Veerathai Velunacharya, the “courageous mother”
Veerathai Velunacharya, the “courageous mother” queen of Sivagangai and an early liberation warrior of 18th century Tamil Nadu, was the only queen who could not be defeated by the English East India Kumbini and the Nawab of Arcot.
She was known to be proficient in martial arts, horse riding & could speak ten different languages. She is known in history as the first freedom fighter to create a regiment consisting of female fighters called the Legion Force.
Velunacharya, daughter of Sellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram Sethupathi, married Muthuvadukanatha Thevara (1750-1750), the second king of Sivaganga. On June 21, 1772, at the Kalaiyar Temple, the Nawab of Arcot and his English East Indian Kumbini attacked and killed Muthuvaduvanatha.
Velunachchi and her daughter Vellachi Nachiyar escaped to Dindigul near Virupachchi. Velunacharya spent seven years outside of her native land of Tamil Nadu. Gopalanayake, a Virupachchi settler, and Haider Ali, the ruler of Mysore, provided safety & security to her.
In 1780, when Haider Ali’s armed forces came to help, the servant and his advisers, the brothers-in-law, attacked the Nawab and the guerrillas. Kumbini troops were dispersed in Madurai Kochadai and Mana-Madurai.
Velanacharya divided her forces into three and led the Sivagangai division herself and carried out a three-pronged attack (1780) which was successful. Velunacharya’s daughter Vellachi was proclaimed queen and Velunacharya acted as her deputy.
She continued her service as Commander-in-Chief of Large Medicine and Minister of Small Medicine.
Velunacharya is believed to have died in the year of 1790.
0 Comments