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Belawadi Mallamma | |
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Born | Sodhe, Karnataka |
Spouse | Raja Ishaprabhu |
Belawadi Mallamma (ಬೆಳವಡಿ ಮಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ) was a queen of Belawadi kingdom (samshtana).[1][2][3]
She was the daughter of King Madhulinga Nayaka, of the Sodhe Kingdom, which controlled modern-day Uttara Kannada district and south Goa.[4]
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.[5]
When Mallamma attained marriageable age, her father chose to arrange for swayamvara (whereby the girl would choosing her husband from among the courters).[4] Mallamma decided to challenge her suitors to hunt the number of tigers equal to his age plus one, within one month.[4]
Prince of Belawadi, Ishaprabhu, at 20 years of age, successfully hunted and killed 21 tigers in a month, earning the hand of Mallamma.[4] 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.[4]