0 Dori: Rayanna's deception & capture

Over the past few years I have been visiting places connected with Rayanna, the valiant warrior who fought the British forces to defend Kittur kingdom. Here are the places-

Oct 2010: Rayanna memorial at Nandgadh - Rayanna's execution & burial

Nov 2010: Haliyal fort - Rayanna had captured Haliyal fort from the British

Mar 2011: Sangolli village - Rayanna's place of birth

One other place I wanted to visit for a long time was Dori-Benachi the place where Rayanna was captured. I knew Dori's approximate location, Google Maps/Wikimpaia helped in getting the exact location of Dori.

January 5, 2013

Malatesh and I started the day by locating the European cemetery. Our objective was to locate the tomb of John Thackrey, a British collector and political agent for the Southern Mahratta Doab region, who was killed in the rebellion at Kittur on 23rd October 1824. Most tombs in the cemetery are destroyed beyond recognition or repair. Thanks to the butchers of Dharwad who have encroached upon the cemetery land. Then we visited the Thackeray's memorial at Kittur Chennamma Park. Then a quick stop for breakfast and headed towards Kelgeri where Pushpa joined us.

About 25 kms from Dharwad, off Alnavar road is Dori village. Dharwad-Alnavar road repair is almost complete, it was unusable for almost a decade. We cruised most of the way except for some undone patches. At Arvatgi we turn left towards Dori. At the village entrance we talked to locals and got directions; the spot is under a big Aalad-Mara, less than a kilometer from the village. Close to the spot, we met Lakshappa, a farmer who was monitoring the sprinklers in his Bengal-gram field. He agreed to take us to the spot :)

Along Lakshappa's field borders are two streams. To the west is Dori Halla (Halla is the Kannada word for stream) and to the north is another stream. Sadly both are dry except for stagnant pools in the beds. The nameless stream joins Dori Halli about 70m from where we are.

Dori Halla is on my left and the confluence of streams is straight ahead, out of sight. Lakshappa and Pushpa lead the way to the Aalad-Mara.

Google Map view of Dori and its surroundings- a combination of plains and hilly terrain.

 Closer look at the area enclosed in the white rectangle. Dori Halla flows North-South along the base of a hillock.

I was surprised to see this check-dam.. which means the water flow is slow because of S-bend. Hence this would be an ideal spot for swimming and bathing.

I was trying to imagine this spot sans the check-dam and with flowing water. With good rains this stream would be 6' deep and 30' wide. An ideal place for swimming. Lakshappa mentioned few facts of Rayanna; he was 7' tall; he could cover 20' in one leap; never let go of this sword; even while swimming he would clutch his sword in his teeth.

Rayanna was an expert in guerrilla warfare, he and his band of soldiers looted British offices and rich landlords. The booty was used to to fund their struggle for freedom from British highhandedness. After the incident of destruction of offices at Bidi by arson, British decide to put an end to Rayanna. British officers hatched a plot with two landlords, Bodnapur Ningangouda and Neginhal Venkangouda to capture Rayanna. A man named Lakkappa in Rayanna's band happened to be an associate of Ningangouda and Venkangouda. On the fateful day Rayanna handed over his sword to Lakkappa before getting into Dori Halla for bathing. Grabbing the opportunity Lakkappa signals his fellow conspirators and suddenly nine men converge on Rayanna and immobilize him. Later Rayanna was handed over to the British who take him to Nandgadh. Rayanna was executed by hanging from a Banyan tree about 3 kms from Nandgadh. Rayanna's mortal remains were buried near Nandgadh. Few days later a close associate of Rayanna plants an Aalada-Gida on the grave. Today, that plant is a large tree and stands there in memory of the brave warrior who sacrificed his life for his country.

Dori village folks light lamps and offer flowers to this rock as a mark of respect for Rayanna.

Lakshappa mentioned this sculpted stone could be a Shiva Linga base or a grinding stone. No idea why its placed here.

Earlier at the village we had asked people if they had seen 'Sangolli Rayanna' movie. Folks said they had not seen but they had heard that the movie was not correct historically. They felt the movie was an insult to the great warrior :-( Even I've not seen the movie.. somehow the movie posters were a put off.

Here the video of Dori Halla-

We were curious to know what lay beyond the stream. Lakshappa mentioned a hamlet of cattle herds. Hmm sounds interesting. We asked our host to join in but he declined, said he'll be in his fields. A minutes trek we were at the hamlet Pushpa found a peacock feather lying on the ground.

These are Marathi speaking tribal people, making a living by breeding buffaloes. These people are basically shy and the kids took a while to get used to our presence. The little one in yellow-blue frock was really scared, paap little creature!

With trust gained, they let us into their dwellings. There are five or six families here.

We asked if they had peacocks.. Yes! We got two bunches to take home. They offered us tea and we accepted. Preparation took a while.. smoke coming out of the hut.

