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| Patriot Sangolli Rayanna of Karnataka x.com/Raagha3 |
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| x.com |
Rayanna emerged as a prominent leader during the Kittur rebellion of 1824, which erupted after the British East India Company attempted to annex the princely state of Kittur under the unjust Doctrine of Lapse. When Rani Chennamma refused to surrender her kingdom, Rayanna became her most trusted military commander. He played a crucial role in organising resistance forces, mobilising peasants, and leading guerrilla attacks against British troops. His strategic skills and deep understanding of local terrain posed a serious challenge to colonial authority.
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| Sangolli Rayanna deccanherald.com |
After the capture and imprisonment of Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna continued the struggle independently. He raised an armed revolt across Kittur, Belagavi, Dharwad, and surrounding regions, attacking British outposts and disrupting colonial administration. Rayanna’s rebellion was not merely a military campaign but a movement driven by the support of farmers and common people who suffered under British taxation and exploitation. His actions reflected an early form of people-led resistance long before the nationwide freedom movement took shape.
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| Tree where Rayanna was hanged to death en.wikipedia.org |
Above image: Rayanna carefully in a shorttime mobilised over-exploited peasants of all the sections against the British and their local lords-Zamindars three decades before the “first war of Indian Independence” in 1857 in the northern states.The communities included were not only Kuruba,but also Beda, Jain, Lingayat, Siddhi and others in Kittur region of Karnataka.That he is portraited as a leader of a caste group by some contemporary local politician is unfortunate. Sangolli Rayanna, betrayed by the local landlods who was hanged to death by the British on January 26, 1831 is liitle known outside of Karnataka just like the Maruthu brothers of Ramnad,TamilNadu.......
Despite relentless pursuit, Sangolli Rayanna remained defiant until he was eventually captured in 1830. The British, determined to crush the uprising, sentenced him to death. He was hanged at Nandagad near Kittur, becoming a martyr for India’s freedom. His execution failed to silence the spirit of resistance he had ignited among the people.
Sangolli Rayanna’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle holds immense historical significance. He is remembered as a symbol of Karnataka’s valour and patriotism, and his legacy continues through memorials, folk songs, and public remembrance. His life reminds us that India’s freedom was shaped not only by later mass movements but also by early heroes who courageously stood against injustice and colonial domination.
https://starofmysore.com/floral-tributes-sangolli-rayanna-city
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/scenes-from-a-hero-s-life-3150528
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangolli_Rayanna
K. N. Jayaraman
