Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava

In News

• The silver jubilee of Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava will be celebrated on the premises Ullal City Municipality on December 21.

About

• Ullal Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava committee recently decided to present “Veera Rani Abbakka award” during Veera Rani Abbakka festival in December 2021.
• Veerarani Abbakka award will be given to the lady who has made substantial achievement in research and culture. Committee would also take mother,and, language and tradition into consideration for presenting the award. 
• Award will be presented to a lady with Tulu background who has made substantial achievement in sports, arts, social service and other such sectors.

Who was Rani Abbakka Chowta?

• She was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal. She fought the Portuguese in latter half of the 16th century. 
• She belonged to the Chowta dynasty who ruled over parts of coastal Karnataka (Tulu Nadu), India. 
• The port town of Ullal was their subsidiary capital. Ullal was strategically placed because of which, The Portuguese made several attempts to capture it. But the queen repulsed their attacks for over four decades. 
• She came to be known as Abhaya Rani, because of her bravery.

Legacy of the Queen 

• Her legacy is celebrated in the form of folk songs, stories and performances of Yakshagana;a form of local theatre.
  • During a local ritual dance, a person recounts the brave and heroic actions of Rani Abbakka Chowta.
  • She has a museum in her name “ Tulu Baduku Museum” in Kannada’s Bantwal Taluk.
  • The Indian navy, in order to honour her, named an Inshore Patrol Vessel after her.
  • Her memory is cherished in her hometown of Ullal and the Veera Rani Abbakka Prashasti is an award given to distinguished women on that day.

Source: TOI