life
Ahilyabai was born on May 31, 1725, to Mankoji Rao Shinde.
He was the Patil (head) of the village. Though women did not
go to school in those times, her father taught her to read
and write.
Ahilyabai's future father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, was a
commander of the Maratha Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao and the Lord
of the Malwa territory. He stopped in Chaundi while on a
trip to Pune. As per legend, he saw eight-year-old Ahilyabai
at the temple. Recognizing her piety and character, he
brought her to the Holkar territory as a bride for his son.
She married Khanderao Holkar in 1733. In 1745, she gave
birth to their son, Malerao and in 1748, a daughter, named
Muktabai. Malerao was mentally unwell and died in 1767.
She got her daughter married off to Yashwantrao, who was
poor, but was brave enough to defeat a band of dacoits.
Reign
Khandekar Holkar had laid siege on Kumbher fort of Jat
Maharaja Suraj Mal of the Bharatpur State. The latter had
sided with the Mughal Emperor, Ahmad Shad Bahadur's
rebellious wazir, Safdar Jang. During the battle, Khanderao
was inspecting his troops in an open palanquin, when he was
hit by a cannonball from the Jat army.
After his death, Ahilyabai's father-in-law prevented her
from jumping into her husband's pyre and committing Sati.
Malerao Holkar then ascended the throne of Indore in 1766,
under the supervision of Ahilyabai. But he too died within a
few months. She then became the ruler and reigning Queen of
Indore.
Already trained to rule a kingdom, she petitioned the Peshwa
to take over the administration herself. While many in Malwa
objected to having a female ruler, the entire Holkar army
supported her. She fearlessly led them with four bows and
quivers of arrows fitted onto the corners of the howdah of
her favourite elephant.
The Peshwa granted her permission on December 11, 1767. With
Subhedar Tukojirao Holkar (Malhar Rao's adopted son) as the
head of her militia, she proceeded to take full reign of her
kingdom. Ahilyabai received a daily audience wishing to come
to her to solve their problems - she was always available to
anyone that wanted her guidance and advice.
Soon, the small village of Indore grew and prospered to
become a beautiful city. Her capital, though, was near
Maheshwar, a town on the banks of River Narmada. She built
roads and forts in Malwa, sponsored festivals and events,
gave donations and wholeheartedly supported many Hindu
temples.
Outside Malwa, she built numerous temples, ghats, wells,
tanks and Dharmashalas (rest-houses) across an area between
the Himalayas and pilgrimage sites in South India. Some of
the most important ones are in Kashi, Gaya, Somnath,
Ayodhya, Mathura. Haridwar, Kanchi , Badrinarayan and
Rameshwaram. She also supported farmers, cultivators and
merchants and helped them prosper in their respective
fields.
Ahilyadevi was known for her kindness and generous spirit.
Once, when her minister denied adoption unless he was
offered a bribe, she is said to have sponsored the child
herself, also giving him clothes and jewels. When she was
unable to peacefully resolve the fight between the Bhils and
the Gonds; who had plundered her territory; she actually
granted them waste hilly lands and even the right to a small
duty on goods passing through that area. That was the level
of compassion that she had, for everyone.
Her capital, Maheshwar, was always filled with literary,
musical, artistic, textile and industrial enterprise. She
patronized several artists, poets, scholars, sculptors and
craftsmen. These artists regularly received salaries and
awards.
Death
Ahilyabai died on August 13, 1795. She was 70 years old -
her reign lasted for 30 years. The Queen is remembered for
having brought in the golden age to Indore's history, during
her reign. She was succeeded by Tukoji Rao Holkar I, her
commander-in-chief. In 1797, he abdicated the throne in
favour of his son, Kashi Rao Holkar. Though Ahilyabai was a
woman of modern times, her daughter committed Sati when she
lost her husband, Yashwantrao Phanse.
Legacy
Ahilyabai's intelligence, good humour and compassion for
others won the regard and respect of her subject and all
others who came in touch with her. Also, like the rest of
the Holkar family, she never used public funds to meet her
own expenses. Many regarded her as a manifestation of the
Devi herself. A fine politician and statesmen, she ruled
well, helping her kingdom to prosper in every way. Her
subjects were always happy and were never in need of
anything.
