Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

[pib] 200 Years of Kittur Vijayotsava

Prelims Only | History and Art & Culture | Mains Paper 1: Modern Indian History
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Kittur Rani Chennamma

Why in the News?

A commemorative postage stamp was released at the historic Kittur Rani Channamma Stage within the Kittur Fort premises to mark the 200th anniversary of Kittur Vijayotsava.

About Kittur Rani Chennamma

  • Rani Chennamma was born in 1778 in Kakati, Belgaum (now Karnataka).
  • She was trained in horse riding, sword fighting, and archery from an early age.
  • She married Mallasarja Desai, the ruler of Kittur, a small principality in Karnataka.
  • The Kittur Uprising (1824):
    • The British East India Company refused to recognize her adopted son, Shivalingappa, as the rightful successor under the Doctrine of Lapse.
    • She declared war on the British in response to their annexation attempt.
    • In October 1824, she led the Kittur army against 20,000 British soldiers stationed near the Kittur Fort.
    • During the battle, British official John Thackery was killed, and the Company forces faced significant losses.
    • After initial resistance, British forces returned in December 1824 with a larger army.
    • Despite her courageous efforts, Rani Chennamma was captured along with her forces and imprisoned.
    • She was held captive in Bailhongal Fort, where she spent her remaining years. She died in captivity in 1829.

Legacy and Significance

  • Rani Chennamma is celebrated as one of the first women in Indian history to lead an anti-colonial uprising.
  • She is revered as a symbol of courage, patriotism, and resistance against colonial oppression.
  • She is honored in Kannada folklore, particularly through lavani (folk songs) that celebrate her bravery and sacrifice.
  • Statues have been erected across Karnataka, including a prominent one in Bengaluru’s Parliament House.

Doctrine of Lapse

  • Introduced by Lord Dalhousie in 1848, the Doctrine aimed at expanding British territories in India.
  • The policy was based on the principle that a princely state without a suitable heir should become part of the British Empire.
  • Applied to princely states where the ruler died without a natural or legally adopted male heir, enabling the British to annex those states.
  • The policy was seen as illegitimate by many Indian rulers and played a role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
  • Several states annexed due to this Doctrine, include Satara (1848), Jaitpur (1849), Sambalpur (1849), Udaipur (1850), Jhansi (1853), and Nagpur (1854).
  • Prior to the Doctrine of Lapse, princely states had a traditional practice of selecting an heir from a group of candidates known as bhajans.
  • The policy was abandoned in 1859, two years after the end of the Company Rule in India.

 

PYQ:

[2013] Defying the barriers of age, gender and religion, the Indian women became the torch bearer during the struggle for freedom in India. Discuss.

[2014] What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858)?

  1. To disclaim any intention to annex Indian States
  2. To place the Indian administration under the British Crown
  3. To regulate East India Company’s trade with India

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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