On occasion of Womens’ Day on March 8th, we bring to you a story about an incredible woman- Onakke Obavva. This is a story of her bravery, but also is an example of the dedication of women.
Onake Obavva was a woman who fought the forces of Hyder Ali single-handedly with a pestle (Onake) in the kingdom of Chitradurga of Karnataka, India. She is regarded as the foremost women warriors and patriots. (Wikipedia)
You can listen to the Onakke Obavva’s by clicking below
Read about Obavva below, or about the entire incident on Wikipedia.
During the reign of Madakari Nayaka, the city of Chitradurga was besieged by the troops of Hyder Ali. A chance sighting of someone entering the Chitradurga fort through a hole in the rocks led to a plan by Hyder Ali to send his soldiers through that hole. The Guard (Kahale Mudda Hanuma, who was on duty near that hole) had gone home to have his lunch. During his meal he needed some water to drink, so his wife Obavva went to collect water in a pot[2] from a pond which was near the hole in the rocks, halfway up the hill. She noticed the army trying to enter the fort through the hole. She used the Onake or pestle (a wooden long club meant for pounding paddy grains) to kill the soldiers one by one by hitting them on the head and then quietly moving the dead without raising the suspicions of the rest of the troops. Mudda Hanuma, Obavva’s husband, returned from lunch, was shocked to see Obavva standing with a blood stained Onake and several of the enemies’ dead bodies around her.
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Image Source: Wikipedia. Music: Bensound. Sound effects: Soundbible
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Baalgatha means childrens’ stories. Each week, we will bring you two stories from India and around the world, alternating in English and Hindi. We source our content from Panchatantra, Jataka and other sources, we also narrate content created by contemporary authors.
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