BELWADI MANGAMMA A BRAVE QUEEN FROM KARNATAKA

            BELWADI MANGAMMA A BRAVE QUEEN FROM KARNATAKA

                                              

                                               Dr K Prabhakar Rao

                   Belavadi Mallamma was the daughter of Sode king Madhulinga Nayaka whose ancestors were vassals  of Vijaynagar empire.It gained prominence during the final years of the empire. Belwadi is in the Bailhongal district of North Karanataka  of Karnataka state. They were Lingayats ( a sect of Hinduism) by faith. She has become famous in the history of Karnataka after she bravely defended her husbands kingdom against the attack  of Maratha army during the reign of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj.     She won the    admiration and respect for her bravery from the Chtarapathi. Scholar Shesho Srinivas Muthalik has recorded the life in the palace of Madhulinga Nayaka in 1704-5 A.D. in Marathi language.  

                Her father took great care in educating her along with her brother.When Mallamma became five years of age, her education began along with her brother Sadashiva Nayaka. Both of them were taught Kannada, Marathi, Urdu, and Sanskrit languages. It took them ten years to learn them all. The brother and the sister were very close and studied together. A school was built for their education and ten senior Shastris were appointed as teachers. There were boys and girls belonging to various castes (Havyaks, Gowda Saraswats, Nadavars, and Madhwas) in about equal numbers. Shankar Bhat was the  Head of the institution   and he was a great scholar. Mallamma was a very good student and intelligent one. Everybody admired her intellect. She was drawn to poetry when she was about twelve years old. Sadashiva Nayaka was also fond of poetry and wrote poems in Kannada. The king father Madhulinga Nayaka arranged for all the boys to undergo military training and appointed brave men by name of Ranavir Singh. Mallamma showed interest in learning fencing and archery. She could compete with the boys in horse riding and throwing the javelin. Mallamma had great respect for teachers   parents and God. She would get up in the morning and get ready and offer prayers to lord Shiva. Then she would go to the school.

            Her father declared a Swayamvara ( Choosing  bride groom by the bride) when she attained age. The condition was that  the bride would choose a person who would hunt maximum number of tigers in a month and he should have hunted number of tigers equal to his age plus one. Invitations were sent to various kingdoms and many princes got busy to meet her demands. The time  was also limited. It is learnt that princes from distant kingdoms including Kashmir responded. At the Swayamvara Isalprabhu the prince of Belwadi was adjudged  victorious as he killed 21 tigers and his age was 20 years. The marriage was celebrated with great pomp  and show.  The couple were seen off to Belwadi with many presents by her father. It was a befittingcouple and they spent a comfortable life at Belwadi. Isaprabhu was  very brave prince and they lived happily. The couple were very good administrators and took great care of the subjects.

  In 1676-78 Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj  conquered Tanjavur that was under the rule of his step brother Venkoji I who was earlier a General in Bijapur Army. Shivaji had to settle the distribution of Jagir of his father Shahahji Raje. While returning to his kingdom  some of his troops under a commander rested and camped at Yedvada a small suburb of Belavadi.   The  soldiers needed milk   for them and their commander requested the head man of the local  village to sell them milk and the head man said he could sell only 20 seers of milk. However the  commander demanded that they needed much more  and were angry when they were told that  they could not be given  larger quantity of milk as they had regular customers. The soldiers went away peacefully. But in the night when every one was asleep, they came to the village and took away the cows stealthily. In the morning the villagers found that their cows were stolen and     they reported the matter to their king Isaprabhu. The king was in dilemma as he planned a grand reception to Shivaji Maharaj for being the great protector of Hindu faith.He however planned planned to settle that matter with arms and was discussing the action with his counsel. Queen Mangamma arrived at the court and requested that the responsibility be given to her. Knowing her vigour and bravery, the king agreed and soon  she  mounted a  surprising attack with her womans army on the maratha camp. The soldiers in the camp were completely unprepared for the sudden attack and were soon vanquished by the womans army. Many Maratha soldiers were killed. Queen Mallamma was dressed in her saree tucked appropriately as Veeragachhe ( Typical south Indian womens dress in saree  for a battle) for an action. She led from front and soon the cows were released and were driven back. It was great victory for her over the brave Marathas.

             

                           The next day a messenger was sent to Shivaji Maharaj and the matter was reported. Shivaji Maharaj was angry over steeling of cows by the soldiers and remarked that they deserved to die after such an immoral act. However he was angry that the  brave Maratha army has been  vanquished by womans army and it was disgraceful. He ordered that immediately a larger force   be sent to  vanquish the small kingdom  to  redeem the prestige. Dadaji a brave General proceeded immediately with large army towards Belawadi. The Maratha forces were met by the Belawadi army under the command  of Isaprabhu  and a fierce  battle took place between the forces. During the battle one of the Maratha commander stabbed Isaprabhu from behind  and he fell from the horse and soon laid down his life in defending his kingdom. The news reached Mallamma soon and she was shocked and was overwhelmed by  grief. But soon  she recovered and led her womans army into battle. The battle was intensely fought and one of the Maratha soldier struck at the leg of her horse  and she fell down. Although she got up   and started fighting she was over powered and was taken captive. She was taken to  Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj as a prisoner of war and seeing her Shivaji Maharaj remarked, "I made a mistake Ma..! Kindly forgive me..,I don't want your kingdom", then released her. He  said that  he never wanted his men to kill her husband and only ordered them to capture him alive. He regretted that sadly the prince was killed by  one who was punished by plucking off his eyes. Mallamma realized that  Shivaji Maharaj was not to be blamed for her husbands death and  pardoned him. Legends state that  she cursed Shivaji Maharaj that his son too would die in grue some way  soon as her husband was killed by his soldier. Death of Sambahji after few years  is generally attributed t this curse. However these are stories  and Maratha chronicles are silent on this. She soon left for her kingdom. Subsequently she became an ally of Shivaji Maharaj and administered her kingdom effectively. Her son grew up ably guided by her brother sadasiva naika.  The Rani breather her last in 1629.  Her memories are greatly glorified in Karnataka and many stories are in circulation glorifying her. It is also  told that  Shivaji Maharaj who was also in the battle was scared of the Rani when she was about to strike him dead  and he  begged her for mercy and to pardon him.  These stories can not be believed and can be taken as  mere stories to glorify her valor. No doubt she was very brave woman and fought Maratha army bravely to save her kingdom