Works
She inherited a massive sum of personal funds, which, at
that time, was estimated to be about sixteen crore rupees.
She used the personal fund to carry out her charitable work.
As mentioned earlier, she built hundreds of temples and
Dharmashalas all over India. She also gave generously to
support these temples and rest-houses. Some of the most
important works that she commissioned included the follows:
- Amarkantak- Shri Vishweshwar Temple, Kotithirth
Temple, Gomukhi Temple, Dharamshala, Vansh Kund
- Ayodhya - Shri Ram Temple, Shri Treta Ram Temple, Shri
Bhairav Temple, Nageshwar/Siddhnath Temple, Sharayu Ghat
and Dharamshalas
- Badrinath - Badrinath Temple, Shri Kedareshwar and
Hari Temples, Dharamshalas, Garden and Warm Water Kund
at Dev Prayag,
- Belur - Ganpati, Pandurang, Jaleshwar, Khandoba,
Tirthraj and Fire temples
- Chaundi - Chaudeshwaridevi Temple, sineshwar Mahadev
temple,
- Chitrakoot - Pranpratishta of Shri Ramchandra
- Ahilyeshwar Temple, Dharamshala, Ghat,
- Dwarka (Gujarat) - Mohatajkhana, Pooja House and gave
some villages to priest
- Gangotri - Vishwanath, Kedarnath, Annapurna, and
Bhairav Temples, many Dharmashalas
- Grishneshwar - Shiva temple and Shivalaya Tirth
- Maheshwar - Hundreds of temples, ghats, dharmashalas
and houses
- Nathdwara - Ahilya Kund, Temple, Well
- Omkareshwar - Mamaleshwar Mahadev, Amaleshwar,
Trambakeshwar Temples, Gauri Somnath Temple,
Dharmashalas, Wells
- Panchvati - Shri Ram Temple, Gora Mahadev temple,
Dharmashala, Vishweshwar Temple, Ramghat, Dharmashala
- Rameswaram - Hanuman Temple, Shri Radha Krishna
Temple, Dharmashala, Well, Garden etc.
- Puri - Shri Ramchandra Temple, Dharmashala and Garden
- Rishikesh - Many temples including Shrinathji and
Govardhan ram temples
- Saurashtra - Somnath Temple in 1785
- Srisailam - Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple
- Ujjain - Chintaman Ganapati, Janardhan, Shrilila
urushottam, Balaji Tilakeshwar, Ramjanaki Ras Mandal,
Gopal, Chitnis, Balaji, Ankpal, Shiv, and many other
temples, 13 ghats, well and many Dharmashalas, etc.
- Varanasi - Kashi Vishwanath Temple (1780[17]), Shri
Tarakeshwar, Shri Gangaji, Ahilya Dwarkeshwar,
Gautameshwar, Many Shiva
Temples; Ghats including Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedh
Ghat, Janana Ghat, Ahilya Ghat, Shitala Ghat; Uttarkashi
Dharmashala, Rameshwar Panchkoshi Dharmashala, Kapila
Dhara Dharmashala
In Popular Culture
- Several books have been written on Ahilyabai Holkar.
- Sumitra Mahajan, former Lok Sabha Speaker, has written
a book, titled "Matoshree", based on her life.
- Several feature films, plays, television serials and
documentaries have been made, narrating her life
history.
- In Thane City in Maharashtra, a children's park and a
road has been named after her.
- The Indore Airport is named Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar
Airport, in her honour.
- Two Universities, named Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya
in Indore and Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar University
in Solapur.
Kittur Chennamma - 1778-1829
Kittur (or Kitturu) Chennamma was a Queen of the Nayakas of
the Kittur Kingdom, ruled by Mallarudra Sarja, who were
vassals of the Maharaja of Mysore. She is remembered for
having led an entire armed force against the British East
India Company in 1824; resisting the doctrine of lapse; in
order to protect her territory. Though she fought valiantly,
she was defeated , imprisoned and eventually died in prison.
