Belawadi Mallamma Explained

Belawadi Mallamma
Birth Place:Sodhe, Karnataka
Spouse:Raja Ishaprabhu

Belawadi Mallamma (ಬೆಳವಡಿ ಮಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ) was a queen of Belawadi kingdom (samshtana).[1] [2] [3]

Biography

She was the daughter of King Madhulinga Nayaka, of the Sodhe Kingdom, which controlled modern-day Uttara Kannada district and south Goa.[4]

Education

Mallamma's education began at 5, where she attended a school built by her father for her and her brother, Sadashiva Nayaka.[5] The school's principal was Shankar Bhat, a notable scholar, and 10 senior shastris (respected teachers of philosophy and of ancient texts) acted as Mallamma's teachers.

When Mallamma attained marriageable age, her father chose to arrange for swayamvara (whereby the girl would choosing her husband from among the courters). Mallamma decided to challenge her suitors to hunt the number of tigers equal to his age plus one, within one month.

Prince of Belawadi, Ishaprabhu, at 20 years of age, successfully hunted and killed 21 tigers in a month, earning the hand of Mallamma. With this union, Mallamma became known as Belawadi Mallamma and, along with Ishaprabhu, would later become the ruling couple of Belawadi, a relatively small kingdom whose territories covered parts of modern-day Belagavi and Dharwad districts.

Bibliography

Book: English Factory Records on Shivaji - 1659 to 1682 .

Notes and References

  1. News: Ensure Belwadi Mallamma of Belgaum district gets her place in international history . 2008-11-17 . Chennai, India . 2008-10-26. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081030010412/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102652370300.htm . . 30 October 2008.
  2. Web site: Women of prominence in Karnataka. . 2008-11-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140108233858/http://www.popline.org/node/274560 . 8 January 2014 .
  3. Web site: About Queen MALLAMA of Belawadi, Karnataka . 2023-01-05 . www.esamskriti.com . en-us.
  4. Web site: About Queen MALLAMA of Belawadi, Karnataka . 2023-01-05 . www.esamskriti.com . en-us.
  5. Web site: Kamat's Potpourri: Appendix A . 2023-01-07 . www.kamat.com.