Velu Nachiyar


"Veeramangai" Rani Velu Nachiyar was a queen of Sivaganga estate from 1780–1790. She was the first Indian queen to wage war with the East India Company in India. She is proudly called by Tamils as Veeramangai. she fought the EIC.

Life

Velu Nachiyar was the princess of Ramanathapuram and the only child of King Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathy and Queen Sakandhimuthathal of the Ramnad kingdom.
Nachiyar was trained in many methods of combat, including war match weapons usage, martial arts like Valari, Silambam, Kalaripayattu, horse riding, and archery. She was a scholar in many languages and was proficient in languages like French, English and Urdu. In 1746, she entered into marriage with Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar, serving as a close advisor, mentor, and confidant to the prince.
When her husband, Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar, battle was held in maravar manglam 12 km from kalaiyar Kovil.second day killed in attack EIC soldiers in 1772 at KalaiyarKoil, she was drawn into the conflict. Velu Nachiyar ran away from Sivagangai and sought the help of Hyder Ali, Dindigul is border state ruled by Hyder Ali. She stayed in virupaachi fortress.After eight years of planning — along with support of many nattu ambalars, commanders Marudhu brothers, and Thandavarayan Pillai—in war time support by tippu sultan she fought against the British East India Company.
In 1772, Sivaganga minister Thandavarayan Pillai wrote a letter on behalf of Rani Velu Nachiyar to Hyder Ali, looking for military support:
In 1780, Velu Nachiyar waged war against the British and successfully reclaimed her kingdom. She governed for ten years and died in 1796. In 1790, she was succeeded by her daughter Vellacci. She granted powers to her daughter with the Marudu brothers to help with the administration of the kingdom. Velu Nachiyar died a few years later, on 25 December 1796.

Popular culture