Chennamma was one of the first female freedom fighters to
resist British colonization. She is highly respected in
Karnataka and is a symbol of the Independence Movement in
India.
Life
Kittur Rani Chennamma was born on October 23, 1778, in
Kakati, a small hamlet in the present-day Belagavi District
of Karnataka. Coming from the Lingayat community, she
received training in horse riding, lancing and archery,
right from a very young age. At the age of 14, she was
married to Raja Mallasarja of the Desai family.
Resistance to the British Raj
Raja Mallasaja died in 1824, leaving behind his young wife,
a younger son and a state that was in anarchy. To make
things worse, the son too died later in 1824. The Rani was
left to fend for herself and to take care of the state of
Kittur and protect it from the British.
She adopted Shivalingappa the same year and made him heir to
the throne. This irritated the East India Company, who
ordered Shivalingappa's expulsion using the Doctrine of
Lapse. This tenet was based on the idea that, in case the
ruler of an independent state died without leaving a
biological heir, the right of ruling the State would "lapse"
to the sovereign.
Thus, the state came under the administration of the Dharwad
Collectorate in charge of St. John Thackeray, of which
Mr.Chaplin was the commissioner. They issued a notice to
Kittur to come under the British regime.
Rani Chennamma sent a letter to Mountstuart Elphinstone, the
then Lieutenant-Governor of the Bombay Presidency. She
pleaded of him to let her keep the state, but the request
was turned down. Then there was only one way out - war. The
British tried to confiscate the treasury of Kittur, valued
at around 1.5 million rupees. They attacked with a force of
over 20,000 men and nearly 500 guns.
During the first round of war in 1824, the British forces
lost heavily and many were killed. Amatur Balappa, a
lieutenant of Chennamma, was the one who caused most of the
damage for the British. Two British officers Sir Walter
Elliot and Mr. Stevenson, were taken hostages. The Rani
later released them with an understanding with Chaplin, that
the war would end that way.
However, Chaplin continued with the war and brought on more
forces. Rani Chennamma, with the help of her lieutenants,
Sangolli Ravanna and Gurusiddappa, fought fiercely, killing
many more British officers. Sadly, though, she was
eventually captured and imprisoned at the Bailhongal Fort,
where she breathed her end on February 21, 1829.
Sangolli Ravanna, the army chief of Kittur, continued with
the guerrilla war to 1829, until he too was captured. He
wanted to install Shivalingappa as the ruler of the kingdom
and that was why he continued to fight. Finally, his own
uncle helped the British to capture him. He was hanged to
death and Shivalingappa was arrested.
Chennamma's legacy and victory during the first war are
still commemorated in Kittur. The Kittur Utsava is held
annually between 22nd and 24th of October every year in her
honour. This Utsava includes sports, cultural programmes and
lectures by noteworthy historians, on the kingdom of Kittur
and the extraordinary valour exhibited by Rani Chennamma.
Rani Chennamma's samadhi or place of burial is in Bailhongal
Taluk.
In Popular Culture
- On September 11, 2007, a statue of Rani Chennamma was
unveiled at the Indian Parliament Complex by Pratibha
Patil, the then President of India. The statue was
sculpted by Vijay Gaur and was donated by the Kittur
Rani Chennamma Memorial Committee.
- There are other statues in her memory at Bangalore,
Belgaum and, of course, Kittur.
- About 11 families have been identified as the
descendants of Rani Chennamma. They reside in Kittur and
Khanapur in Belagavi District and in Gadhinglai in
Kolhapur District.
- The valour of Kittur Rani Chennamma is commemorated by
folk, even today, in the form of songs, plays, ballads,
lavani numbers and popular GiGi padas.
- One can find several films, based on her life story.
- The Indian Railways train, Rani Chennamma Express,
connects Bangalore and Kolhapur.
- Belagavi boasts of a University in her name - the Rani
Chennamma University.
- A commemorative postage stamp was released on October
23, 1977, by the Government of India.
- Kittur Chennamma is the name of a Martian vessel in
the science fiction series, "The Expanse".
