Govindamamba Pemmasani-Sayapaneni- A Telugu Female Warrior

Everyone knows about Rani Rudramadevi, and rightfully so. But let me present to you the history of another Telugufemale warrior whose story has largely been wiped out of the pages of history. It took a painstaking amount of research to uncover the story of this woman whose heroism was a saving grace during the Battle of Gandikota. Her exceptional work as the ruler of a fiefdom is surpassed by her warriorship. She is not famous, but she deserves to be.

Without further adieu, I present: Govindamamba Pemmasani-Sayapaneni.

(A depiction of Govindamamba Pemmasani-Sayapaneni)

Govindamamba was born into the illustrious Pemmasani Nayak clan. Among the Vijayanagara Nayaka clans. the Pemmasanis were one of the most important. An account by the Portuguese traveler Nunez describes how it was the Pemmasani Nayaks, specifically Pemmasani Ramalinga, who led the Vijayanagara charge to defeat Adil Shah of Bijapur at the Battle of Raichur. The Pemmasanis, as recounted by Burton Stein, were the “Vanguard” of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Govindamamba was the younger sister of Pemmasani Timmanayaka, who was the feudatory ruler of Gandikota sima (region). According to a French Jeweller-traveler named Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Timmanayaka was considered to be one of the best and bravest commanders…