They have been living here for four years now.

Calves remain at home. They are fed hay or sugarcane leaves every now and then. Once they finish eating they get back into shade.. smart little fellows.

I noticed that all female members of the hamlet had red bindi between their eyebrows.

 Their kids don't go to school.

Pushpa had made herself comfortable inside a hut. She's holding a peacock feather bunch that has multiple uses; fan, duster, etc. Tea was thick because buffalo milk is thick. It tasted great!

It was time we left. We said bye to all, they did wave back. Back at Rayanna's place we explored the stream few minutes..

..and we were back with Lakshappa at his kadli hola. We thanked for showing us around and said we'll meet again.

Malatesh and Pushpa were not aware of my plan to visit Haliyal fort. The drive to Benachi was really interesting.. tight twisty tree lined road, not a pothole. We saw kids heading back home after half-day school. We drove through Benachi, crossed Dori Halla again, reached Alnavar outskirts and 8 kms to Haliyal...

Dori Halla coordinates: 15°26'6"N   74°47'29"E
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Detail: Dori: Rayanna's deception & capture

0 Sangolli, Turmari and Hunasikatti

Continued from Kittur Fort.

The 15 kilometers road to Sangolli was a mix of tarred and dirt patches but not uncomfortable. About a kilometer before Sangolli a direction board at 4-way junction caught my attention. The arrow pointing to the left was for Turmari, the village where many scenes from Shankar Nag's first movie Ondanondu Kaladalli were shot. main location being Turmari Goudaramane. It was a long time wish to see the village and the house but I was not able to locate the village until this moment. Another destination got added.

Sangolli is a small village and the bus-stand happens to be at western end. I stopped at a shop selling cool drinks and tender coconut to inquire if there was any memorial or a museum for Krantiveera Rayanna. No museum but there's one community hall named after Rayanna and a statue just across the street. While the shop keeper pointed out the directions, another person got into the conversation- Mahesh from Kittur, volunteered to show me the statue.

That's Rayanna, with a sword and a shield.


Well done artwork.


That's the community hall mostly used for weddings. Few villagers were busy washing the floor. I asked for the hose and ran water over my feet and arms ...it was refreshing.


One of the villagers invited us to see the temple dedicated to Rayanna.


That's Rayanna's idol flanked by two wooden weights used for bodybuilding workouts. The one on the right is an ancient one, used by Rayanna himself and the one on the left is a recently to complete the tradition of maintaining a pair of weights. These weights are to be twirled around to strengthen muscles in the wrist and forearms- warriors needed powerful arms to wield sword & shield.


With eyes shut Rayanna seems to be meditating. His face projects a serene expression.


I said bye to the temple caretaker. I mentioned my plan to visit Turmari to Mahesh and he agreed to join me. We headed back to Sangolli bus-stand, had a lime soda at the only cool drink shop and bid bye to Sangolli.

Sangolli-Turmari is just 7 kilometers. At Turmari we asked our way to our destination, Shri B C Patil's house. As I drove through the streets I tried to recall scenes from Ondanondu Kaladalli ...even though the village has changed over the decades, some remain unchanged, like the stone-walls between houses and streets. Goudaramane is on the village outskirts.


The moment I saw the house lot of scene's from the movie flashed before my eyes...


The cement floor is a recent change, back then it was dirt floor.


That's the main entrance. I introduced myself to two men of the Patil family and asked permission to see their house. One of the men Umesh Patil showed me around the house.


Portions of this 300+ year old two-floor mansio has undergone changes but it's recognizable ...my mind just compares the present to the past. Umesh told that originally the house had 100 doors. I did not bother to ask how many rooms.
Massive teak pillars adorn the center of the house.


Intricate woodwork decorates every beam-column intersection.

We climbed up the wooden staircase to the first floor.


A multi-purpose hall. Important part of Ondanondu Kaladalli were shot here. Closing scenes of the story are shot here. This gallery is similar to the gallery in Sirsangi Vaade.


Looking towards the main entrance.


Another staircase (not the one we took earlier). The movie hero Gandugali, gets stabbed and tumbles down here.


Thanks to Umesh for patiently showing us around. Few members of the Patil family actually live here, most of them have migrated to cities. I'm aware of the difficulties of maintaining such a house... its labor intensive work, yet the house is maintained well. One of the ladies told me that the walls are built of triangular mud bricks. I got to see few where plastering had fallen away. I thanked the members and we left.

Mahesh suggested a shorter route to the highway. As we drove, Mahesh told that we could see a Matta at Hunasikatti. Fine.

Hosmatt, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, right on Malaprabha river.


The place was cool and peaceful.


That's the sanctum sanctorum. ಶ್ರೀ ರುದ್ರಮುನಿ ಶಿವಯೋಗಿಗಳು ಹೊಸ್ಮಟ್.


