Onake Obavva was a brave woman who lived in the Kingdom of Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. She alone killed more than hundreds of soldiers trying to invade her city. Her real name was Obavva. She assassinated those soldiers with the help of a pestle (Onake in the Kannada language); hence she became famous with the name of Onake Obavva.
Chitradurga is a small town surrounded by elevated hills and boulders in Karnataka, India. It has a beautiful fort in it. The Nayaka Dynasty once ruled this town for about 250 years between the 1550s and 1700s. During the late 1700s, the city’s ownership became an issue between the two great powers. The Mysore Kingdom (Governed by Hyder Ali) tried to capture the fort of Chitradurga and defeat Madakari Nayaka IV (Ruler of Nayaka Dynasty). At that time, she showed her courage to rescue the city without any war training.
Onake Obavva Story
Once, spies of Hyder Ali saw a man entering Chitradurga fort through a hole. Having heard this, Hyder Ali ordered his soldiers to enter the fort through that crevice in the hill. Kahale Mudda Hanuma(Husband of Onake Obavva), a resident, was deputed as a security guard. One day, the guard had gone home to have his lunch. During his meal, he needed some water. His wife Obavva went to fetch water in a pot from the pond near the hole in the hills. She noticed some mumbled sound of the soldiers trying to get in the fort. First of all, she shook with fear, and then she mustered up some courage and tried to do something. She found an onake, she grabbed it and hid the rock near the hole.
The first soldier crawled in, and Obavva hit his head with that onake. She dragged his body behind the rock without making any sound and hid again behind the rock. She did the same with the second soldier. Obavva killed every soldier who came inside the fort one by one. A heap of soldiers’ dead bodies was lying there.
When Obavva did not come back for a long time, Kahale Mudda Hanuma, her husband, went near the pond and saw that Obavva was drenched in blood from head to toe and killed many soldiers. Having seen this, her husband quickly went up the hill and blew an alarming horn to warn his king about the invaders. But while directing the army towards the enemies, Onake Obavva missed the last soldier, and he killed Obavva from the backside. Her story of bravery is a part of the folklore of Karnataka, India.
Personal Details of Onake Obavva
Date of Birth
November, 11 and the year is unknown.
Community
Onake Obavva came from the Holayas (Chalavadi) community
Husband Name
Her husband’s name is Kahale Mudda Hanuma
Other Exemplary Women like her
Kittur Chennamma (Queen of Kittur known for the 1824 revolt against the British East India Company), Keladi Chennamma(the queen of the Keladi Kingdom who is known for fighting against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb), and Abbakka Rani (first Tuluva Queen of Ullal in coastal Karnataka who fought the Portuguese)
Honor from the Government to Onake Obavva
- She is truly the utmost female pride of Karnataka.
- The Karnataka government has decided to celebrate ‘Onake Obavva Jayanti’ on 11 November throughout the state.
- The hole through which Hyder Ali’s soldiers entered is called ‘Onake Obavvana Kindi’ (kindi means a hole in Kannada) and has become a tourist spot along with the Chitradurga Fort (locally known as Elusuttina Kote).
- The Karnataka government has named a sports stadium after Onake Obavva: Veera Vanithe Onake Obavva Stadium.
- The Government tributed Onake Obavva with a statue erected in front of the District Commissioner’s office in Chitradurga. It is sculpted by Ashok Gudigar.
- Karnataka government established a foundation in the name of Onake Obavva to strengthen the lower section of women.
Onake Obavva Heritage
- Onake Obavva’s effort is shown in the movie Nagarahavu. It is directed by Puttana Kanagal in 1972.
- In 2019, a Kannada language historical drama film Chitradurga Onake Obavva depicted her bravery. The Kannada actress Tara played the lead role in the movie.
- Every person from Karnataka knows the courage of Obavva, and they remember it with time again and again through movies, art, and literature.
- Teachers educate students about her bravery in school stories.
- People admire Obavva in Karnataka by giving her name to their businesses like Onake Obavva Rotti Angadi in Bd Road, which is a famous bakery in Chitradurga.
- The descendants of Obavva continued the tradition by playing Kahale (a wind-blowing instrument) in respect of her. The regional people blow Kahale during victories, festivals, and other auspicious occasions. They believe their ancestors played a crucial role in defending the Chitradurga city.
Onake Obavva Pade
The Chitradurga police incorporated a squad of women police constables to protect and educate women in the district, known as ‘Obavva Pade.’ The squad has 45 women under 40 years of age. These Government has deployed women police constables in the various parts of the district for the following:
- Education of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO Act)
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act
- Mobile offenses
- Self Defense
- Offenses under the Indian Panel Code
- Cybercrimes
- Interacts with ASHA workers and Stree Shakti group to empower womanhood
Inspired by the Chitradurga’ Obavva Pade’, the Bengaluru West Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), Ravi D Channannavar, implemented the same strategy by the name of ‘Bengaluru West Division Police.’ Also, the Shivamogga district police started the squad with two female constables and one male constable patrolling the city, school, colleges, and other public places to keep an eye on the eve-teasers.
Onake Obavva Songs
Nowadays, new singers recite old significant stories, historical tales, and sagas through songs and podcasts. Her songs are widespread in the local community. One can listen to such music on music apps like Gaana, Spotify, and Wink Music. For example, Onake Obavva- Bravery epitomized” Song and Untold Stories With Monica” in season 2.
Onake Obavva symbol as “Naari Shakti”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi admired Onake Obavva on her birth anniversary and called her the epitome of “Naari Shakti.” He further added that the country can never forget the courage and bravery of the brave lady to protect her people and culture. Later, the Under Secretary, Kannada and Culture, AK Venkateshappa, issued a circular to celebrate “Onake Obavva Jayanti” on 11 November every year.
Onake Obavva Issue in Internal Politics
When the Indian National Congress was the ruling party in Karnataka, it announced that Karnataka would observe Tipu Sultan (Son of Haider Ali) Jayanti. It did not go well with the BJP and the RSS, and it claimed that Tipu Sultan was “anti-Hindu,” and the Congress did not acknowledge the sacrifice of Onake Obavva. The BJP opposed that observing Tipu Jayanti demeans the tribal community.
In 2019, when BJP won the election in Karnataka, it announced that the state would celebrate Onake Obava Jayanti on 11 November every year. So, the idea of both the parties contradicted here.
The title of “A female warrior of Chitradurga Fort”
Onake Obavva is indeed a warrior, and we can never forget her sacrifice. She got into a situation where she had no resources or weapons to stop Hyder Ali’s soldiers. At that time, she showed immense courage to prevent the enemies from entering the fort. She has given a great example to the forthcoming generation to not to get disappointed in an adverse situation. The saga of Onake Obavva continues to amaze everybody.
The Government must include such warriors in the history books of all the nation. Our history has unremembered icons like Rani Abbakka, Rani Durgawati, Yashodharman, and Gautamiputra Satakarni. When we think of the Indian historical battles, kings riding horses with swords come to mind. Nobody could ever think that a woman with a long wooden pounding stick could kill many invaders to protect his fort. Onake Obavva has depicted utter manliness and strength in many ways.
