Belawadi Mallamma a brave Kannadiga queen, who almost defeated mighty Shivaji Maharaj, to whom even Aurangzeb with more than 5 lakh troops , couldn’t defeat in the war.
This incident occurred in 1678, when Shivaji Maharaj undertook South Expedition. He has occupied and victorious in most of his campaigns in the south. He was returning back to Maharashtra.
When he was on the way, Maratha forces were passing through Belvadi Kingdom , some Maratha forces started to plunder large number of cows from local farmers. Farmers complained this to local ruler Ishwarprabhu Desai, husband of Queen Belavadi Mallamma.
Ishwarprabhu rebelled against Shivaji Maharaj and announced a war. Fierce war started between Belwadi and Maratha troops. Suddenly, a Maratha soldier stabbed Ishwarprabhu from back, as a result Ishwaraprabhu Desai fell down from his horse and died on the spot.
This infuriated queen Mallamma, she vowed to protect her kingdom and take the revenge on Maratha troops. She prepared a brave women army and attacked Maratha army under general Dadaji Jadhav. Furious battle started between two armies.
Mallamma was fighting so fiercely, she was slaughtering 5–6 Maratha soldiers in a single shot. Dadaji attacked her horse leg from behind , horse’s back leg was cut into pieces. Mallamma fell down from her horse.
Dadaji tried to attack on Mallamma, before she stood up from the ground, but this attempt foiled by Mallamma, because she has rolled and moved ahead on the ground, as a result Dadaji’s sword was hit to the ground.
Mallamma stood up immediately and attacked on the shoulder of Dadaji with her sword. Her blow was powerfull and he wounded seriously and started crying for his life by saying “Raani Sarkar!! Please spare my life!!”.
Later another Maratha troop came showing a white flag and an empty palanquin. Soldiers told Mallamma to sit inside and to meet Shivaji Maharaj. Mallamma sat in the palanquin and came before Shivaji Maharaj.
As soon as he saw Mallamma, he bowed his head on her feet in reverence and started begging for pardon. Mallamma was so furious on her husband’s death , her mind was burning for revenge.
She opened her Armour and about to attack on Shivaji Maharaja, he started praying on saying “Jagadamba! Bhavani, please forgive me”, he told that it was mistake of his army general in killing her husband, he had been told to arrest Ishwrprabhu but not to kill him.
But army did mistake by killing him. Then Mallamma staring at him furiously started shouting “Your son Sambhaji will die more painful death than my husband. In fact, he only ordered to assassinate my husband.
After hearing this curse by Queen , Shivaji Maharaj scared for a moment. He told her “ Raani Saheb, I can see my mother inside you. I saw Jagadamba Bhavani inside you. I really impressed with your valour. I made a big mistake by invading a Hindu Kingdom like yours.
Our animosity is on Muslim invaders, not on Hindu Kingdom like yours. Please pardon me”. He immediately ordered to blind his army general for misbehaving with her woman army. He announced a truce with the queen.
Rani Mallamma stunned with a polite and respectful treatment given for a woman by Shivaji Maharaj. But, unfortunately Sambhaji Maharaj has to face very painful death by cruel Aurangzeb, which was a result of the curse given by queen Mallamma.
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