The deity.


Two artworks caught my attention. Tortoise and two fishes.


Four monkeys but only eight limbs. When you look at individual monkeys, you can see four limbs.


There was also a short inscription dated 1912 above the doorway.

Temple caretaker's son (left), two of his relatives (middle) and Mahesh (right).


That's river Malaprabha flowing South-North. A river flowing South-North direction is considered holy in Hinduism. The place is generally peaceful but buzzes with activity on Amavasyas (no Moon days).


The Swami told us to visit during rainy season to see Malaprabha. I could imagine the water and the greenery. I've decided to visit sometime between August and October this year ...hopefully.

Under this tiled roof is the grave of the artist who built this temple.



A typical Matta will have a chariot. Hosmat too has one. Those are three of the four half buried stone-wheels which have given way to lighter wooden wheels. In the background you can see sugarcane fields, probably Matta's land.

Thanks to Mahesh, I got to see a wonderful place. We drove to Itgi Cross on NH4 where Mahesh got off and I drove towards Dharwad.

Route traveled-


Sangolli Coordinates: 15°43'4"N 74°50'1"E

Hunasikatti Coordinates: 15°42'42"N 74°45'3"E

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Detail: Sangolli, Turmari and Hunasikatti

0 Sangolli Rayanna memorial at Nandghad

Nandagad was on our agenda for the day we visited Ramteerth. We got directions to Sangolli Rayanna's memorial. Sangolli Rayanna was Kittur Rani Chennamma's trusted lieutenant. We heard about the Banyan tree from which Sangolli Rayanna was hanged to death by the Britishers. Our first stop was at the memorial.


Rayanna's mortal remains lie buried under this ficus.



The black board says "freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna's Samadhi."

The engraving on the Asoka Stamba.


ನಾಡಿನ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗಾಗಿ ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರೊಡನೆ ಹೋರಾಡಿ ಬಲಿದಾನ ಮಾಡಿದ ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಡುಗಲಿ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಜಾಗೃತಿ ಸ್ಮರಣೆಗೆ which translates to "Memorial to the brave warrior Sangolli Rayanna who sacrificed his life fighting for freedom of the land."

Transcription of the board- ಕ್ರಾಂತಿವೀರ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಸಂಕ್ಷಿಪ್ತ ಇತಿಹಾಸ