Keladi Chennamma
Keladi Chennamma was the Rani of the Keladi Kingdom in
Karnataka. The daughter of Siddappa Shettar, a native
merchant of Sagara, Karnataka, she went on to marry King
Somashekara Nayaka in 1667 CE. Incidentally, Keladi Kingdom,
which is also known as Bednur and Ikkeri, was formed after
the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Ater Somashekara's death in 1677, Chennamma ably handled the
administration of the Keladi Nayaka dynasty. She reigned for
25 years, during which she repelled attacks by the Mughal
Army, led by Aurangzeb. Her military base was located in
Sagara. She was known to be a pious, virtuous, soft-spoken
woman and a pragmatic administrator of her times.
During her reign, she also entered a trade agreement with
the Portuguese, for commodities such as rice and pepper.
Hence, she was fondly addressed as "Raina da Pimenta" or the
"Pepper Queen", by the Portuguese. She also permitted them
to build churches at Mirian, Honnavara, Chandravara and
Kalyanpura.
She adopted Basappa Nayaka; the child of a close relative.
He later went on to succeed the throne as Hiriya Basappa
Nayaka.
Karnataka celebrates her legacy, along with Abbakka Rani,
Kittur Chennamma, Belawadi Mallamma and Onake Obavva. The
state respects them as its foremost warriors and patriots.
Fending Off Attackers
In the meantime, King Somashekara fell seriously ill. The
Sultan of Bijapur heard this news and also knew that the
state was now in the hands of a woman. Wanting to lay siege
on the region, he sent a representative by the name of
Jannopant to the Queen for negotiations. Close on
Jannopant's heels, he also sent a big army under the command
of Muzaffar Khan.
The Rani had already divined the Sultan's intentions, and
so, she gave Jannopant an amount of three lakh rupees to
form an agreement with the Sultan. Yet, the latter's army
was marching toward Keladi.
She then trained soldiers and equipped them with enough
ammunition for the upcoming war. In the meanwhile, Jannopant
hired his people to kill the King, who was already ailing.
Hearing the news of her husband's death, Chennamma was
grief-stricken, but she decided it was now time to put up a
good fight against the Mughals.
Her advisors told her to leave Bidanur for the time being.
So, the throne, the treasury and all else that was valuable,
was moved to Bhuvanagiri. Later, Chennamma was crowned Queen
in the fortress of Bhuvanagiri. She brought great happiness,
peace and prosperity to the town and to her subjects. She
also slapped death penalties on Jannopant and others
responsible for her husband's death.
Offering Resistance to Aurangzeb
Keladi Chennamma offered shelter to Rajaram Chhatrapati, the
son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was fleeing from the
Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. Seeing this, Aurangzeb attacked
Keladi. Chennamma fought the war, was victorious and signed
a treaty with the Mughals.
Keladi was one of the last to lose autonomy to Mysore rulers
and, eventually, to the British. Chennamma's cabinet was
headed by Timmanna Naik, who is believed to have been the
descendant of a commander of Vijayanagara. In her leisure
time, the Rani would meditate, pray and perform acts of
charity and kindness. She gave generous gifts to Mutts and
other religious institutions. She respected all religions
and treated everyone equally.
She also gave her personal attention to her son's education
and training. Every morning, she would go to the court hall
and would stay there till mid-day, attending to her
subjects, resolving their queries and problems. She would
then discuss matters of statecraft with Basappa Nayaka and
her other ministers and officers. After that, she would
spend an hour giving alms to the needy.
Chennamma Repels Mysore
Several times in the past, Mysore had attacked Keladi. Each
time, the rulers of Mysore had been defeated. When Chennamma
became ruler, Raja Chikkadevaraya Wodeyar was the ruler in
Mysore. At that time, a person named Andhaka Venkata Nayaka,
who belonged to Keladi, wrote to Wodeyar, requesting his
help to get him the kingdom from Chennamma. He promised
Wodeyar half the kingdom if he helped him seize the throne.
Confident that he would be able to win the war,
Chikkadevaraya made preparations for the battle. He was also
eyeing all the money from the foreign trade that the state
was making.
Chennamma remained undaunted and sent a big army under the
command of Bhadrappa Nayaka. The chieftains of Sode, Sirsi
and Banavasi also jointly declared war on Keladi. But the
Rani easily defeated them all.
