Rani Velu Nachiyar: The Warrior Queen Who Fought the British First
Most people haven't heard of Rani Velu Nachiyar, but she's a total agitator
from the 1700s. She was the queen of Sivaganga, a kingdom in South India,
and she was the first Indian royal to kick the British East India Company's
(EIC) butt in a war. Seriously, this woman was fierce! Her story got kinda lost
in the shuffle of history, which is a shame. But lately, people are starting to
tell her story again, thanks to stuff like Vikram Sampath's book, Bravehearts
of Bharat. So, let's talk about Velu Nachiyar, the Veeramangai (that means
brave woman) of Sivaganga, and why she's a total legend. She was fighting
for freedom way before Rani Lakshmibai, almost a hundred years earlier!
Born to Be a Boss
Velu Nachiyar was born on January 3, 1730, in a place called
Ramanathapuram. Her dad was King Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha
Sethupathy, and her mom was Queen Sakandhimuthal. She was their only
kid, and since they didn't have a son, they decided to raise her to be a ruler
and a fighter. Smart move, right?
So, Velu Nachiyar got the best of both worlds. She was crazy smart, learning
a bunch of languages like Tamil, English, French, and Urdu. That came in
handy later when she had to deal with diplomats and sneaky British guys.
But she was also a total warrior. She trained in all sorts of Tamil martial arts,
like:
* *Valari*: Think boomerang, but way more dangerous. It was a crescent-
shaped throwing weapon that could seriously mess someone up.
* *Silambam*: Stick fighting that made her super quick and good at
defending herself.
* *Kalaripayattu*: An old-school martial art from South India that turned her
into a total powerhouse.
* *Archery and Horse Riding*: Because every good commander needs to
know how to shoot and ride.
Basically, she was ready to rule and ready to rumble. She married
Muthuvaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar, the King of Sivaganga, and
became his main advisor. She was getting prepped for when she would have
to take over the lead.
Trouble in Paradise
Things went south in 1772. The British East India Company, with the help of
the Nawab of Arcot (who thought he was in charge of everything), invaded
Sivaganga. There was a huge battle at Kalaiyar Koil, and the British killed
King Muthuvaduganatha Thevar. Can you imagine how angry Velu Nachiyar
was? That's when she decided she would get her kingdom back and get
revenge on the British.
She had to bail out of Sivaganga with her daughter, Vellachi Nachiyar, and
her loyal buddies the Marudu brothers. They found a safe place to hide with
a guy named Gopala Nayakar in Virupachi, near Dindigul. But she didn't just
sit around feeling sorry for herself. She spent eight years planning her
comeback, building an army, and making friends who could help her. These
times are important to know about, since they were key to getting the right
resources together.
Making Friends and Kicking Butt
Velu Nachiyar knew she couldn't take on the British alone. So, she used her
smarts to make some powerful friends. She scored a meeting with Hyder Ali,
the big boss of Mysore and a major enemy of the British. She spoke to him in
Urdu, showed off her battle knowledge, and convinced him that she was the
real deal.
Hyder Ali hooked her up with soldiers and cash to fight the British EIC. He
even let her use his fort in Dindigul. She also got help from local leaders and
the Marudu brothers, who became her right-hand men. Together, they were
ready to take on the British.
The Epic Battle of 1780 and the Human Bomb
In 1780, Velu Nachiyar and her army marched towards Sivaganga. She
learned that the British were storing their weapons at the Rajah Rajeshwari
temple inside the fort. She came up with a plan to blow it all up.
She gave the job to Kuyili, the commander of her all-female army 'Udaiyaal'.
See, its women traditionally have religious access on Vijayadashami .
Kuyili covered herself in oil and walked right into the British weapons stash,
setting herself on fire. BOOM! The explosion destroyed the EIC's weapons
and gunpowder, which was a huge hit to their war power. Kuyili became the
world's first suicide bomber and a total hero for Indian freedom. Because of
what she did, the British army was open for attack and the rest of Velu
Nachiyar's army was able to fight.
Being All Powerful
The British lost after the queen and her allies did their best. Velu Nachiyar
won back her kingdom by beating the British EIC.
She took care of Sivaganga for ten years, from 1780 to 1790. People
remember this as a peaceful time, filled with things for everyone like
administration changes. She had women leading in the government and
military, and she built a temple to Kuyili. Then, before she died in 1796, she
gave the Marudu brothers the power to run everything.
Velu Nachiyar shows everyone how being brave, being smart, and standing
up for yourself is important. As Vikram Sampath talks about in Bravehearts of
Bharat, her story matters since it tells her side of things from Indian times.
She's the Veeramanagai to Tamils, and reminds everyone how far back
people fought before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. She will never be forgotten,
and stays with our story as someone who fought for a piece of India.