How many of us have heard of Onake Obavva?
She was neither a queen nor a princess, but the wife of a common guard at Chitradurga Fort. She fought the forces of Hyder Ali single-handedly with an Onake (a pestle or a long wooden club). Let's know a little more about her.

2. During the reign of Madakari Nayaka in 18th cen CE, Chitradurga, Karnataka was attacked by the troops of Hyder Ali (Tipu Sultan`s father). His army noticed a man entering the fort through a crevice in the rocks. They hatched a plan to send soldiers through the hole into fort .

3. As chance would have it, the guard Kahale Hanuma who was on duty near the hole had gone home to have his lunch. During this time, his wife Obavva was on guard. She spotted an enemy solider trying to enter the fort through the crevice.

4. Acting swiftly she used an Onake (a wooden long club) & struck soldier on the head instantly killing him. She moved the body away to avoid any suspicion. Similarly she killed many other soldiers one by one and quietly moved the bodies without raising suspicions of the rest .

5. When her husband returned from lunch, he was shocked to find Obavva with blood stained Onake and bodies of several dead soldiers around (some accounts put the number at over 100). She was found dead the same day. The exact reason of this warrior`s death is unknown .

6. While Obavva saved fort at the time, Madakari Nayaka's army could not resist for very long and ultimately lost the fort to Haider Ali`s forces in 1779. Madakari Nayaka was improisoned and eventually killed. However this does not in any way diminish the achievements of Obavva .

7. Obavva stood up to adversity in a perilous situation. Having no prior experience with weapons, she displayed extraordinary courage and will to defend the fort against the enemy. The crevice she once guarded is known as Onake Obavvana Kindi (Kindi = hole) .

8. The sports stadium in Chitradurga named Veera Vanithe Onake Obavva Stadium is dedicated to her. A life sized statue of Obavva is erected in front of the District Commissioner’s office in Chittradurga as a tribute to her.

9. Our real heroes are forgotten amongst the false narratives peddled over the years. This legendary lady's story needs to be told. Let's spread the word and recognise our true heroes.