ಶ್ರೀ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಅಪ್ರತಿಮ ವೀರ. ಈತನ ದೇಹದ ಕಣಕಣದಲ್ಲೂ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಶೌರ್ಯ, ಸಾಹಸಗಲಿದ್ದವು. ಸೂರ್ಯ ಮುಳುಗುವ ದೇಶದ ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರಿಗೆ ಈತ ಸಿಂಹಸ್ವಾಪ್ವಗಿದ್ದ. ಕಿತ್ತೂರು ಚೆನ್ನಮ್ಮಜಿಗೆ ನೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಬಂಟನಾಗಿದ್ದ. ೧೮೨೪ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಕಿತ್ತುರಿಗೆ ಸೋಲಾಯಿತು. ಅನಂತರ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಕಿತ್ತುರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ತಂದು ಕೊಡಲು ಪಣ ತೊಟ್ಟ. ಈತ ೧೭೬೬ ಆಗಸ್ಟ್ ೧೫ ರಂದು ಸಂಗೊಲ್ಲಿಯೇಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ. ಈತನ ತಾಯಿ ಕೆಂಚವ್ವ, ತಂದೆ ಬರಮಣ್ಣ ಓಲೆಕಾರಿಕೆ ಇವರ ವೃತ್ತಿ. ಸಣ್ಣವನಿರುವಾಗಲೇ ಯುದ್ದದ ತರಬೇತಿ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದ. ೧-೧-೧೮೨೯ ರಿಂದ ೭-೪-೧೮೩೦ ರ ಅವದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಿತ್ತೂರ ನಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಚರಿಸಿದ. ತನ್ನ ಸೈನ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕಟ್ಟಿದ. ಥ್ಯಾಕರೆ ನಿದನದನಂತರ ಚಾಪ್ಲಯಾಣನ ಆಡಳಿತ. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರು ಕಿತ್ತೂರಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ದಂಡೆತ್ತಿ ಬಂದರು ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಕಿತ್ತೂರಿನ ಹುಲಿಯಾಗಿ ಹೋರಾಡಿದ. ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರ ಸೆರೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕರೂ. ನಂತರ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನನ್ನು ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರ ಯತ್ನ ನಡೆದೇ ಇತ್ತು. ರಾಯನ್ನನದು ಗೆರಿಲ್ಲಾ ಯುದ್ದ ತಂತ್ರ. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ ಬಾಳಪ್ಪ ಕಂದಾಯ ವಸೂಲಿ ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ತಾಯಿಗೆ ಅಪಮಾನ ಮಾಡಿದ ಇದನ್ನು ಸಹಿಸದ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಬಾಲಪ್ಪನನ್ನು ತುಂಡರಿಸಿದ. ಈ ಕೃತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರು ನಡುಗಿದರು. ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ರೊಚ್ಚಿಗೆದ್ದ. ಸಂಪಗಾವ್, ಬೀಡಿ ಕಚರಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಬೆಂಕಿ ಇಟ್ಟ ಖಜಾನೆಯನ್ನು ಬರಿದು ಮಾಡಿದ. ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷರಿಗೆ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ನುನ್ಗಲ್ಲರದ ತುತ್ತಾದ. ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರನ್ನು ಬಗ್ಗು ಬಡಿಯಲು ಸಂಯವನ್ನು ಐದು ಸಾವಿರದವರೆಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸಿದ. ರಾಯನನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿಯುವ ಹಂಚು ಹಾಕಿದರು. ಕ್ಹೊದನಾಪುರದ ನಿಂಗನಗೌಡ, ನೆಗಿನಹಾಲದ ವೆಂಕನಗೌಡ ಇವರು ರಾಯಣ್ಣನನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದು ಕೊಡುವುದಾಗಿ ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರಿಗೆ ಗುಪ್ತವಾಗಿ ಮಾತು ಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಗುಂಪಿನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಲಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ ನಿಂಗನಗೌಡ ಹಾಗು ವೆಂಕನಗೌಡರಿಗೆ ಬೇಕಾಗಿದ್ದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದ. ಲಕ್ಕಪ್ಪನ ಸಹಾಯದಿಂದ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿಯುವ ಸಂಚು ಹೂಡಿದರು. ಡೂರಿ ಬೆಣಚಿ ಗುಡ್ಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ನೀರಿನ ಝರಿ ಹರಿದಿದಿತ್ತು. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡುವ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಖಡ್ಗವನ್ನು ಲಕ್ಕಪ್ಪನ ಕೈಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ. ಎದೆ ಸಂಧರ್ಭವನ್ನು ಲಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಸಂಜ್ನ್ಯೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ. ಒಂಬತ್ತು ಜನ ಒಮ್ಮೆಲೇ ಬಂದು ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಿದ್ದರು. ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಬಿದ್ದ. "ಮೋಸದಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದ ನೀವು ಗಂಡಸರೇ" ಎಂದು ಚೀರಿದ. ಅಂದು ದಿನಾಂಕ ೧೮-೪-೧೮೩೦ ಆಗಿತ್ತು. ನಂತರ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ನಟಕ ಮಾಡಿದರು. ದಿನಾಂಕ ೨೯-೧-೧೮೩೧ ರಂದು ನಂದಘದದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಲ್ಲಿಗೇರಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. ಈ ಸ್ತಿತಿ ನೋಡಿ ಜನ ಕಣ್ಣಿರಿನ ಕೋಡಿ ಹರಿಸಿದರು. ಅಪ್ರತಿಮ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರಾಣ ಜ್ಯೋತಿ ನಂದಘದದಲ್ಲಿ ನಂದಿ ಹೂಯೋತು. ಬಿಚ್ಚಿಗಟ್ಟಿ ಚೆನ್ನಬಸಪ್ಪ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಜೀವ ಗೆಳಯ, ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಋಣ ತೀರಿಸಲು ಮಾರು ವೇಷದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದು ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಸಮಾಧಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಆಳದ ಸಸಿಯೊಂದನ್ನು ನೆಟ್ಟಿದ. ಆ ಸಸಿ ಇಂದು ಹೆಮ್ಮರವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆದು ನಿಂತಿದೆ. ಆ ಗಿಡದ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಹೂವು, ಎಲೆ, ದೆತುಗಳು ರಾಯಣ್ಣನ ಸಾಹಸಕ್ಕೆ ಮೂಕಸಾಕ್ಷಿಯಾಗಿವೆ. ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ದೇವತಾ ಪುರುಷನಾದ, ಹೀಗೆ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಒಂದು ದಂತ ಕತೆಯಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ಊಲಿದಿದೆ.

The place of execution is about 4km from the memorial. Anybody in Nandagad will give you directions ...in Marathi.

Sangolli Rayanna was hanged from one of the branches just behind this little temple. The video might help... A local woman herding her buffaloes showed us a spot marked with few stones but there were no branches above the spot. We guessed the branch must have broken off ...the incident took place way back 1830, that's 180 years back.

It would be good if the tree is fenced and a board fixed stating the tree's importance.

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Detail: Sangolli Rayanna memorial at Nandghad