The Mysore army attacked again the next year. They again got
defeated and Chennamma captured many enemy soldiers and
officers. But she also treated all of them with respect and
also released them soon. This earned her the respect of
Chikkadevaraya, which finally got him to sign a treaty of
friendship between Mysore and Keladi.
Chennamma Negotiates Trade Treaties
The Rani also negotiated trade treaties with the Arabs to
carry on trade along the seacoast. It generated more
profits, made the land abundant and also offered her extra
protection from enemies who were eyeing her territory.
In the meantime, her son came of age and was now an expert
in statecraft. Intelligent, kind and generous, just like
her, he was the ideal one to ascend the throne. In time, she
handed over the major share of administration to him.
She then went on a pilgrimage to places such as the
Aghoreshwara Temple at Ikkeri, the Mookambika Temple at
Kollur and the Sharadamba Temple at Shringeri. She also
captured Hulikere near Basavapattana and got the fort
rebuilt. Once Basappa Nayaka ascended the throne, he renamed
it as Chennagiri, in honour of his mother.
Death
After ruling righteously from 1671 to 1696, she knew her end
was near. She called her son and advised him to live a life
of piety, devotion and honesty. She then breathed her last
in the holy month of Shravana. She was laid to rest in the
Koppalu monastery in Bidanur. The life of Rani Chennamma of
Keladi is indeed a source of inspiration to all those who
love strong, independent, pure and pious women.
Razia Sultana - 1205-1240
Raziya al-Din, popularly addressed as Razia Sultana, was a
ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. She is known for being the
first female Muslim ruler of India.
Razia was a daughter of Mamluk Sultan Shamsuddin Itutmish, a
Turkic slave (Mamluk) of Qutb al-Din Aibak. Her mother,
Turkan Khatun, alias Qutub Begum, was a daughter of Qutb
al-Din Aibak. Razia was the eldest daughter and, probably,
was even their first-born.
Razia took over the task of administration from 1231-1232,
when her father was occupied with the Gwalior campaign.
According to legend, he was so pleased with his daughter's
performance as ruler, that he went on to nominate her as his
heir apparent, after coming back to Delhi. But eventually,
he was succeeded by Razia's half-brother, Ruknuddin Firuz.
His mother, Shah Turkan, plotted to execute her. During a
rebellion against Ruknuddin, Razia instigated the public
against Shah Turkan. She then reclaimed the throne after
Ruknuddin was deposed in 1236.
Her ascension was challenged by a section of nobles. Some of
them later joined her and the others were defeated. The
Turkic nobles who joined her expected her to become their
idol, but she continued to become increasingly arrogant with
her power. This, along with her appointment of non-Turkic
officers to vital posts, led to them going against her.
In April 1240, she was finally deposed by another group of
nobles. She had then ruled for less than 4 years. She then
married one of the rebels, Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia and tried
to reclaim the throne once more. However, she was defeated
by her half-brother, Muizuddin Bahram in October that same
year. She was killed shortly after that.
Razia's name is also transliterated as Radiyya or Raziyya.
The term "Sultana" is commonly used out of reference, as it
literally means, "the King's wife", rather than a "female
ruler". Razia's coins call her "Sultan Jalalat al-Duniya
wal-Din" or "al-Sultan al-Muazzam Raziyat al-Din bint
al-Sultan". Incidentally, Sanskrit inscriptions of the
Sultanate call her Jallaladina.
Ascension to the Throne
Itutmish had groomed his eldest son Nasiruddin Mahmud to
become his successor. But the latter died suddenly in 1229.
It is believed that the former thought that his other sons
were unworthy of becoming rulers. So, he handed over
administration to Razia. Impressed with her abilities as
ruler, he ordered his officer mushrif-I mamlakat Tajul Mulk
Mahmud Dabir to prepare a decree, naming her as the heir
apparent.
Some records seem to suggest that, during his last years, he
was willing to appoint a son as his successor. He was
becoming seriously ill and recalled Ruknuddin from Lahore.
Some experts think that he actually never appointed Razia as
ruler and that it was only a false story circulated by her
supporters.
