Velu Nachiyar

Rani Velu Nachiyar (3 January 1730 – 25 December 1796) was

a queen of Sivaganga estate from c. 1780–1790. She was the first
Rani Velu Nachiyar
Indian queen to wage war with the East India Company in Queen of Sivagangai
India.[2][3] She is known by Tamils as Veeramangai ("brave Princess of Ramanathapuram
woman").[4] With the support of Hyder Ali's army, feudal lords,
the Maruthu Brothers, Dalit commanders, and Thandavarayan
Pillai, she fought the East India company.[5][6][7][8]

Life
Velu Nachiyar was the
princess of
Ramanathapuram and the
only child of King
Chellamuthu
Vijayaragunatha
Sethupathy and Queen
Sakandhimuthathal of the
Ramnad kingdom. Velu Nachchiyar on a 2008 stamp
Nachiyar was trained in of India
many methods of combat, Reign c. 1780-c. 1790[1]
Sivagangai Palace with Rani Velu
including war match Coronation 1780
Nachiyar Statue
weapons usage, martial arts
like Valari, Silambam, Successor Vellacci[1]
horse riding, and archery. Born 3 January 1730
She was a scholar in many languages and was proficient in Ramanathapuram,
languages like French, English and Urdu.[3] She married the king Kingdom of
of Sivagangai, with whom she had a daughter. Sivaganga (Modern
day Tamil Nadu,
When her husband, Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar
was killed in a battle with EIC soldiers in 1780 at KalaiyarKoil, India)
she was drawn into the conflict. Velu Nachiyar ran away from Died 25 December 1796
Sivagangai as a fugitive and sought the help of Hyder Ali. Hyder (aged 66)
Ali helped her with 5,000 soldiers and gunpowder weapons. Sivaganga, Kingdom
Initially Hyder Ali refused but later agreed to help her with of Sivaganga (Modern
soldiers, arms and training. Velu Nachiyar sought the help of rich
day Tamil Nadu,
merchants as well. After eight years of planning along with support
India)
of many feudal lords, Tipu Sultan, Marudhu brothers and
Thandavarayan Pillai she fought against the British East India Burial 25 December 1796
Company.[5][6][7] Sivaganga, Tamil
Nadu, India
When Velu Nachiyar found the place where the EIC stored some
Spouse Muthu Vaduganatha
their ammunition, Her commander Kuyili [8] made a suicide attack
Periyavudaya Thevar
on the ammunition depot,she ran into the ammunition godown,
setting herself on fire blowing it up.[9][10][11] Nachiyar reinherited Dynasty Sethupathi
the kingdom of her husband, and ruled it for ten more years.[12] Father Chellamuthu
vijayaragunatha
In 1790, she was succeeded by her daughter Vellacci.[1] She
granted powers to her daughter with the Marudu brothers to help Sethupathy
with the administration of the kingdom. Velu Nachiyar died a few Mother Muthathal Nachiyar
years later, on 25 December 1796.[13]

Popular culture
On 31 December 2008, a commemorative postage stamp in her name was released.[14]
OVM Dance Academy of Chennai presenting "VELU NACHIYAR" a Grand Dance Ballet on
Sivaganga Queen.
Professor A.L.I., a Tamil-American hip-hop artist, released a song dedicated to Velu
Nachiyar entitled "Our Queen" as part of his Tamilmatic album in 2016.[15]
On 21 August 2017, a grand dance ballet was conducted in Naradha Gana Sabha in
Chennai depicting the life history of the queen Velu Nachiyar. The play was directed by
Sriram Sharma, who researched on the Queen's life history for almost a decade.

See also
Indian independence activists
Indian independence movement
Kuyili
Puli Thevar
Vellore mutiny of 1806

References
1. K. R. Venkatarama Ayyar (1938) A Manual of the Pudukkóttai State. Sri Brihadamba State
Press. p.720
2. Rohini Ramakrishnan (10 August 2010) Women who made a difference (https://web.archive.
org/web/20110629040635/http://www.hindu.com/yw/2010/08/10/stories/201008105029030
0.htm). The Hindu.
3. Remembering Queen Velu Nachiyar of Sivagangai, the first queen to fight the British (http://
www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-queen-velu-nachiyar-sivagangai-first-queen-f
ight-british-55163). The News Minute. 3 January 2017
4. "Veeramangai Velu Nachiyar" (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/veeraman
gai-velu-nachiyar/article26016399.ece). The Hindu Business Line. Chennai, India. 18
January 2019.
5. "Journeys English Course Book 6" (https://books.google.com/books?id=WgxL4eT2ayYC&d
q=Velu+Nachiyar&pg=PA78). Pearson Education India. 2007. p. 78.
6. "Reminiscing Herstories" (https://books.google.com/books?id=THslEAAAQBAJ&dq=Velu+
Nachiyar+haider+ali&pg=PA28). BFC Publications. 24 March 2021. p. 28.
7. Soma Basu (24 December 2007). "Uphill, for history's sake" (https://web.archive.org/web/20
080228192224/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/12/24/stories/2007122450130300.htm). The
Hindu. India. Archived from the original (http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/12/24/stories/20071
22450130300.htm) on 28 February 2008.
 8. "Power Women" (https://books.google.com/books?id=wHQxEAAAQBAJ&q=kuyili%20dalit).
Bloomsbury Publishing. 13 September 2021. p. All.
9. "Of woman power and Tamizh glory" (https://www.news18.com/news/india/of-woman-power-
and-tamizh-glory-375394.html). IBN Live. Chennai, India. 14 June 2011.
10. "Tamil Nadu to build memorial for freedom fighter Kuyili" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c
ity/chennai/Tamil-Nadu-to-build-memorial-for-freedom-fighter-Kuyili/articleshow/20075937.c
ms). Times of India. Chennai, India. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
11. "A Durga A Day-Day 6: Mata Katyayini-Rani Velu Nachiyar and Kuyili" (https://medium.com/
@surashiva/a-durga-a-day-day-6-mata-katyayini-rani-velu-nachiyar-and-kuyili-2-durgas-for-t
oday-cb9294203134). Chennai, India. 15 October 2018.
12. Rohini Ramakrishnan (14 August 2010) Women who made a difference (https://web.archive.
org/web/20110629132608/http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/kids/article560774.ece).
The Hindu.
13. "History-Sivaganga district" (https://www.sivaganga.tn.nic.in/history.htm). Sivaganga dist. –
Tamil Nadu govt., India. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
14. "India Post – Stamps 2008" (http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Stamps2008.html). Postal
department, Government of India.
15. "International Women's Day Dedication to Queen Velu Nachiyar" (http://professorali.com/20
16/03/07/international-womens-day). professorali.com. 7 March 2016.

External links
Media related to Velu Nachchiyar at Wikimedia Commons

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Velu_Nachiyar&oldid=1151762543"