Kittur Chennamma

ऐसा नहीं था कि उसे अपनी हार का अं दाजा नहीं था…

ऐसा नहीं था कि वो युद्ध की परिस्थितियों को समझ नही पा रही थी…

ऐसा नहीं था कि हजारों की भीड़ के सामने चं द सैनिकों के साथ खड़ी वो… उस रण के परिणाम का अनुमान

नहीं लगा पा रही थी…

ये सब उसे पता था।

मगर ये सब कु छ जानते हुए भी वो डटी रही।

शायद ये बताने के लिए… कि आने वाले कालखं ड में जब मातृभूमि की रक्षा दांव पर हो, तो माएं अपने बेटों के

न होने का अफसोस करने के बजाए…. अपनी बेटियों को चेनम्मा का उदाहरण दे कर, रण के लिए तैयार कर

सके । ताकि मातृभूमि के स्वाभिमान को रगों में दौड़ते लहू की आखिरी बूं द तक बचाया जा सके ।

ये कहानी रानी चेन्नमा की है। जिसने अपनी मातृभूमि की रक्षा के लिए वीरता की नई परिकाष्ठा लिखी।

Rani Chennamma was born in Kakati in Karnataka, in 1778 that is almost 56 years earlier than
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi. From a very young age she received training in horse riding, sword
fighting and archery. She was well known for her brave acts across her town.

Rani was married to Mallasarja Desai, ruler of Kittur at the age of 15. Her married life seemed to
be a sad tale after her husband died in 1816. With this marriage she had only one son, but fate
seemed to play a tragic game in her life. Her son breathed his last in 1824, leaving the lonely
soul to fight against the British rule.

The Doctrine of Lapse was imposed on native states by the British. They did not recognize the
new ruler and the regent, and informed that Kittur had to accept the British regime.

Rani Chennamma and the local people opposed strongly British high handedness. Thackeray
invaded Kittur. In the battle that ensued, hundreds of British soldiers were killed along with
Thackeray.

The humiliation of defeat at the hands of a small ruler was too much for the British to swallow.
They brought in bigger armies from Mysore and Sholapur and surrounded Kittur.
For 12 days, the valiant Queen and her soldiers defended their fort, but as is the common trait,
traitors sneaked in and mixed mud and dung in the gunpowder in the canons. The Rani was
defeated and was kept in the fort of Bailhongal for life.

Kittur Rani Chennamma could not win the war against the British, but she etched her presence
for many centuries in the world of history.

She became a legend. During the freedom movement, her brave resistance to British formed
theme of plays, songs, and song stories.