Ruknuddin was not popular among the public and he handed
over administration to his high-handed mother Shah Turkan.
This led to further chaos and rebellions among nobles. Even
the wazir (prime minister) Nizamul Mulk Junaidi joined the
rebels.
Razia successfully instigated a mob against the mother-son
duo. They attacked the royal palace and detained Shah
Turkan. Razia then ascended the throne with help from
several nobles. This made history, as she was the first even
woman Muslim ruler in the whole of South Asia. In the
meantime, Ruknuddin was imprisoned and probably executed in
November 1236. He had ruled for under 7 months.
Razia Faces Opposition
Though Razia received much public support, several nobles of
Turkic origin rebelled against her rule. Nizamul Mulk
Muhammad Junaidi, a 'Tazik' (non-Turkic) officer,
particularly opposed her. He was joined by four other
nobles, who had also rebelled against Ruknuddin. When they
marched against her from different directions, she sought
the help of Malik Nusratuddin Taisi, who was eventually
captured by Kuchi's forces and later, died in captivity.
Razia then led an army out of the city of Delhi and set up
camps along the banks of River Yamuna. After a few initial
spats, two rebel leaders secretly met with Razia and joined
her. They planned to arrest the other rebel leaders.
However, the latter came to know about it and escaped. Among
them, some were captured, imprisoned and executed.
Reign
After getting back to power, Razia immediately made
important appointments. She named Khwaja Muhazzabuddin as
her new wazir and conferred the title Nizamul Mulk upon him.
She also appointed Malik Saifuddin Aibek Bahtu as her army
chief. But he died soon after. So Razia appointed Malik
Qutubuddin Hasan Ghuri as the new army in-charge. She also
appointed several of her loyalists to important household
positions. During her tenure, she gave orders to conduct
several military operations to lay seize on several other
regions. She, however, was unsuccessful to capture Gwalior.
The Shias revolted against the Sultanate, but the rebellion
was suppressed. Then, the Shia Qarmatians attacked Jama
Masjid in Delhi. Their leader, Nuruddin Turk had gathered
nearly 1,000 supporters from Delhi, Gujarat, Sindh and other
places. On March 5, 1237 he and his army entered the mosque
and killed the Sunnis assembled there for their regular
Friday prayers.
Razia is Overthrown
As Razia attained more power and wealth, she grew
increasingly arrogant. While the initial coins were issued
in her father's name, she now insisted that they now carry
solely her name. She also defied the purdah (veil) system
prevalent then and started appearing in public dressed in
traditional male attire, wearing a gaba (cloak) and kulah
(hat). She paraded around the streets of Delhi on elephants,
like the other Sultans. Additionally, the fact that she
appointed non-Turkic officers to important posts, irked the
Turkic officers.
In 1238-39, Malik Izzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz, the then
Governor of Lahore, rebelled against Razia. She marched
against him, forcing him to flee to Sodhra. He was finally
forced to surrender to her and accept her authority. She let
him go, taking away the iqta (loosely meaning "fiefdom) of
Lahore from him, but assigning him the iqta of Multan.
She then recalled Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin, a Turkic slave, and
made him Amir-I Hajib. She also called upon another slave of
Itutmish, Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia, and assigned him the iqta
of Baran and the iqta of Tabarhinda as well. They, however,
conspired with other Turkic officers to overthrow her. She
arrived in Delhi on April 3, 1240 and came to know about
their plan.
Unaware that others too were conspiring against her, she
marched towards Tabarhinda. There, the rebel forces killed
her loyalist Yaqut and imprisoned her.
Razia ruled for 3 years, 6 months and 6 days, before being
overthrown.
Razia Meets Her End
When the news of her arrest reached Delhi, the rebel nobles
appointed Muizuddin Bahram, a son of Itutmish, as the next
ruler. The nobles expected him to be just a figurehead and
were hoping to take actual control of the state through the
newly-appointed regent, Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin. But the new
King assassinated him within the next couple of months.
After Aitigin's death, the nobles realized that they had no
power now and joined forces with Razia. She too saw this as
an opportunity to get back her throne. She married Altunia
in September 1240.
