Onake Obavva

She defended a fort with a pestle

Obavva was a housewife who lived in the fort of Chitradurga during the reign of the last ruler, Madakari Nayaka (1742 - 1782 CE). She was the wife of a guard at the fort and lives on in the collective memory of the region for her extraordinary feat of bravery. 

Background

Chitradurga is a city on the banks of the river Vedavati in central Karnataka. Its fort was an important one, held by the Nayakas. Chitradurga’s fort is called Kallina Kote (fort of stone) in Kannada. It is built over several hillocks of massive rocks and a peak.

In the battle for control between the Marathas and Hyder Ali of Mysuru, the Nayaka rulers gambled that the Marathas would be the winners of this tussle. However Hyder Ali was not one to give up very easily, and besieged the fort which was reputed to be impregnable. He made several attempts but remained unsuccessful.

Chitradurga Fort

Chain of events

A random and completely chance sighting of a woman entering the fort through an opening in the rocks showed Hyder Ali the secret entrance and the chance he needed to conquer it.  

Obavvana Kindi / Obavva's Crevice in Chitradurga Fort

Meanwhile, inside the fort Obavva’s husband Kahale Mudda Hanuma whose duty it was to guard the small opening of this hidden path came home for lunch. When he requested a glass of water with his meal Obavva went to collect it from a water tank near the opening. 

Whispers and soft sounds alerted her to some movement near the fort wall. Soon enough, she noticed an enemy soldier about to enter the fort through the crevice.

Undeterred, she picked up a onake, a long and heavy pestle used to pound grain, lying nearby and hit the soldier on the head with it. As she dragged away his body from the opening, another soldier’s head emerged. Obavva positioned herself by the side of the hole and hit every soldier’s head as he attempted to enter the fort, killing each one. 

The number of bodies of enemy soldiers despatched by Obavva increased as the minutes ticked away. When Obavva’s husband came in search of her, an alarm was raised all over the fort and it was defended successfully.

Hyder Ali was once again prevented from conquering Chitradurga thanks to the quick wits of a non-combatant. 

Statue of Onake Obavva 

by Ashok Gudigar at Chitradurga stadium

What happened to Obavva?

There are various versions to how this episode ended. Some accounts state that Obavva was eventually overpowered by some of the enemy soldiers of Hyder Ali, and thus died. Others say she died of over-exertion. Whatever the result, Chitradurga’s Nayaka soldiers prevailed to fight another day. 

It is another matter that Hyder Ali succeeded in conquering Chitradurga some months later.

But the legend of Obavva, her incredible resourcefulness and bravery lives on even today. 

The crevice in Chitradurga fort that Obavva guarded is known today as Obavvana Kindi (Obavva’s Crevice) in Kannada, Chitradurga’s stadium is named after her.

An ordinary woman was able to find a way to save her people all alone with no thought to her personal safety, using whatever resource she could find around her - that is the legend of quick-thinking and courageous Obavva, respected and remembered today.

Ref. -

1. Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales by Cathy Spagnoli and Paramashivam Samanna

2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110515154647/https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/blewis/www/chitradurga.htm