Chakali Ilamma The Great Warrior

Respected Chityala Ailamma was born in year 1895 at krishnapuram, District Warangal in the state of Hyderabad, the present state of Telangana, India. Her actual date of birth is not known. She belongs to Rajak or washerman (Dhobi) caste. In Telugu language Rajak is called as Chakali. So she was commonly known as Chakali Ilamma in her life. She was married to Chityala Narsimha at the age of 11. She had four sons and a daughter.

Her family earned their daily bread through their occupation assigned by the caste structure. They served the upper caste feudal lords by washing their clothes. She lived in an economically backward condition. Ilamma was determined to defy the slavery perpetuated by the caste system since centuries.

Career

Chakali Ilamma was an Indian revolutionary leader during the Telangana Armed Rebellion between 1940 and 1947. She took the red flag against the anarchy of zamindar Ramchandra Reddy known as Visnoor Deshmukh to grab her land.

She joined the Andhra Mahasabha as well as the communist party of India. She worked activily against the Nizams Government of Hyderabad State. Her house was the centre for activities conducted against the feudal land lords who collaborated with the Nizam. Chakali Ilamma was a revolutionary woman freedom fighter. She took part and paved the way for women in the Telangana Armed struggle. She fought for her land set a plateform for the opposed to rise against the ruling class domination and occupation of land. She is one of the first women to dismantle the supermacy of the feudal lords of Telangana. She inspired various women to fight for their land and dignity.

In those days land resources were monopolised and in the stanglehold of few powerful upper caste feudal lords. They grabbed lands from the lower status people. This situation had even lead to many struggles by the exploited. Blood Shed, gang rapes, sexual assault and institutional harasment were common then. But Chakali Ilamma was determined to take 40 acres of land for lease from Kondala Rao, a landlord and she started to cultivate it. This comes as a shock and insult to upper caste feudal landlords and Nizam harassment because a Bahujan woman owned Land. She Patwari Verramanei Seshagiri, who was keeping records of Land ownership, tried to cover Ilamma to give up her work on her land and work in his land along with her family which was in form of slavery. She was aware that landlords would come up to grab her land through persistence physical attacks and try to cut her crop away. Chakali Ilamma told them This is my land, this is my crop. Who is this Dora to take away my land and crop? It is only possible for you when i die. A bahujan woman saying it to their faces was a brave move. This anguished them the most. Visnoor Deshmukh (a Dora) Ramachandra Reddy filed a false case against Chakali Ilamma and her family, her husband and sons arrested. Ilamma took the case to the court and the verdict came in her favour. Then Deshmukh falsely used his power to transfer Ilammas Land in his name. He asked his servants to collect all the crop from Ilammas land. Ilamma with the help of Andhra Sabha members had already cut the crop and hid it safely. The Deshmukh wanted to desprive her economically. He passed an order to burn her house down. The patwaris servants beat her husband and gang raped her daughter. Chakali Ilamma taking a revenge destroyed the Patwaris house and set up a corn field on the same land. With Ilammas courage and fight, CPI was able to attack the landlords and the upper castes. The story of Chakali Ilamma reflects how land was monopolised by upper caste feudal lords and her story is the celebration of a Bahujan Womans resistance. Her fight was also for gender equality and equality within women. She questioned and stood against upper caste women who equally commanding the lower caste women.

Death

Chakali Ilamma died on September 10, 1985 at Palakurthi of Warangal District. A statue fo the greatest leader of Telangana Rebellions Chakali Ilamma has been established in palakurthi town of Warangal District. It was unveiled on her death anniversary on September 10, 2015 by CPI(M) veteran leader Mallu Swarajyam. Telangana department of Tourism & Culture also sanctioned funds to Telangana Rajaka Seva Sangam (TRSS), Hyderabad for producing a 30 minute short film on Chakali Ilammas Life. A biography of Chakali Ilamma is also available in Telugu language. There is also a demand to establish a Chakali Ilamma University in memory of this great Bahujan Freedom fighter.