Altunia assembled an army and in October 1240, Sultan
Muizuddin Bahram led an army against the former. Altunia was
defeated by him and he and Razia were forced to retreat to
Kaithal, where they were abandoned by their own soldiers.
Razia was killed on October 15, 1240.
Tomb
The tomb of Razia is situated at Mohalla Bulbuli Khana near
Turkman Gate in Old Delhi. Some of her followers treated her
gravestone as a pilgrimage site and, building a dome over
it, sought her blessings. Her tomb is believed to have been
built by Bahram. Another grave, next to hers, is said to be
that of her sister, Shazia. Razia was a follower of the Sufi
saint Shah Turkman Bayabani. Her tomb is said to be his
hospice.
At present, this site lies neglected. It is approachable
only through a narrow lane and is surrounded by illegal
constructions. Some think that a dilapidated building in
Kaithal is the site of Razia Sultana's original grave.
In Popular Culture
Razia Sultana is a popular figure in Indian history. Her
life, story and valour is the subject of several films,
documentaries and television series. One of the most popular
Bollywood films, titled "Razia Sultan" (1983), features Hema
Malini in the titular role.
Chand Bibi - 1550-1599
Sultana Chand Bibi was an Indian female Muslim warrior. She
was the acting Regent of Bijapur from 1580-90 and also the
Regent of Ahmednagar from 1596-99. She is best known for her
valorous fight against the Mughal forces of Emperor Akbar in
1595.
Life
Chand Bibi was the daughter of Hussain Nizam Shah I of
Ahmednagar, and the sister of Burhan Nizam Shah II, the
Sultan of Ahmednagar. She was a linguist and was comfortable
speaking many languages, including Arabic, Persian, Turkish,
Kannada and Marathi. She was also very arty - she played the
Sitar and painted flowers as a hobby.
Bijapur Sultanate
Chand Bibi was married to Ali Adil Shah I of the Bijapur
Sultanate. A stepwell constructed by her husband, near
Bijapur's eastern boundary, was renamed Chand Bawdi after
their marriage. Ali Adil Shah's father, Ibrahim Adil Shah I,
had divided the power between the Sunni nobles, the Habshis
and the Deccanis. However, Ali Adil Shah was on the side of
the Shi'as.
After his death in 1580, the Shi'a nobles proclaimed that
his nine-year-old nephew, Ibrahim Adil Shah II, would ascend
the throne. At that time, a Deccani general called Kamal
Khan seized power and became the ruler. Kamal Khan was not
respectful towards Chand Bibi and so, she plotted an attack
against him, with help from another general, Hahi Kishvar
Khan. Kamal Khan fled, but was captured and beheaded in the
fort.
Kishvar Khan then became the second ruler. In a battle
against the Ahmednagar Sultanate at Dharaseo, the army led
by him were victorious. They captured all the artillery and
elephants of the enemy camp. After that, Kishvar Khan
ordered the Bijapuri generals to surrender all those
elephants to him. The generals took serious offence at this.
Along with Chand Bibi, they plotted to kill Kishvar Khan as
well. They took the help of General Mustafa Khan of Bankapur
for this. When the former came to know of this conspiracy,
he sent troops against Mustafa Khan, who was captured and
killed in battle. Chand Bibi then challenged him, but he got
her imprisoned at the Satara Fort and tried to lay claim on
the throne.
Kishvar Khan had become very unpopular among the rest of the
generals. He was forced to flee when a joint army led by a
Habshi general, Ikhlas Khan, marched towards Bijapur.
Kishvar Khan escaped to Golconda, where he was killed by a
relative of Mustafa Khan. After this, Chand Bibi was the
acting regent for some time.
Ikhlas Khan then tried to ascend the throne, but was
overthrown by Chand Bibi after a few days. He resumed his
dictatorship, which was rejected by the other Habshi
generals. Taking advantage of all this unrest, Ahmednagar's
Nizam Shafi Sultan joined forces with the Qutb Shahi of
Golconda and attacked Bijapur.
The Habshi generals realized that they could not fend of
this attack and gave their resignation to Chand Bibi.
