Belawadi Mallamma



Belawadi Mallamma (ಬೆಳವಡಿ ಮಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ) was a queen of Belawadi kingdom (samshtana).

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

Education
Mallamma's education began at 5, where she attended a school built by her father for her and her brother, Sadashiva Nayaka. 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.