Sunday, November 4, 2007

Film on Abbakka

Bangalore: The legacy of the 16th century queen Abbakka of Ullal will be revived. A 14th century Jain basadi in Ullal where she used to offer prayers is being rebuilt, a film on her is being planned, and a permanent memorial for her will soon be ready.

The film will be made by well-known film personality Jayamala. She told The Hindu that the film was still in the research stage and a number of consultations with the experts had been going on. While historians might have brushed aside Abbakka’s first battle with the Portuguese in 1546 as a small incident where a feudal kingdom was fighting to save itself, this brave queen with her small band of loyal soldiers kept the Portuguese forces out of Ullal and the Dakshina Kannada region. If not the enemy forces would have established their presence here much before they conquered Goa. The previous government had cleared Rs. 68 lakhs for constructing a “Abbakka Bhavan” in Ullal which is going to be a permanent memorial for the queen.

Former president of the Ullal Nagar Panchayat Dinakar Ullal says the town had struggled for a long time to restore Abbakka’s legacy but things started moving only recently. The Abbakka Rani Utsava Samithi had received the government’s approval for the project of Abbakka Bhavan and soon the work would be started. Several MPs and MLAs have promised funds, said Mr. Ullal.

Ullal town first organised the Rani Abbakka Utsav as a Nada Habba of Ullal in 1998. Rani Abbakka fought the Portuguese forces in 1546, destroyed a flotilla of their ships, and drove them away with a handful of her sailors who were a mix of communities, including Muslims, fishermen, Billavas, and Kshatriyas.

But all is not well with the Abbakka Utsav.

The committee headed by Mr. Ullal has found it extremely difficult to augment funds for holding the utsav on the scale of a Nada Habba. The committee has appealed to the Governor to provide funds to hold the utsav to honour the spirited queen.

http://www.hindu.com/

Abbakka Ignored By Historians

Daijiworld Media Network-Mangalore (KM)

Mangalore, Oct 17: Queen Abbakka was the first woman freedom fighter of the state. But unfortunately historians neglected her, lamented Prof Amrutha Someshwara, senior scholar in folklore and writer in Kannada, Tulu and Malayam here on Wednesday October 17.

He was addressing the gathering at Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy office after releasing the Tulu books titled Mannda Magal Abbakka' (Queen Abbakka daughter of the soil) and 'Darmogu Darmada Saval' written by MK Seetharam Kulal, president Tulu Sahitya Academy on Wednesday here.

Queen Abbakka has been neglected politically, socially and historically, the negligence and soft nature of the Tuluvas might have been the reason for this. She stands tall in the Indian history as she is the epitome of communal harmony and ideal ruler, he added.

History must be the outcome of a deep study, extensive research and vast reading. Details given by a historian must be authentic. This applies in the case of Queen Abbakka in all respects, as she ruled Ullal taking every one into confidence, he emphasized.

Language must be refined and scholarly when it comes to lives of historical figures, the write-up must neither be exaggerated nor neglected. Hence layman's language can not be used. Author must know the thin line drawn between day-to-day language and language used by the historical figures, he remarked.

The history of India must be read by children so that they are inspired to read the histor;, otherwise Rani Abbakka would mere be an entry in the India history. It is a rude fact that 95%of people living in Ullal do not know who Abbakka is. This must not continue, he cautioned.

Sharavu Raghavendra Shastri, managing trustee, Sharavu Mahaganapathi temple presided over the function. A paper was presented on Darmogu Darmada Saval by Dr Vamana Nandavara, scholar in folklore while Dr Gananatha Yekkar, HoD of Kannada, Government College, Udupi presented a paper on Mannda Magal Abbakka.

K Tejomaya was the chief guest on the occasion. The occasion was graced by Shubha S Kulal, wife of Seetaram Kulal.

Sarojini Shetty welcomed the gathering and the programme was compered by Dr Ganesh Amin Sankamar, lecturer, St Aloysius College.

From: http://www.daijiworld.com/