Abu-ul-Hassan, a Shi'a general appointed by her, called for
the Maratha forces' help. The Maratha forces successfully
repelled the enemy camp and forced them to retreat.
Ahmednagar Sultanate
In 1591, Emperor Akbar ordered that all the four Deccan
Sultanates acknowledge him as the supreme ruler. All of them
tried to stall it. Akbar's ambassadors returned in 1593. In
1595, Ibrahim Nizam Shah, the ruler of Ahmednagar, was
killed in battle at Shahdurg, against Ibrahim Adil Shah II
of Bijapur. Some nobles felt that his infant son, Bahadur
Shah, should be proclaimed as the heir to the throne, under
the regency of Chand Bibi (his father's aunt).
However, the Deccani minister, Miyan Manju, decided that the
twelve-year-old son of Shah Tahir Ahmad Nizam Shah II,
should ascend the throne on August 6, 1595. The Habshi
nobles were not agreeable with this plan and their rising
resentment against him forced Miyan Manju to invite Akbar's
son Murad Mirza to bring his army to Ahmednagar. Murad
reached Malwa, where he joined hands with the Mughal forces
led by Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana. Raja Ali Khan too allied
with them at Mandu. This united army left for Ahmednagar.
While Murad was proceeding towards Ahmednagar, many noblemen
left Ikhlas Khan and joined Miyan Manju. The latter defeated
Ikhlas Khan and the others. He realized that he was not
going to win this time and so, he requested Chand Bibi to
accept the regency. He then left Ahmednagar with Ahmed Shah
II. Ikhlas Khan escaped to Paithan, where he was attacked
and defeated by the Mughals.
This way, Chand Bibi became the regent once again and
proclaimed Bahadur Shah the King of Ahmednagar.
Chand Bibi Defends Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar was attacked by the Mughals in November 1595.
Chand Bibi took the lead and successfully defended the fort.
Later, Shah Murad sent an envoy as well. At that time, the
troops were suffering due to severe famine in the area. Not
wanting war now, she decided to make peace by ceding Berar
to Murad.
She then asked her nephews Ibrahim Adil Shah II and Muhammad
Quli Qutb Shah to unite against the Mughal forces. They
jointly sent contingents of over 30,000 men. Chand Bibi made
Muhammad Khan the minister, but he proved to be a traitor.
He cosied up to Khan-I-Khana, offering to surrender the
entire Sultanate to the Mughals. He also started taking
possession of districts that were not included in the
cession of Berar.
She asked Sohail Khan, the head of Ibrahim's army, to return
and attack the traitor. Chand Bibi's united forces raised a
fight against the Mughals near Sonpet, along the banks of
River Godavari. On February 9, 1597, the Mughals won the
battle.
However, this terrible fight had drained out the Mughals and
they returned to Sahpur. Raja Ali Khan was killed in the
battle and there were frequent clashes between their own
commanders. Khan-I-Khana was recalled by Akbar and Prince
Murad died soon after that. Then, Akbar himself took his
troops and set camp at Barhanpur.
Meanwhile, in Ahmednagar, Chand Bibi's authority was being
resisted and the newly appointed minister, Nehang Khan, had
recaptured the town of Beed. In 1599, Akbar asked his son
Daniyal, Mirza Yusuf Khan and Khan-I-Khana to relieve the
governor of Beed. Nehang Khan planned to seize the Jaipur
Kotli pass, thinking that he would meet the Mughals there.
But Daniyal avoided the pass and laid siege to the
Ahmednagar Fort instead.
Chand Bibi fought valiantly to defend the fort. But her
resistance was not strong enough. She was forced to
negotiate terms with Daniyal. In the meantime, some noblemen
spread the rumour that Chand Bibi was becoming treacherous
and was selling her soul to the Mughals. She was killed by
an enraged mob, which included her own troops. After her
death, the Ahmednagar fort was captured by Daniyal and Mirza
Yusuf Khan.
Chand Bibi Ka Mahal
Salabat Khan's tomb is commonly referred to as Chand Bibi ka
Mahal. This is an octagonal some, surrounded by a
three-storeyed verandah. It is 100 feet high and almost the
same in diameter. Presently, it is used as a military
sanitarium.